Even without a proposal or a wedding planned, Shayla Quinn couldn’t resist a $100 dress at a sample sale
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Credit: Shayla Quinn (2)
NEED TO KNOW
- Shayla Quinn, 36, spontaneously bought a $100 wedding dress at a sample sale, even though she’s single and wasn’t planning a wedding
- Trying on the dress made her feel hopeful about her future and inspired her to embrace the life she wants
- She shared the moment on TikTok, where it went viral
Shayla Quinn had no intention of buying a wedding dress — at least, not yet.
The 36-year-old content creator and podcast host from New York City had been invited multiple times by her friend Jess Najem to check out a two-week bridal sample sale pop-up for the Australian brand Kyha Studios. Each time, Quinn politely declined. She was very, very single and figured a wedding dress wasn’t exactly on her shopping list.
But the night before the pop-up’s final day, over dinner, Najem asked again. This time, Quinn decided to stop by briefly — just to say hi. Once she arrived, however, her eyes landed on a dress hanging on a rack, marked down to $100. It was beautiful, simple, and timeless, with a halter neckline, a dramatic open back, and a clean fit-and-flare silhouette. With a little coaxing from Najem, Quinn tried it on.
"It was one of those spontaneous moments where something just felt fun and unexpected, and I decided to lean into it — which is honestly how a lot of the best things in my life have happened," Quinn tells PEOPLE exclusively.
Credit: Shayla Quinn
Trying on the dress brought a mix of excitement and nerves. She felt giggly and exhilarated, but also a little self-conscious — after all, she didn’t even have a boyfriend. Still, the experience was empowering.
"It made the idea of getting married feel tangible in a way it hadn’t before and reminded me that sometimes you have to allow yourself to believe in the future you want before it’s right in front of you," Quinn says.
@shayla.quinn It had to be done!!!!!
Though she initially hesitated to share the moment online, she eventually posted a video on TikTok, hoping it might inspire others to embrace the life they want, even if it’s not yet in sight.
However, the response was overwhelming. People shared their own stories of trying on dresses before proposals, inspired by Quinn's spontaneity and enthusiasm.
"Watching the video gain traction was surreal," she says. "It felt like this small, spontaneous decision had struck a chord with so many people in such a big way."
Credit: Shayla Quinn
For Quinn, the moment was about more than just a dress. It was about rejecting timelines and rules, trusting her instincts, and daring to believe in a future she wanted.
"I didn’t go looking for the dress, the dress found me, and it was an opportunity I couldn’t resist. Who says you have to follow a certain timeline? Doing things in my own way and in my own time is VERY on brand for me, and this is no different," she says.
Now safely stored in her NYC closet, the dress is a reminder of that bold choice. Every glimpse brings a thrill and a sense of possibility, motivating her to keep putting herself out there while dating. And when the day comes, she knows exactly what she’ll wear — whether for a rehearsal dinner, a beach ceremony, or some other bridal moment.
"One hundred percent. I don’t know if it’s the dress I’ll walk down the aisle in, but I will absolutely be wearing it for something wedding related," she says.
@shayla.quinn #storytime of how I, a VERY single girlie #over30 somehow now own a #weddingdress 😅😂🙈 #datinginyour30s #manifestlove
More than anything, buying the dress has shifted how Quinn thinks about love, relationships, and her own future.
As a single woman in her 30s, she had begun doubting whether marriage would happen for her. Trying on the dress changed that, making hope tangible again and reminding her that imagining the life she wants is the first step toward creating it.
"It made me feel hopeful and excited again and reminded me that possibility often starts with allowing yourself to imagine it," she says.
And if her future partner is reading this, Quinn hopes he’ll understand why she made the leap.
@shayla.quinn when you buy the dress first but you’re still looking for your husband 🙃
"I bought the dress because it was an UNREAL deal, lol. But beyond that, I hope he sees it for what it is — lighthearted, funny, a great financial decision, and also a reflection of the fact that I’m excited about partnership and building a future with someone," she says.
"I don’t know when or where he’s coming from, but when he does arrive? I’m ready. And I’m excited to take my audience along for the ride," she adds.