XP - Bought my dress... now wondering about alterations!

MichelleS1717

I'm starting Jenny Craig, and I know that I can lose about 2lbs a week on it.  I've got a lot of weight to lose, and I'm doing it for several reasons - mostly health related.

Unfortunately, I think I ordered my dress too early, considering I still have a year to go before my September wedding.  My dress is a size 26, and I would ideally like to lose about 100lbs in the next year.

My question is: how many sizes can a dress be altered before it's no longer worth it, and I need to buy a new dress?  

My dress is very simple: spagetti straps, rounded neckline, a few embroidered white daisies, high bustline (under the breast) and then A-line from there - the body is two layers, one sheer over the other - into a chapel length train.  It ties up the back corset-style.


Here's a low-resolution picture of the front...  http://www.flickr.com/photos/solargalaxy_6/4719448186/

M.

marissa_claire

I realize you probably want to stress about this now, but if you have a while you don't really need your first fitting until maybe 2-4 months before the wedding.  I would worry about it at that point. 

On that note - I would highly recommend finding a good local seamstress for alterations instead of going to the store where you purchased your gown.  And make sure you buy your shoes before your first fitting!  Good luck with Jenny Craig!

[Deleted User]

A dress can be taken in to just about any size. It is when you order too small and have to start letting things out that become a problem.

And ditto pp, don't start your fitting appts until about 2-4 months before the wedding.

Good Luck with your weight loss goals! And congrats on your wedding.

samscsi

I will say that everything I've heard or read says alterations can't take anything down more than two sizes.  However, your dress is pretty simple, so that you may be able to take it in even more.  Even though you don't need to worry about alterations for several months, you might want to find a seamstress right away and ask her how far your dress can be altered.  Better to know now than to wait eight months and then scramble around trying to find another dress that fits.

The dress is beautiful, I hope it works out!  Good luck with Jenny Craig!

krcran06

if you have a high waisted dress you might not need to make drastic changes.  I am about 20lbs heavier then I want to be (my goal is vanity for the greek beaches not the dress)... but I feel comfortable ordering because even when I was 30lbs ligher I was only one cup size smaller. 

Corests are also your friend, they are very forgiving in size...

Dont stress about it until you have to...

opalsky007

The usual rule of thumb is 2 dress sizes, but that dress is extremely simple. I don't think you'll have any trouble with alterations. Good luck!

dizzinea

i agree with two to four months out, but there are limits to what can be done, typically 2 sizes down is not an issue, but more change depends on the dress, since that design is fairly simple, and very pretty by the way, it may have more leeway, I'd go four months out and see where you are and find out from a seamstress what can be done, four months so if it can't be altered enough you have time to figure out another option

alainn15

I saw a seamstress take a size 16 dress that was made for a 5'7" girl and fit it on a girl that is 4'11" 100lb and size 2. If you find the right seamstress, anything can be done.

(If you are wondering why, it was her sisters dress and she had passed away. The girls had her heart set on wearing it after her death.)

And good luck with JC, a friend of mine did it before her wedding last year and lost almost 100lbs. She has still kept the weight off, so it can be done.