Attire & Accessories Forum

Dress altering, how many sizes down can you go?

Hi, 
 I'm in the early stages of dress shopping, and love the idea of purchasing from a pre-owned site. I'm wondering though how many sizes down a tailor can usually go for most dresses? A lot of the ones I love are a size 10 and I would need it altered to a 2. Is there a good rule of thumb about how many sizes are feasible?

Thanks!

Re: Dress altering, how many sizes down can you go?

  • manateehuggermanateehugger member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited June 2013
    That's a lot of sizes. Usually to take a dress in that much requires totally taking apart the dress and then piecing back together. You might lose the money you saved in alterations anyway.

    I think most seamstresses recommend that you buy no more than 2 sizes up.

    Are you a street size 2? It varies by designer, but often you have to order up a size or two in wedding gowns. I'm a size 4 normally, but my gown is a size 8. Can you have a friend measure you and then look up the measurement/sizing guide on the designer's website?

    ETA: the don't buy more than two sizes up means two sizes up from your size in the designer, not your size in street clothes.
    image
  • Try on dresses before you get too ahead of yourself.  It's amazing how many sizes they are different from other clothing.  My dress had to be ordered 4 sizes bigger than I really am in other clothes.

    I also lost significant weight before my wedding and my dress had to be taken down 5 sizes.  It basically requires taking the dress apart and putting it back together again so that all the panels match each other, and costs a pretty penny.  For me it was worth it though, since it was my dream dress.
    Don't make me mobilize OffensiveKitten

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    Anniversary

  • wedding gown sizing is very different than street clothes. If you are a street size 2, you might be a gown size 2, 4 or 6.   Ordering something in a 10 is probably a bad idea. You MIGHT be able to have it taken in, but usually, 1-2 sizes is the most it can be taken in without losing the structure of the dress. 

     

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