Order a size down in wedding dresses?

meowcat84

There is a huge sale at davids bridal and don't want to miss out on a good dress. But I'm not at my ideal weight. I plant to lose 20-30 lbs and am a pear shape so is anyone else doing that? My waist is the slimmest part of me so it won't be much change for the dress.

JennyColada

Personally, that would make me really nervous. I'd hate to be stuck with a dress that I can't fit into.

PrettyGirlLost

Absolutely do NOT do this. Order the correct size as per your measurements now and if you lose the weight you can have your dress taken in. It is way easier to take a dress in, a dress can only be let out so much.

vt&dt

While it's easy to think that having a dress that's too small coming in might be a great motivation to stick to your diet/exercise plan, it's really a huge risk.  I don't think it's worth it.

Wedding dresses (generally) are easy to take in, and not very easy to let out.  I was in between sizes, and while I really wanted to order the smaller size for my ego, I ordered the larger to be safe.  I'm still working out and watching what I eat - the reward will be looking my best on the wedding day & knowing my dress will fit no matter how much weight I do/don't lose.

Also, it's difficult to predict where the weight will come off, and how much.  I'd order the size for where you're at now and keep working to get in your best shape.  Good luck!

futuremrscrystal

My bust and hips measurements are one size and my waist is the next size up. My dress is a corset back so I'm not sure if that even matters. I want to order the smaller size because it fits my current bust and is even big on my hips. The next size up will be too big for both my bust and hips and I'm planning on losing at least 30 pounds.

cmiles89

I would never ever do this...

Listen, I worked in a theatre costume shop for years, and here's how it goes. We take measurements for the leading lady, and the first words out of her mouth are , "Oh, take a few inches off my waist, I'm gonna loose that before the show". We never do that. Why? Because life happens, she runs out of time to release weight, and we CANNOT add fabric (usually) if we make something too small for her. We would SO MUCH RATHER make it a size to big, she releases some weight and we take it in, no problem.

Save yourself the stress and get the size that fits you right now. Especially if your hips are the next size up. I cannot stress this enough. I have all the faith you will get rid of that weight, but how do you know where it'll come off from? Not everyone shrinks uniformally when they release weight, what if it all comes from your thighs or something?

The only exception is a corset back dress. And even then I caution you.

vt&dt

@futuremrscrystal - what happens if you don't quite lose the 30?  Weight loss/getting in shape can change the shape of your body.  If you do lose the 30 and most of it doesn't come from the largest measurement?  Your bridal salon should have the size charts and tell you what they'd suggest - since they've done this many times, I'd go with their recommendation.

I just think it'd be so awful to not lose all the weight in time (lots of people find plateaus in the middle of weight loss!) or to lose it in a different area and have to let the dress out (always harder than taking it in).

meowcat84

Thanks for the advice. I'm just nervous how long it will take to get it fitted in time when my wedding 6 months away.

SmileDamnit

I agree with everyone else - ordering down is just too risky when it's relatively easy to have a too big dress taken in. 

My wedding is also 6 months away. I ordered my dress two weeks ago and it's slated to arrive mid-May, which should leave plenty of time for alterations before the mid-July wedding.

Good luck!

ei34

I don't think that's a good idea.  Buy the dress in your current size and have it taken in when it comes. There are a lot of talented wedding dress seamstresses.  Even your plan to lose "20-30 lbs"..will it be 20 or 30?  The ten pounds could make a difference in how it fits.

ei34

meowcat84 said:

Thanks for the advice. I'm just nervous how long it will take to get it fitted in time when my wedding 6 months away.

Some of my bridal party purchased BM dresses from David's Bridal.  My engagement was less than 6 months- they bought their dresses in late September, and there was plenty of time for the dresses to come in and be altered before my February 1st wedding.  I didn't use David's for my wedding dress, but I bought and received my dress (which needed altering) in less than five months.  True wedding dress professionals know how to meet a deadline!

KPBM89

I agree with PP: order your current size.  It will feel so much better if you lose weight and need it taken in than it would if you don't and are screwed with a dress you can't fit. 

 

I have the same plan, to lose some weight before the wedding.  I ordered my dress in my current size (bought at the end of November and I'm having an August wedding), as I knew that taking in is easier than letting out.  And a little while ago, FI and I started doing Insanity for a second time.  Well, my dress came in a couple days ago, and there was a little wiggle room in there that wasn't there before!  I felt so good to already be noticing a change and know that my dress will not only fit me, but will need to be taken in!

futuremrscrystal

I'm not ordering a size down. I am ordering my current size however my waist measurement is 2 inches bigger than that size. If I order the bigger size its already 2 1/2 inches bigger on my bust and 4 1/2 inches bigger on my hips. My largest measurement is my bust and it fits perfect there. The back is a corset back too.

Starlet514

I was in between sizes and the smaller size was off by like 1/2inch in the bust and hips - the consultant agreed that the smaller one was fine to go with because it was such a small difference! 

I would just ASK!!!  And they said also 15# generally = 1 dress size... 

Gina0887

Better to get a bit bigger (they can take in a lot), but they can only let out about 1 1/2 inch tops. Better to go what you snuggly fit in and it can be taken in.

QueerFemme

Order whatever size you are right now.  You never know where on your body you will lose the weight, IF you do end up losing the whole 30 pounds.  Your butt and thighs might be first to go, and it won't change your size as much as you originally considered.

For what it's worth, I had to order a dress two sizes bigger than my waist and hip size, so it would fit my bust. I ended up having about 5-6 inches taken in around the waist.  Alterations can be done in 2-4 weeks.   Don't order the wrong size dress.

futuremrscrystal

Thanks for your suggestions! I went back today and they remeasured me I lost weight so it's actually only a half inch too small on my waist so they advised me to order that size!

jenniferurs

Trust me, order the correct size.

When I ordered my dress, I was sure I was going to be in the best shape of my life on my wedding day and was tempted to order a size down. Fast forward 7 months and I'm so happy I didn't do that, because I just found out I'm pregnant and instead of the weight coming off, it'll mostly likely be coming on.

Life happens. I'm not saying you'll get pregnant, but it's hard to predict what may or may not occur, so why risk it when you can always have a larger dress taken in if need be? It's just not worth it, simply for the temporary ego boost.