Size Me Right!

A salon should help you find that perfect dress that will fit to near perfection. If you want a dress to your exact measurements you may have to get a seamstress to make it. Alterations are a must, with almost every dress you special order, and you will be super lucky if you get away without a little nip or tuck to the dress. Don’t stress over a dress that’s a little bit too big, but do steer away from ordering too small. You never know when your weight loss plans hit the back burner for a week or two and you don’t lose that last 10 lbs. Enjoy the process, expect your consultant to be helpful and professional, and never accept having your dress ordered just by off the rack size samples, they are not always a true 10 or 12 in their measurement chart. Every designer is different too. An 8 in Alexia may be a 6 in a Dessy dress, so never order based on your normal day clothes sizes either. Wedding dresses fit 2-3 sizes larger on the label. So don’t worry if your a size 6 and you have to order a 10, it’s just the way the dresses are cut and sized. These sizings have not really changed a lot in the complete history of bridal gowns. Full Figured ladies, the same applies to your sizing as well. A bride who wears a size 16 will most likely wear a size 20 wedding gown. No matter your size though, get properly measured and don’t try to set any weight loss goals that could have you in tears on the big day, underestimate your weight loss and order a dress that will allow you to take it in. All brides are beautiful, and if you only lose 2 lbs, you will still be his princess and your salon will still fit that dress to make you the most amazing lady to get married in that gown.

Dresses are cut and sewn on a standard size chart pattern, they also follow a proportional woman’s figure. This mean’s that dresses follow the perfect hourglass type, 36,24,36 or 34, 24, 36. For most women this shape is not realistic. Many women are a pear-shape, making their hips larger than their bust measurement. This sizing does not account for any woman with a smaller bust or large bust and smaller hips. No matter what, your going to get a dress that is going to be too big somewhere, unless you are exactly proportional or are the same size as the charted size. A good consultant will let you know that your dress is being ordered based on your biggest measurement and also possibly let you know that this will require some tailoring once it comes in. Remember too, if you order a dress based on your measurements at the time and you lose weight, that dress is going to come in cut to your previous measurements. If you plan on losing weight, tell your consultant so she can order a dress closer to the size you require, post weight loss. Be realistic in your weight loss too. Don’t tell the consultant that you are going to lose 30lbs if you are only sure you can cut 10, 15 or 20lbs off your current weight. 5-10 lbs is a dress size, so if your an 18 and you say your going to lose 30lbs, that could be a dress that is 3-5x smaller in size. A dress can be taken in but taking one out is very difficult, especially since the standard “let-out” measurement is only 1.5″ either in total or per side seam. That usually means one dress size. So again, if you plan to lose thirty pounds but you are only sure you will lose 15, tell your consultant 15 lbs. Then the consultant can order you a dress in a size 12 or 14.

If you are ordering a dress, especially a bridesmaids dress, don’t rely on the sample dress to be the true size, as they are sometimes rough cuts that can be a size larger or smaller than the ordered dress size. If a consultant orders a dress based just on sample size, be wary and ask why they don’t measure you. Some bridal consultants know their dresses and can order based on sample size fit. But this is not a true guarantee that the dress will be the right size. If your unsure get measured, and if the consultant says they usually don’t do this, then request they do it for you or your party. If a consultant refuses to measure you, that could be a red flag and you may not want to deal with that salon. If you are in love with a dress and they won’t measure you, then get a tailor to do it, give it to the salon and request that they show you their size chart and pick the size with them. This will guarantee you get a dress that will fit truer to size. Remember though, order by your largest measurement and tailor when it comes in.

Have you suffered with being measured for a dress and then have to take it in anyway? This is an all too common issue for women buying any dress sized to order. The harsh reality of the dress sizing is that it is based on your largest measurement. Some salons go completely along with ordering in your largest measurement, which can result in a dress that is truly too big everywhere. A good consultant will measure and ask if the area of your largest measurement felt good or if it was way too tight or loose. A dress should be measured both by tape and how the fit works for you.

Enjoy your day and don’t let anything unsettle you, you’re gorgeous and you deserve to smile.