Wedding Etiquette Forum

Dress sizing - ordering.. did I make a mistake?

When I originally went in to try my dress on a few months ago, I tried on a size 6 and it was about 3 inches too small.

I went back this weekend to buy the dress, and the sample size 6 was sold so they had me try a 16, which was obviously too big.

I've gained about 10 pounds since I first went dress shopping.  The girls were discussing my measurements and they weren't sure if they should order a 10 or a 12 for me.  I ended up agreeing to a size 12.

My mother and MIL think a size 12 would be way too big, so my mom called the shop back today to change it to a size 10 - where they proceeded to argue with her that I really should be a 12.  (I asked my mom to call because she's buying the dress, and she offered).

Did I make a mistake to change it to a size 10 from a 12?  Did anyone here regret getting a bigger size dress?  Or order a dress that was too small?

Relevant details:  It's a lace-up back, if that matters at all.
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Re: Dress sizing - ordering.. did I make a mistake?

  • It's easier to take it in than to let it out, just keep that in mind :)
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  • kcscejalkcscejal member
    First Comment
    edited December 2010
    Since it's lace up its probably not a big deal, but I would always rather order too big than too small.  Taking it in is way easier when it comes to alterations.
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  • What Alix said.  I would trust the people at the shop- they know what measurements work with what dresses.
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  • I can't believe I'm about to say this in this manner, but it's what immediately popped into my mind because I'm a geek....

    Assuming a linear relationship, how close was the 16 to being 3 sizes too big?  Do you think you were closer to the 6 or the 16 in size?  That could determine if you need the 10 or the 12.
    BabyFruit Ticker
    Waiting to meet the baby broccoli on 5/5/2013!
  • Also, bridal stuff supposedly (this is what my shop told me anyway) runs pretty small. My wedding dress was about two sizes bigger (the number, anyway) than my normal clothes, but it fit perfectly.
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    Whatever you hatters be hattin. -Tay Prince
  • I would get the larger size for a couple reasons:  It's easier to take it in than let it out, the women at the shop (hopefully) know what they're doing, and I would have hated to HAVE to lose weight to get into my dress.  That would have been way too stressful.
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    ttc chart
    BFP 8/01/12, EDD 04/10/12, mm/c @ 6wks, discovered at 8wks, D&C 9/05/12
  • From what I have heard if the dress shop is davids' bridal is that they often have you order a bigger size or 2 so that when you do alterations with them. They'll be able to charge you more since you'll have to take it a few sizes down.

  • I ordered my dress in my current street clothes size and it fit with very minimal alterations.  They tried to pressure me into a size larger but judging by the sample being so close to fitting I just took a chance and went with my gut and it paid off when it came to alterations. 

    I'm probably very lucky it worked out. 
  • I'd say I'm closer to the 6 than the 16.. I was drowning in the 16.

    Logic tells me that I should have stayed with the bigger size... just like you ladies are telling me..  I guess I was just afraid of it being too big and it not looking right if they had to take it in *too* much
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dress-sizing-ordering-did-mistake?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:aa81b89d-b881-4ae2-bbe5-07f539462b4aPost:e1f68e54-2024-42e4-836e-45f7dcbdf23d">Re: Dress sizing - ordering.. did I make a mistake?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Also, bridal stuff supposedly (this is what my shop told me anyway) runs pretty small. My wedding dress was about two sizes bigger (the number, anyway) than my normal clothes, but it fit perfectly.
    Posted by laurenclaire1386[/QUOTE]


    Yep - ditto LC.  I wear a size 6-8, and my wedding dress was a size 10.  Plus with the corset back I think you're fine :)
    panther
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dress-sizing-ordering-did-mistake?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:aa81b89d-b881-4ae2-bbe5-07f539462b4aPost:b572e8cf-0d2e-444b-96dc-7916c30a77b1">Re: Dress sizing - ordering.. did I make a mistake?</a>:
    [QUOTE]From what I have heard if the dress shop is davids' bridal is that they often have you order a bigger size or 2 so that when you do alterations with them. <strong>They'll be able to charge you more since you'll have to take it a few sizes down.</strong>
    Posted by jessshirey[/QUOTE]

    Not going to lie, this did cross my mind.

    My doubts - and what caused me to change the size down were:

    1 - the girls at the time were very unsure as to order me a size 10 or 12
    2 - my mom and MIL both were of the opinion that a size 12 was way too big
    3 - like i mentioned before, I'm definitely closer to the size 6 then the 16.. the 16 i could hardly walk in it and she had to hold it closed at the back (and it was a lace-up)
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  • Well, if it is a lace-up, it's better if it's a little (and I mean a couple inches) too small than too big.  You can't lace it tighter, but you can lace it as loosely as the fabric patch is big.  So were your measurements between a 10 and a 12 then?

    I personally lucked out in that I was able to order the same size as the sample.

    BabyFruit Ticker
    Waiting to meet the baby broccoli on 5/5/2013!
  • Okay, am I the only one who didn't have to order a size bigger and then still have to have it taken in though? Maybe I just got a it-runs-large dress?
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  • PP are right, but I also wanted to point out that both samples were likely pretty stretched out from being tried on a lot.

    I think you should have stuck with the 12, but it's probably NBD since it's a corset-back.
  • docta - my measurements were between a 10 and a 12


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  • If the people working at the store were in between a 10 and a 12, you're probably fine. You can let the 10 out a bit, especially with the corset back, so if it was close, you should be ok.

    Alix, I had the same thing happen. Of course, since our dresses are twins.
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dress-sizing-ordering-did-mistake?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:aa81b89d-b881-4ae2-bbe5-07f539462b4aPost:2a2a9b1a-e286-4de1-b37e-82bfee63574a">Re: Dress sizing - ordering.. did I make a mistake?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Okay, am I the only one who didn't have to order a size bigger and then still have to have it taken in though? Maybe I just got a it-runs-large dress?
    Posted by alixzafiris[/QUOTE]

    I think it just depends on the manufacturer.  I got a 6, which is the shirt size I wear usually, and I probably could've even gotten away with a 4, because I can almost pull the 6 completely tight if I wanted to be like the crazies back in the day with their corsets.
    BabyFruit Ticker
    Waiting to meet the baby broccoli on 5/5/2013!
  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dress-sizing-ordering-did-mistake?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:aa81b89d-b881-4ae2-bbe5-07f539462b4aPost:2a2a9b1a-e286-4de1-b37e-82bfee63574a">Re: Dress sizing - ordering.. did I make a mistake?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Okay, am I the only one who didn't have to order a size bigger and then still have to have it taken in though? Maybe I just got a it-runs-large dress?
    Posted by alixzafiris[/QUOTE]

    I ordered true to size and had to have the top and waist taken in and padding put in the chest area b/c it still was too big during the second alterations. 

    I also fit into a sample that was 2 sizes smaller than my street size clothing........I think the bridal sizes make absolutely no sense.  Either that, or I'm wearing clothes that our too big for me (but I hightly doubt that's the case)  :)
  • and i'm a street-size 7-8

    I guess this is the closest I'll get to buyer's remorse when it comes to the dress...

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  • are alterations to take in (or out, modestly) - expensive usually?
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  • Okay yay, it's not just me!
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  • Depends on if you do them at the store or at an independent seamstress.
    BabyFruit Ticker
    Waiting to meet the baby broccoli on 5/5/2013!
  • independent seamstress = cheaper?

    my FMIL is also concerned about this, because she's tiny and the dress she ordered for my wedding will likely have to be taken in as well
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  • If your measurements were between 10 and 12, then I'd go with the 12.  That was exactly my issue; my measurements fell in between two sizes.  And the difference between the two sizes was literally about an inch at each measuring point (bust, waist, butt).  Most women are not going to match the measurements exactly.  In my case, I have to get a bigger dress because my rib cage and chest are bigger, but I will most definitely have to get the waist taken in (I either find clothes that are too tight in the bust and fit my waist, or clothes that are too loose in the waist and fit my bust - it's not fun).
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    Puppy Love
  • Yes, independent seamstress = cheaper.

    I only needed a hem and a bustle, so I decided just to have the store do it so that they'd be responsible.  But if you need more complicated alterations, doing it at a store, can get into hundreds of dollars.
    BabyFruit Ticker
    Waiting to meet the baby broccoli on 5/5/2013!
  • Skinny bitches!!
  • thank you everyone for your advice...

    i guess i'll see in 3 months if it was a huge mistake or not, i do feel a little bit better

    i'm still cautiously optimistic i can drop these 10 pounds too ... after xmas that is.  :)
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  • In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_dress-sizing-ordering-did-mistake?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:aa81b89d-b881-4ae2-bbe5-07f539462b4aPost:2a2a9b1a-e286-4de1-b37e-82bfee63574a">Re: Dress sizing - ordering.. did I make a mistake?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Okay, am I the only one who didn't have to order a size bigger and then still have to have it taken in though? Maybe I just got a it-runs-large dress?
    Posted by alixzafiris[/QUOTE]

    I did not have to order a larger size.  My dress was a Watters and Watters and I found it ran pretty true to my regular size at the time.
  • I had to order a size bigger in my dress. I am usually a size 6 and my dress was a size 8. And yes, the bridal shop where I got my dress said most of the gowns run small bc mine was a designer gown.

    Like pp's said, trust the bridal shop, it is definitely easier to take something in than let it out.
  • I only had to have some taken off the bottom of my dress.

    However for my BM dress for my friend's January wedding, I did go a size up. The 4 was just a little snug and I would rather have room to work with and cut down than starve through the holidays to fit in it.

    Yes, typically an independent seamstress is cheaper but be careful. If the dress is complicated, they may not handle all the alterations well. Also I know for a fact that David's Bridal won't work on a dress that has already been worked on by someone else. So say you take it to an independent seamstress and you don't like something she does or she can do "everything but the bustle", if you try to take it to the bridal shop, they may refuse to alter any further.

    The way I see it is this: I'm taking my BM dress to an independent seamstress who has previously altered 2 BM dresses for me. She's great, always done a great job. But for my wedding dress? I went to David's. My mom pointed out that in the event they really screwed up the alterations, they'd have to and could order me a new dress. If an independent screws it up, you're stuck. So IMO, worth spending extra money to have it done at the bridal shop for your wedding gown.

    Crosswalk
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