Questioning Before You Order

There are many things you need to consider before you order your bride or maid's gown. What size to order is a biggie. Many bridal salons pick this for you and don't give you a lot of choice in the matter. If you are dieting or have other issues, this may create a lot of stress for you. Some salons let you order against their recommendations, but will also ask you to sign a waver adding more stress. There's not much I can say in these situations. You have to weigh your options and decide what is the best way to go.

added February 2008

Hi Leanna,

I came across your site while searching for some answers online. You have quite a bit of expertise in dresses!

The 2 questions that I wanted to run by you is with regard to bodice sizing and alterations.

1. I'm a bridesmaid in a friend's wedding and we recently ordered our gowns. I fit into a size 8, but with a bit of armpit flab (strapless gown). The 10 is a big big on me, but no flab. I went with the size 10 based on the bridal consultant's recommendation to go bigger, since the dress cannot be taken out without significant work. (Its a strapless satin A-line with ruching to one side). Do you think that was the correct sizing choice?

2. The dress can be taken in up to 2 sizes without compromising the line and structure. Silly question, but does that mean 2 dress sizes? For example, does that mean that my 10 can be taken in to a 6 in places? Or does it mean that it can be taken in to an 8? I think that I will definitely need the dress taken in to be an 8 pretty much all over (except where the arm flab comes in!!) and if I lose any weight, I may need it a bit smaller in the waist.

Please let me know what you think and thanks so much for your help!

Sincerely, Heather

It is always wiser to go larger when you are in between sizes. Many ladies plan to diet for a wedding and only you can say if your determination is enough to insure that you will lose the weight you need to for the smaller size. Also, it's impossible to predict where your body will decide to loose it's weight even if you know you are able to be dedicated enough to the diet.

The armpit flab thing happens even to very skinny ladies. So it's really hard to prevent if you know it is a factor. Part of the problem is that many ladies think that a strapless gown needs to be tight all over. It needs to be tight only at the waist. The neckline should be only resting on your skin, not tight at all to prevent the flab in the armpit and back areas.

Whoever told you the dress can be taken in 2 sizes needs to define this to you. They may mean what I would think it means, but if they do not than I can not say for certain what they meant. I do not know them. When I say this I mean what you have stated, but again - I can not speak for any one else's meaning of what they said to you.

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