WHAT is up with wedding gowns?

[Wildfire97504]

So, my story goes...I had a serious injury 5 years ago, resulting in my only being able to walk with a brace on my leg. During the next 4 years, I gained 45 lbs! Once the brace was off, 10 months ago, I really worked hard to get my weight back down, I now am back in a 7/8. I go into the bridal shop, excited and eager to try on gowns. Hello, I find the perfect gown, a halter with beautiful lacing all up the back, and it fits! A SIZE 10!!! What in the world are the dress makers thinking? Do they really think that we want to feel like blimps on our wedding day? The oh so pert little shop assistant smiles and says, "oh don't worry about the size, wedding gowns always run a couple of sizes bigger". :x Boy, now I feel like I have to lose another 20 lbs and wear a regular size 3 so I won't feel like an elephant on my wedding day. anyone else felt like this when trying on their gown????

[sstark1218]

I'm sure everyone has felt that way at some point or another in any aspect of life.... but if it makes you feel better.. dresses do run bigger than say jeans. *Just imagive if you hadn't lost the weight you had originally gained* lol I wouldn't stress over it tho, everyone is unique and I'm sure you will look gorgeous no matter what size the dress is!

[WhiskeyGirl]

I know its stupid, but it never made me feel fat, because I know that in REAL clothes, I am two sizes smaller. Its not like anyone will know what size you are in your wedding dress.....unless, you stand up and make a speech saying "welcome to the reception...and I feel fat I'm wearing a size ten!" Its all good! I don't know why they do that, but they do! Don't worry about it Girl! You know the truth, and all the rest of us who are getting dresses, we know how it is too!!

~CanadianBride~

[wedbyjean]

This odd sizing has to do with how the material for the dresses are originally cut at the manufacturer, and absolutely nothing to do with everyday, off-the-rack sizing.

I always tell my brides (and tell them to pass this on to their attendants as well) that they should not be shocked, surprised nor offended when they are told that they need to order a larger size than they would ordinarily purchase off-the-rack.

This is one of those things that goes under the heading of "that's just the way it is."

Jean Neuhart
Weddings From The Heart

[lacey_8_99]

My dress was a size 14 and I almost cried. I was already upset that I had gained weight in the past few years, so it certainly didn't help. However, hearing everyone tell you that you look beautiful (and I'm sure you do!!!) in your dress will make you feel better. I had so many people comment on how skinny I looked...the size is just a number, it doesn't mean anything. Don't stress over it...besides, nobody has to know :)

[neonsmile]

This is making me never want to go shopping!! I am already a larger girl so I am on a weight loss mission before the shopping begins. At least I have until next October for the wedding!

[smweddings]

The most important thing is how wonderful the dress looks on YOU! :) No one will know what size it is unless you tell them and once you're dressed and you are looking your "princess best", EVERYONE will be telling you how exquisite you look!!

You won't have time to think about what size the dress is! You'll be basking in all the compliments and especially the big smile from your husband!!

Best Wishes!!

[Samantha Vixon]

I know exactly what you are going through, i said the same thing when i first tried on my dress and it was a lace up so that made it worse becasue the lady helping me came out and said oh well if you gain weight or lose it you can always just move the lace to fit. that made me feel even worse. they do need to start making them true to size though.

[wedbyjean]

It would be nice to have "real" sizes to go by when searching for wedding gowns, as ladies would have a better comfort level by ordering a size they are familiar with, not to mention avoiding the shock that accompanies being told you need a size that's larger than you would normally purchase.

But (and I repeat), this odd sizing has to do with how the material for the dresses are originally cut at the manufacturer, and absolutely nothing to do with everyday, off-the-rack sizing. For example, a size 3, size 5 and size 7 dress are originally cut from the size 7 pattern, so the 3s & 5s are called 7s. (Not 100% exactly, but something very close to this).

And like Wendy said, the important thing is how wonderful the dress looks on you, no one will know the size.

Jean Neuhart
Weddings From The Heart

[Sweet_Girl]

I totally agree with all of you.. I was so excited when I went dress shopping cause I had lost weight and had dropped a couple sizes in clothes.. But when I went in there they asked me what size clothes I wear and I told the lady and she was like well you will wear this size then and it was the size I started out with in clothes so that just depressed me alot.. I'm a heavier girl so I just felt like someone took away that good feeling..but I have to say I wouldn't trade my dress for the world cause it makes me look pretty and I really think it helps hide alot of my weight.. so hey I guess it wasn't so bad after all.. so everyone just keep your chins up and things will go well.. you will all look beautiful on your wedding day. :)

[grace_smith03]

As other posters have stated, size doesn't matter a bit, and everyone will see the way you "truly" are, not some weird designer's vision of what size you are...

And i should be so lucky to fit in a size 10; those are the sample sizes where you can really save some money! <sighs>

[morgan]

Oh I saw something about this on television, the same is often true with bathingsuits or mature designers....

Wedding gown makers haven't adjusted their sizing to fit the modern ones we are used to at like the Gap. They are the same as they were fifty years ago, when being a size 6 was considered EXTREMELY tiny, because, well, it was! Maybe this is used as "thinspiration" for brides!

[Beaner]

I'm so glad someone else has had the same experiences shopping for a wedding dress! I just got my dress last week... and ladies, I was a size 18. So if you're a 14 - congratulations! :P I was admittedly a bit excited because I had dropped a couple of regular dress sizes after losing a few pounds in my efforts to tone up before the big day (which will be in June 2006). However, when I went into the first store and tried on the "biggest" size they had, it turned out to be a 14 - and nowhere big enough to go around my left butt cheek (literally - I couldn't shimmy into the damn thing if it was greased lightning). Second store - same thing. "Well, we only have like, one like.... dress in like... size 18....." I was given nooooo service whatsoever, and I was ready to go home and cry. I felt terrible! And then, to rub it all in, I noticed that the next three (very slim, I might add) potential customers who came in were SURROUNDED by sales personnel. SURROUNDED - I mean, like a bad fart-type surrounded. "Oh try this one! Try that one!" At that point, I actually get a little teary-eyed and left the store in what was bordering on despair.

In any case - I tried one more store in hopes that I might come across a bit of luck, and low and behold - BING! I got my dress. :) The sales personnel in this particular store were fabulous! They catered to every shape and size and they didn't try to push the most expensive dress at you. They actually asked if you had a price limit, which I thought was more courteous than the other stores I had visited.

Has anyone ever had a negative experience with sales personnel like that, or have you noticed this trend in female clothing stores??

[WhiskeyGirl]

When I was looking for my dress last summer I went into one store where the largest size they had on the rack and throughout the whole store was a 10...so in real life that would be an 8. The sales people looked at me, my mom and sister in law and out and out ignored us!!! WE discovered the lack of sizes and laughed our butts all the way out the door.....some of these places really are RUDE! But in the end, right next door to the "Nasty shop" was one that carried my size and who really wanted to see me find my dream dress. Alls well that ends well I suppose!!

~CanadianBride~

[morgan]

Hey CanadianBride, where are you in Canada? I live in Vancouver!

[WhiskeyGirl]

I'm in Alberta.....Near Calgary.

~CanadianBride~

[Beaner]

I guess I should have said - I'm also from Canada - waaaay over here in Newfoundland. :) Anyone else from Canada?

[Bride]

As for dress sizes, depending on the dress you get it can be ANY size....i am regularly a curvy 16, sometimes 14, sometimes 18....my wedding dress is a size 20 and it's the perfect fit....

it doesn't matter the size....just do you feel beautiful in the dress....that's the important part!

all the best

[Jenn060306]

I've been busy this summer looking for my wedding dress, and i too have felt terrible about myself at times because i am a bit bigger. I was lucky enough to know going into the shopping that my dress would have to be a bigger size then what i would normally wear.
Most of the dresses i tried on were far to large in the bust for me so i had a hard time imagining what it would look like when it was fitted perfectly to me.
The worst was when i actually got stuck in one dress. It wasn't quite big enough for me to step into but was fine to put over my head. Until the crinolin and train got caught up inside and i got stuck! Thank god my mom was there to help me. We both had a good laugh once everything had been sorted out, and the dress turned out to be perfect! It's now between that dress and another one.

[Nique]

The dresses actually run smaller. So when you little ladies go to try on, imagine how us plus sized beauties feel when they say what size we need :oops:

[CarlosHoney]

Size ain't nothin' but a number! I don't worry about what I weigh, what size I wear, or anything like that. I worry about how I feel. If I feel bloated and fat, I lay off the sodium and drink lots of water. If I feel great, I will treat myself with some cheesecake.

'Everything in moderation, including moderation.'

I'm pretty sure it was Mark Twain who said that, and sine then it's become my philosiphy in life. Eat right and excersise, but there are some days destined to be spent in bed, chowing down on Ben & Jerrys.

Just live well and feel beautiful.

[WhiskeyGirl]

I couldn't have said it better Carlo'sHoney! Size really isn't anything but a number! These men have asked us to marry them because they love us not because we may or may not be a size 8 or whatever. People won't be thinking about how "fat" you look on your wedding day, they will be thinking how beautiful you really are on your special day! Don't worry about sizes being bigger then what you are, no one is going to come up to you on your wedding day and pull out the tag and say "oh my my...this dress is a size __, I can't believe you dress is this big!!!" Take it easy and enjoy shopping for your special dress that will make you feel like the princess you are!! Best of Luck Ladies and don't let the bridal gown industry get you down!!

~CanadianBride~

[CarlosHoney]

Fo' Sho'.

CanadianBride~Are you my long lost sistah'?

[WhiskeyGirl]

I always wanted a sister....lol.

~CanadianBride~