Dress too short (because I'm so tall)!

Knottie1458661404 · September 2016

I just bought my wedding dress (a few sizes smaller than the sample dress in store), and it is too short. It comes about 2 inches off the ground (with no shoes) and I would like it to touch the ground (as pictured in the model photo below).

I quickly considered buying the dress several sizes up and taking it in, but that would be too expensive. I've decided to keep the dress, but figure out how to add a little bit of length.

Two things that came to mind were stretching the lace, and adding a bit of lace to the bottom of the dress. Any other suggestions?

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020756/uploads/editor/2h/wm0vvth1w7n9.jpg

dyerwise · September 2016

What designer is the dress? I would not recommend "stretching" the lace as you may end up with a warped looking pattern. If you have time, I would ask that the salon reorder you the dress in the correct length. Any knowledgeable bridal salon should have known to take your height into consideration when ordering you correct size.

SP29 · September 2016

Agree with the above that I would talk to the salon. Do they not offer more than one length of dress?

If not, go to your seamstress and ask what your options are- they will know best. I assume adding a piece of material would be easier than stretching something (particularly 2 inches WITHOUT shoes- that is going to be much more and probably ruin the lace), but this is the time to ask a professional.

STARMOON44 · September 2016

Return it. It doesn't fit and altering it to look decent will be exorbitantly expensive.

CMGragain · September 2016

Can you please post a photo of the entire dress? Usually, when a dress needs to be lengthened, it is not done at the hemline, but at another seam.
Was this a special tall size? If not, why not? My daughter is 6 ' tall in her stocking feet. We only considered extra tall sizes when shopping for a dress. She wore white soft ballet slippers at her wedding.

[Deleted User] · September 2016

My dress for the first time I got married had lace that ended about two inches off of the floor and then satin continued to the floor and it was how the dress was made on purpose. You could add some satin to have something similar since that would be easier than dealing with the lace. I can't find a photo of my old dress but I've attached a photo that shows something, just opposite fabrics.
Hopefully that makes sense.

MesmrEwe · September 2016

IMO - (given we haven't seen a photo of you in the dress (face removed for privacy reasons) I wouldn't worry about it! It's your excuse to relax and wear flats or flip-flops at the reception and your dress will stay nice. Better too short than insanely expensive to shorten given that lace!

KatCtoKatA · September 2016

I think adding lace is going to be better. If ordering a longer dress isn't an option, then the salon may be able to contact the designer and get extra length of the applique from the bottom or of the lace in the skirt so you can add it. Given the pattern of the lace you showed us, I think lengthening from the waist might be hard.

Maybe fancy shoes that you don't mind showing off?

lyndausvi · September 2016

Was the sample size too short too?

Generally the length is not determined by the size of the dress. So buying a dress 2 sizes smaller than the sample shouldn't mean the dress is shorter.

Have you talked to the salon about that? Was there a mistake at the manufacture? IDK, seems odd to me it's so much shorter than the sample. Unless the sample had extra length for some reason. Although they should have told you that if it there was.

Knottie1458661404 · September 2016

Thanks, all! I'm a rookie, so didn't think to add extra information. The dress is the August gown from BHLDN. No other length options, because it's not a high class boutique, and I knew that going into it. They don't customize. If I wanted the length, I would have to order the 14 and take it in, which is something I don't want to do. The sample dress was a 14 (perfect length), and I was fitted for an 8. I just forgot take into account that the smaller size would have shorter length.

My mom and sister-in-law are seamstresses, so one of them is going to add the length. They are both out of state, so I didn't want to assign the task of fitting it to me, only making it longer.

Thanks again to everyone for your suggestions, y'all are wonderful

Knottie1458661404 · September 2016

I love this look! Thank you!!

Ironring said:

My dress for the first time I got married had lace that ended about two inches off of the floor and then satin continued to the floor and it was how the dress was made on purpose. You could add some satin to have something similar since that would be easier than dealing with the lace. I can't find a photo of my old dress but I've attached a photo that shows something, just opposite fabrics.
Hopefully that makes sense.

Knottie1458661404 · September 2016

KatCtoKatA said:

I think adding lace is going to be better. If ordering a longer dress isn't an option, then the salon may be able to contact the designer and get extra length of the applique from the bottom or of the lace in the skirt so you can add it. Given the pattern of the lace you showed us, I think lengthening from the waist might be hard.
Maybe fancy shoes that you don't mind showing off?

I'm waiting to hear from them about obtaining extra lace, but I'm not too hopeful. BHLDN is as good as a department store - no real custom options. I'm in Chicago, so I'm ready to take the dress with me on a hunting trip to different fabric outlets!

lyndausvi · September 2016

Knottie1458661404 said:

Thanks, all! I'm a rookie, so didn't think to add extra information. The dress is the August gown from BHLDN. No other length options, because it's not a high class boutique, and I knew that going into it. They don't customize. If I wanted the length, I would have to order the 14 and take it in, which is something I don't want to do. The sample dress was a 14 (perfect length), and I was fitted for an 8. I just forgot take into account that the smaller size would have shorter length.

My mom and sister-in-law are seamstresses, so one of them is going to add the length. They are both out of state, so I didn't want to assign the task of fitting it to me, only making it longer.

Thanks again to everyone for your suggestions, y'all are wonderful

That is so strange. I've never heard of a smaller size meaning a shorter length.

Knottie1458661404 · September 2016

lyndausvi said:
That is so strange. I've never heard of a smaller size meaning a shorter length.

The reason I think it gets shorter with size on THIS specific "off the rack" dress is because of the finished lace at the bottom. There's no way to take it up without cutting it off (no waist seam, and the lace dress is all made from one piece). I bet any dress from this store with a hemmed bottom would have come extra long to be able to be tailored later.

I've been dealing with this all my life too, so I half expected this. I've never worn a long dress unless I size it up because larger sizes off the rack are always slightly longer.

But - since you and a lot of others think that doesn't sound right, I will definitely contact them and see what (if anything) they can do. I didn't pay very much for the dress (about half the ticket price) which is why I've been pretty lenient about the length issue.

MandyMost · September 2016

Knottie1458661404 said:

lyndausvi said:
That is so strange. I've never heard of a smaller size meaning a shorter length.

The reason I think it gets shorter with size on THIS specific "off the rack" dress is because of the finished lace at the bottom. There's no way to take it up without cutting it off (no waist seam, and the lace dress is all made from one piece). I bet any dress from this store with a hemmed bottom would have come extra long to be able to be tailored later.

I've been dealing with this all my life too, so I half expected this. I've never worn a long dress unless I size it up because larger sizes off the rack are always slightly longer.

But - since you and a lot of others think that doesn't sound right, I will definitely contact them and see what (if anything) they can do. I didn't pay very much for the dress (about half the ticket price) which is why I've been pretty lenient about the length issue.

I've NEVER heard of this before. Or noticed it when wearing different sizes (my wait has fluctuated throughout my life). Why would smaller sizes be shorter?! When I gain or lose weight I don't also gain or lose height.

OurWildKingdom · September 2016

Knottie1458661404 said:

lyndausvi said:
That is so strange. I've never heard of a smaller size meaning a shorter length.

The reason I think it gets shorter with size on THIS specific "off the rack" dress is because of the finished lace at the bottom. There's no way to take it up without cutting it off (no waist seam, and the lace dress is all made from one piece). I bet any dress from this store with a hemmed bottom would have come extra long to be able to be tailored later.

I've been dealing with this all my life too, so I half expected this. I've never worn a long dress unless I size it up because larger sizes off the rack are always slightly longer.

But - since you and a lot of others think that doesn't sound right, I will definitely contact them and see what (if anything) they can do. I didn't pay very much for the dress (about half the ticket price) which is why I've been pretty lenient about the length issue.

Actually, that's not unusual in some plus-size lines. I'm 5'10" and more often than not can wear an average length pant rather than a tall length. My 5'6" mother has been able to wear petite lengths from some of the same manufacturers.

lyndausvi · September 2016

I'm 5'8" and over the course of my life have fluctuate between a size 6 and a size 10. I'm currently a size 6. Within a certain designer line I've never noticed a problem with length being different between the sizes.

Now there are differences in length between designers. Some designers I can wear regular. Others have to go up to long.

It should be noted I can wear a size 6 pant from one place and a size 8 at another. Even can drop to a 4 at some random place.

Is it a wonder why I hate clothes shopping?

Dress too short (because I'm so tall)!

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