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how big can I go when buying a dress?

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CrownJewel

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I have not yet gone dress shopping, but will soon. Have any of you bought dresses that were much bigger than your normal street size and then had it altered? I understand that some wedding dresses are cut small (a size 2 street size may fit into a size 4 or 6 bridal gown). But realistically, how big a size (range) can I go and still be able to get it altered without being ridiculous?

I''m 5''0" without shoes and 103 pounds. I see that many discount websites have sample dresses in size 10. Are seamstresses/seamsters(?) actually magicians in disguise and can they transform a size 10 into a size 0 or 2? Let''s assume I get a dress with no beading. Ok, then let''s assume that I do get a dress with beading in a size 10 (that would probably cause the seamstress to ask me to leave the shop right)? :)

I guess that to alter a 10 into a 2 would probably cost more than I''m going to spend on my dress in the first place. Hmm.
 

poptart

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I''m about the same size as you (4''11", 90 lbs.) and I got a size 2 and they still had to bring it in a couple inches and up about 6 inches (no joke, it was insane). So it definitely depends on the dress. In all honesty I don''t know if you could go in and try on a size 10 and know how it would really look on you. I think you are right that those type of major alterations would cost more than the dress in the first place. But you are right about dresses being sized down quite a bit because I tried on dresses everywhere from around a 1 to a 4... It really just depends on the designer more than anything

*M*
 

jesterjigger

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I would guess definitely not on a dress with beading. What you might want to do is take pictures of dresses that you''re looking at (or similar to) and stop in at a local seamstress''s place and ask her for her professional opinion (heck, go to a couple and ask!). Without hearing it from a seamstress I wouldn''t risk it, not with something as important as the dress.
 

diamondfan

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One designer''s size is sometimes different than anothers. Also, mostly I would avoid altering more than two sizes, unless you have an amazing tailor, and then the cost might be prohibitive and it may be better to find one in your size.

I am a bit over five foot five. I have gain a bit of weight lately, but a couple of years ago I was a size 2 in some things and a 4 or 6 in things by other designers. Some designers cut small and some cut more generously and I just would not, with a wedding dress, want to do more than some minor alterations. Type of fabric, style and embellishments also make an impact on altering success...
 

eleguin

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I had a similar issue when I was shopping for dresses as well. I''m 5''5" and 105 pounds, and everwhere I went the dresses were sizes 8-12. I don''t think you should buy a size 10 dress and size it down to a size 2 because there''s always the chance that the tailor would not alter it in a way that it fits you perfectly as an original size 2 would. Also, those types of alterations can be very costly and would outweigh the savings you get from buying a sample size. I eventually went to an Asian bridal salon that specialized in Maggie Sottero dresses and most of their sample sizes were 4s. It made a huge difference not to have to use so many clips and it really made me visualize how I would look on my wedding day (see post about my dress). So I think if you look around, you may be able to find places with smaller sample sizes.
 

FacetFire

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Well, first start off with the fact that most wedding dresses run about 2 sizes too small. I am a size 2/4 in dresses and I would have needed a size 6 in a wedding dress. Plus, I could have had a dress altered down two sizes (I've been told that's the rule), so I could have bought up to a size 10. If you are a 0/2, then I'd say you could go up to an 8. But don't worry, some samples do come in in size 8s. The sample I just bought was an 8 and still a size too big, so I'm having it taken down. And, realistically, I'm heavier than I normally am, so when I get in shape for my wedding I'll probably wear a 0/2 in off the rack dresses and the sample size 8 will have been taken down to a wedding dress size 4, which is doable.
 

appletini

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You buy your wedding dress based on your measurments. Wedding dress sizes are larger but that doesn''t mean that you are. I normally wear a 2/4 and my wedding dress was a size 6. Measurements are done at bust, waist, and hips, if any of your measurements on those three are larger than the size chart, then go a size up. At the bridal salon they will make a recommendation for you and you can agree or disagree. If you''re lucky and your measurments are right on then you won''t have any alterations except for bra cups and bussle.
 

gongjoo143

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I was in your situation last year when I was shopping for a wedding gown. I''m 5''2, 100lbs and I usually wear a size 0. I was told by the sales ladies at the Neiman Marcus bridal sample sale that it wouldn''t be a problem to take in a sample dress...so I bought a gorgeous gown, size 10, originally $6 for $750. I ended up spending $500+ on alterations and hated it. The seamstresses hated me too! The dress looked completely different and it just didn''t fit me right.

Luckily I still had about 5 months til the wedding so I ordered another much cheaper dress, and it arrived on time.

I''d suggest that you don''t get a sample dress that''s way too big for you...not worth saving the money!
 

mercoledi

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I'm about your size, 5'0" 110 lbs, and I hated dress shopping because most of the samples I tried on were a 10. In my opinion, the dresses were just too big to be able to tell what the right size would look like. They do clip/pin everything so it looks pretty good, but then it has little relation to how the dress itself is cut or drapes. I tried on one that I was in love with- low portrait neckline, natural waist, floor length- only to find out that in the right size it's an empire waist and tea length! Errrgh! I ordered a size 2 and still spent over $500 having it altered down further. You also can't tell much by the tag size, all desigers run slightly different. I'm a 0/00 in Watters (they're like the GAP of bridal- serious size inflation) but a 2 in Vera and a 4 in Lazaro.

In my opinion, you would do better to get a dress close to your actual size. Most department stores with bridal sections will have a wider range of sizes to try on. Saks and Nordstrom both have beautiful bridal selections.

It can be fun, but it might be worth calling around to bridal salons to see who near you does size 6 samples, and I've also heard that at the Filenes Bridal events, all the larger dresses go first, so smaller brides can show up a few hours late, miss the madness and still get a great deal!

Good luck!
 

September8

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You will probably end up spending more on alterations then you would just buying the right size!!

My sister did when she bought her wedding dress. She is a size 2 and got a great deal on a sample size 14 gown. They paid $$$$ for alterations to make it work well.

My mom was telling me that they were deciding between that one and a Vera Wang dress and looking back my mom is like, we should have just bought the vera wang b/c it probably ended up costing as much in the end.

I''d try to get closer to your own size... just my opinion :)
 

SoonIHope

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I''m usually a size 2 in street clothes (sometimes 0) and after measuring me, they decided to order me a size TEN!!! BUT my dress is Pronovias, who is known for having smaller sizing even than your average wedding gown. She said my hips were "almost" an 8, so just in case the 8 came in a bit smaller than it was supposed to be, it made more sense to get the 10 and alter it down. My place also has a flat fee for alterations, so I didn''t mind the idea of them being more complicated/difficult in such a large dress. (Because the sample was a 12 and it was FALLING off me, so it was a bit of a surprise that they only wanted to go down one size for me.) Regardless, my point is just that even if you are tiny in real life, they might bump you up to a MUCH higher size for your wedding dress (not just 1 or 2 sizes) so a sample might not even require THAT much alteration. So, I just suggest trying on some samples and seeing how big they are on you and also maybe consulting with a seamstress on which types of dresses cost roughly how much to alter (ie lots of lace/draping/beading is probably more difficult/expensive) and go from there! Good luck!
 

E B

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I'm a size 4 in regular clothes, and I believe I'm right in between an 8 and a 10 (Amy Kuschel) so I'll be ordering the 10 and having it altered down.

Oddly enough, I found the more expensive gowns ran much smaller. In the less expensive gowns, I was much closer to my actual size.
 

CrownJewel

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After reading all the posts, I''m shaking...partly with laughter and partly because I''m scared out of my mind about dress shopping.
14.gif


Thank you SO much for sharing your experiences, everyone. merc and albi, I cracked up at your posts. Thanks for the warnings!!

I just want to find the easiest, least stressful and least expensive way of looking beautiful in a dress, so it sounds like size 10 samples won''t be very cost effective. I''ll keep you ladies updated on my horror stories of dress shopping. I will try to start this weekend. I''m just petrified of all the choices and dollar signs.
 

Fancy605

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I have a friend who purchased a size 8 and had it taken down to a 0. She took it to the store''s seamstress, and they only charged her about $50-$100 for the alterations. It fit her perfectly, and she looked beautiful on her wedding day. From reading all this, it sounds like she got the deal of the century. So, it can be done for a reasonable price. The dress had tons of beading on the bodice too.
 

JFIFTY

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May 7, 2006
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Hi,

Congrats on the wedding! Searching for the dress can be really fun. I understand how it''s difficult to find your size. I''m 4''10 and under 95 lbs so it was difficult to find a size. The associates at dress shops told me not to get something too big because it may change the dress. If it very simple, it should not matter so much. Jcrew and Anne Taylor have sizes 00/0P for reasonable prices (there''s a nice one currently for $199 at jcrew). The dresses I tried were still a little bigger and of course too long; however, they were better than most places. Plus Anne Taylor will let you send it back for free if you don''t like it. I sent mine back twice and they were so nice about it.

Hope that was helpful!
 
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