Dress, alterations, and advice needed

LolaBelle515

Hello, I finally found a dress that I absolutely LOVE...only to discover that it is discontinued. The sample I tried on in the store was perfect....but 3 or 4 sizes too big. The dress is a 14 and I am a 6-8 in street clothes. Since I can't order from the line anymore, I've called every store in Minnesota that carries this line and looked on Ebay, too, but no other store has this dress sample in a smaller size or in all white (there is an optional non-removable colorful sash that is popular on the samples. The gowns's beading is on top of the sash, so it really can't be removed). The dress is is a lace up, so there is a little bit of flexibility in sizing, but I wonder if anyone else has had a dress that is several sizes too big altered? I'm concerned that I'll purchase it and the alterations person will think I'm crazy....or have to charge me several hundred dollars to make it smaller. If you have done this, I'm curious if the dress ended up looking as good as it would have if it really were your size...AND how much I could expect to pay for such massive alterations? I am also going to check with the bridal store I found the dress at, but I don't believe they do alterations in shop, so they might not have a direct answer. Your suggestions are appreciated! ThankS:)

Bimbi284

Do you have a pic of the dress or overall style of it? Unless its something incredibly unique, I bet you could probably find something similar. Perhaps the designer has something similar. I would be annoyed with the store for letting you even try on something that was discontinued and clearly too big!

LittleSweetie

I'd take it to a seamstress (the dress if you buy it and/or pictures of the dress for general style) and see what they'd say about altering it down that much. Is it strapless? That might be more alterable than a halter which is fairly defined for the size it needs to be. Just remember - almost every dress needs alterations - it's just a question of how much to cut the dress down. I think it would be possible, but I'm an optimist! I believe grlygrl15 altered her dress down a TON, and it worked beautifully for her. GL!

flower_lover

I agree with LittleSweetie- check with a seamstress on the alterations possibilities. I sew quite a bit and I believe whether it can be successfully altered depends on the design of the dress. In most cases, though, I think a good seamstress could make it work. You also might want to check how much the alterations would cost, too.Last, there are quite a few online forums where people sell used wedding dresses. You never know, maybe you can find someone selling one close to your size. Google away!