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Help! What Dress Size Am I?!

Have you shopped for your wedding dress and been shocked at the size? You’re not alone. The fashion world is all over the place with sizing these days! Manufacturers are changing their cutting scales so now you could fit into a size much smaller than your “usual”, but this is not the case in a wedding dress.

While each designer cuts on his/her own scale, the sizing can be very confusing. Your measurements might fit into a 4 in one designer and an 8 in another. Your measurements could also fall into three different sizes.

Most of the time, whatever size you “usually” are, it is a larger size in bridal. Do not be discouraged! That number is meaningless – the FIT is what matters!

This is why it is so important to get the measurements right. Alterations can be costly, and multiple alterations are not good for the dress.

Some designers will offer custom measurements for a fee. This is a great option if a bride has a large bust and smaller hips, or vice versa. Ordering for the largest measurement is not the best option if you can get custom.

The drawback of custom is that you need to stay about the same size until your wedding day.

If you are intent on losing weight before your wedding, consider ordering your dress closer to your wedding date and getting measured just before ordering.

If custom is not available in the dress you choose or you’re not interested in going that route, your stylist will consult with you on sizing. Together you will look at your measurements, the size chart, the dress silhouette and features (is it a ballgown or a mermaid, full back with buttons or backless, etc.) and be confident with why a particular size is chosen.

Our stylists want the best for you! Be confident that we will make suggestions and offer ideas for consideration. While there are stores notorious for ordering larger sizes, ours is definitely not one. We want our brides to have minimal alterations, not only for your wallet, but also for the integrity of the dress!

Many designers also offer custom length and petite cuts as well. IF you commit to the shoes and get measured, you can have it made in your length! If you’re under 5’4″, ask about what a petite cut would look like in the dress you love.

We have had many brides come to try on their dresses and needed nothing but a bustle. How gratifying is that?! That is our goal and when our sizing and measurements hit the mark perfectly it’s a joy knowing that dress came directly from the designer and not one detail was changed!

We have also had brides lose up to 40 pounds (have you seen our TLC Say Yes: Wedding SOS episode?) and 4 sizes. We have had brides change medications and gain inches to where they needed significant alterations to fit properly.

Be realistic. If you know you lost or gained significant weight, be aware that the size ordered is then not your size anymore. If that happens, your stylist and seamstress will assist in the best solution! Do not panic and do not put off your try on. Go in as soon as your dress arrives so a plan can be made in plenty of time.

Remember, sizes are not standard. Every designer has their own. Do not worry or obsess over a number! They don’t mean anything anymore and it’s not about the size, it’s about the DRESS! Come on in and let us find that perfect one for you!