wedding dres size vs street size

[soontowed]

So i''m I between a street size 0 or 2. The dress shop where I am ordering my gown said they are ordering a size 6 based on my measurements. I know that wedding dress sizes run much smaller than regular dress sizes but why so much bigger? The 8s are about two sizes to big, I can''t imaginea 6 would be that much smaller. Should I ask to have a 4 ordered? I just don''t want to have to take it in too much and run the risk of messing up the shape of the dress.

 

[cindygenit]

Hi!

I''m between size 4-6, and my wedding dress is the same size.

I probably just got lucky, but all the dresses I tried were that size and they all fit.

Is your wedding dress really high-end? Maybe that''s why you had to go up to size 6. I also think that shops tend to order a bigger size, because you can always take in, but you can''t add material to make the dress bigger.

 

[soontowed]

Date: 9/7/2009 1:30:57 AM
Author: cindygenit
Hi!

I'm between size 4-6, and my wedding dress is the same size.

I probably just got lucky, but all the dresses I tried were that size and they all fit.

Is your wedding dress really high-end? Maybe that's why you had to go up to size 6. I also think that shops tend to order a bigger size, because you can always take in, but you can't add material to make the dress bigger.

It's Amsale so some what high-end I guess.

 

[Octavia]

I usually wear a size 2 and occasionally a 0, depending on the store, and my dress (Maggie Sottero) is a size 6. It fits perfectly, but it has a corset back so I don''t know exactly how it would match up to a zippered dress, size-wise. When the shop ordered it, I was really worried about the sizing but luckily they knew exactly what they were doing!

 

[ilovesparkles]

My dress size completely depends on the brand. Mori Lee and Venus run really small, David''s and Casablanca run right on. Can you try any of the other styles on in that size, I would think the size runs the same in all the styles of the same brand.

 

[honey22]

Why do they do that? Are they crazy? There would be nothing better for a bride to fit into a gown SMALLER than her street clothes, would make her happy and a happy woman will always spend more, so why don''t they stroke our ego''s so to speak, and up the sizing a bit?

Flattery will get you everywhere..........................

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Date: 9/7/2009 2:01:52 AM
Author: honey22
Why do they do that? Are they crazy? There would be nothing better for a bride to fit into a gown SMALLER than her street clothes, would make her happy and a happy woman will always spend more, so why don''t they stroke our ego''s so to speak, and up the sizing a bit?

Flattery will get you everywhere..........................

That''s what i thought!

I am around a 6 - 8 in AU normal clothes and my wedding dress (Maggie Sottero) is an American 4 but it is going to be too big for me in places.

Apparently my chest measurements were a size 0.

 

[Delster]

soontowed you have to disregard the 'size' and go by the measurements. The salon are comparing your measurements with that particular designer's size charts and are choosing the size that will come closest to fitting you, and which will make their job easier when it comes to getting the alterations perfect. They should know what they are doing.

I wear a UK size 10, but my wedding dress is a UK size 14 because my hip measurement was 1/2" too wide for the designer's size 12. The dress is going to be a full inch or two too big on the waist and the bust, but the salon felt it will be much easier to take those in on the 14 than it would have been to try and let the hips out, even just by 1/2", on the 12. So, a 14 it is! After all, I'm still the same size in my size 14 wedding dress as in my size 10 work dresses... it's just a number...

honey I hear you! I wonder are these designers still using the 'old' size charts set in the 50s? With all the vanity sizing that goes on in the high street stores, I wouldn't be surprised if the bridal dresses are the 'true' sizes (i.e. the old sizes) and the high street sizes are 'inflated'. Found an interesting link on the Beeb about those 1950s sizing charts here!

ETA - I just remembered this! The day I bought my wedding dress I went browsing the sale racks in a big department store - literally an hour before buying a size 14 wedding dress I was standing in the fitting room in French Connection with a size 10 cocktail dress falling round my knees because it was too big

 

[vespergirl]

That''s normal - I usually wear a size 6 dress, but they ordered my wedding dress in size 10 - they did need to alter and take it in a bit in the waist, but the seamstress told me it''s better to buy it a little big & take it in. It was also a high-end dress, and I think that they use the older sizing system.

 

[Black Jade]

Date: 9/7/2009 1:13:13 AM
Author:soontowed
So i''m I between a street size 0 or 2. The dress shop where I am ordering my gown said they are ordering a size 6 based on my measurements. I know that wedding dress sizes run much smaller than regular dress sizes but why so much bigger? The 8s are about two sizes to big, I can''t imaginea 6 would be that much smaller. Should I ask to have a 4 ordered? I just don''t want to have to take it in too much and run the risk of messing up the shape of the dress.

Is it custom made? Custom made will go by sewing pattern size, not ''street size''. Sewing patterns have to be consistent unlike store bought sizes where the designer or store can call it whatever size they like (and they DO, knowing that most women will buy a smaller size size tag given the choice no matter what measurements the dress actually has). You can expect to take a lot bigger sounding size in a custom made dress. I have done some sewing for a friend who is a little smaller than most store size zeros (she always has to take them in) and she is about a 6 (with some adjustments).

Size 6 is the smallest size easily available in patterns. Size 4 exists but isn''t commonly sold as it is for someone with a 29 1/2" bust! Size six is for a 30 1/2 inch bust, 23 inch waist and 32 and 1/2 inch hips which are very small measurements indeed for a grown woman, even someone who is short.

It''s smart to know what your actual measurements are, and not think of yourself as being a particular size, especially not a particular store size--those store sizes mean nothing at all --it''s your measurements that matter.

 

[Black Jade]

Date: 9/7/2009 2:01:52 AM
Author: honey22
Why do they do that? Are they crazy? There would be nothing better for a bride to fit into a gown SMALLER than her street clothes, would make her happy and a happy woman will always spend more, so why don''t they stroke our ego''s so to speak, and up the sizing a bit?

Flattery will get you everywhere..........................

Yes, it''s flattery that makes it impossible (or very difficult) to buy clothes anymore. Bridal dresses are often very close fitting and structured and wont fit unless theyre measured very precisely so they can''t lie as much (and have the dress fit at all) as the regular designers can.
Dont mean to be rude to you--I just so frustrated at how hard clothes have got to buy with the awful and inconsistent vanity sizing.

 

[iheartscience]

My dress was an Amsale and I got the sample which was a size 8. I typically wear a size 2 in dresses and the 8 was definitely too big. It''s been a while since I tried on the unaltered Amsale but if I had to guess I''d say it was probably a size or two too big, so if I was ordering one I would have probably needed a 4 or a 6. So that really sounds about right.

I will say that the Amsale samples were much, much smaller than the samples from other brands that were also supposed to be a size 8. I mean, some of the other sample size 8s were literally falling off of me, but the Amsale size 8 stayed up. It was too big so it wasn''t very flattering but I didn''t have to hold it up to keep from flashing everyone before they clipped me in!

As for alterations, as long as you have a talented seamstress I wouldn''t worry about it. The shop should be able to recommend someone if they don''t do it in house. My dress was very detailed in the bodice and had a separate corset thing inside, too, and my seamstress did a fantastic job-you really couldn''t tell that it had been altered.

But most importantly...which Amsale did you get?! Did I miss a thread where you talk about it?

 

[emeraldlover1]

Ask to see the amsale size chart and go from there. They usually suggest ordering according to your biggest measurement. I had to have my dress taken in a ton and I promise you it will be fine. I''m a size 2/4 and my dress was ordered in a size 10. It was huge but whatever, doesn''t matter in the end. The dress fits perfectly now. Ordering too small is way worse than ordering too big.

 

[House Cat]

It really depends on the designer. Some run true to size, others use the traditional dress sizing from the 30''s, I think.

I wear a size 0,2 and my dress was ordered in at a size 6. It fit almost perfectly. The only problem area was the bust. I either need to pad like crazy or take it in.

Better to order your dress a little big and take it in. It would be really unfortunate to order your dress in a 4 and then have it be too small. When they took your measurements, they should have brought out the size chart and shown you how they compared. Did they do this? They take your largest measurement and order accordingly. If your hips and waist are a 4, but your bust is a 6, they will order a size 6.

 

[cocolaw]

i am a 2/4, but my dress is a 6! they are taking it in throughout the hips, bust, and booty. but my dress is also by a cheap designer!

 

[jen2M]

I am a 2/4 and I got a size 4 from Alvina Valenta. It fits perfectly-- only small alterations needed. That being said-- I wouldn''t want to chance anything and I would rather have a dress too big than too small. I know dress shops charge a ton for alterations so maybe this is why they advise people to get dresses that are clearly far too big for them.

 

[gwendolyn]

My dress is two (even) sizes up from what I normally wear. From what the dress shop salespeople told me, that''s pretty normal.

 

[Diva0413]

I thought I was the only one that wondered about this. When I purchased my dress, I was a size 6 in street clothes. The dress I tried on was a size 10 and fit perfectly, except in the bust (the seamstress thought it was smidge too tight), so they ordered a size 12. Then, I lost weight and went down to a size 2-4, so my dress was falling off of me by the first fitting. But like most have said, I'd rather the dress by too big and needed to be taken in rather than too small and needed to be let out.

 

[cara]

It varies but needing two full size steps (from your street 2 to a bridal 6) is common. It can also go the other way - my friend who is also a street 0/2 ordered the smallest size dress possible - I think a 2 - and the dress was a full size too big and needed to be taken in everywhere. Also it is superstressful to have your dress come in and need major alterations, even if it is in the "easy" direction of taking in. But she had a really narrow chest and minimal cleavage, her only "2" sized feature was her hips, which weren''t particularly fitted on that dress style.

Look at the your measurements and the dress manufacturer''s sizing sheet and go from there. Generally they will want you to go with your biggest size relative to the sheet and order large rather than small, to accommodate alterations and it MIGHT MIGHT be okay to ignore that depending on the dress design. Remember the size sheets are usually (but not always) for an entire manufacturer''s line and not a particular dress style. Here''s my hindsight example:

In my case, my hips were slightly bigger than the size sheet for a certain size so I went with the store''s recommendation to order larger even though the I was well under the bust and waist measurements. Well, turns out I really should have ordered the smaller size. Like my friend, the dress didn''t actually fit tightly around the hips - it was A-line- so there was ample room on the hips with the larger sized dress. I''m sure the smaller would have been fine on the hips. And, it turned out that the larger dress came with larger boobs and those were difficult to alter. The dress was taken along the back so the rib cage fit, but the seamstress didn''t want to mess with the cleavage compartment so ended up stuffing it with extra padding so that it would be filled it out. Some girls wouldn''t mind having larger cleavage, but obviously I felt like they were half fake and would have preferred a little less enhancement. So... long story short, be conservative as I can imagine nothing more stressful than ordering a dress too small, but make a reasonable judgment based on the size chart and based on trying on the sample, if it is close to whatever size you are. You don''t actually want to order larger just to "be safe" - you want to order the right size if possible. Alternating it a whole size down may be expensive and may not result in the best dress possible for you.

 

[D&T]

normally a zero petite, and my dress was either a 2 or a 4 but of course they had to pull it up and cinch in the breast area or lack thereof

 

[Jen_91909]

I''m also a 0 or 2 and they ordered my dress in a 6 (Anne Barge). They considered a 4, but went with the 6 based off my hip measurements and I''m glad they did. The bottom half of the dress fit perfectly... the top did have to be taken in quite a bit but not so much that it was a problem.

 

[charbie]

ok seriously, you all are some freaking tiny women! and i don''t mean that to be mean, but dang- you all are skinny 0-4''s!!

my chest/rib cage happens to be fairly large, so every dress i tried one would be perfect in my "street size" ( and then when it would get above the booty...there was no zipping anymore. since i bought mine at the ROTB, i didn''t order anything and figured since it was too big, i could take it down. but most of the dresses i needed were size 14- they were huge on the bottom but fit on top. the dress i ended up with was a 16, but getting taken in everywhere.

 

[jstarfireb]

Be careful with ordering too big. Look at the size chart and keep in mind the style of the dress. For A-lines or ball gowns, the hip measurement shouldn''t even be considered. I ordered by bust and waist only for my A-line from David''s Bridal, and the dress size and street size were exactly the same. If I would have ordered based on hips (my largest measurement), I would have gotten a dress 2-3 sizes too big, which would have been disastrous (the extensive boning in my corset top made alterations nearly impossible).

 

[Lynnie]

My street size is 8, my wedding dress was a 12, and I had to get it taken in a bit in the bust, waist, AND hips. It was a La Sposa.

Re: why are they sized so differently? Taken from weddingbee:
Bridal sizing goes back to a scale established during World War II that used data intended for making uniforms. The scale also was used for ready-to-wear clothes, but over time, sportswear adapted its sizes to reflect changing body shapes, while bridal, for the most part, didn’t.

 

[Miscka]

I am a 4 or 6 dress size "street" and my dress was a 10 and fit perfectly except the top needed to be taken in a smidge.

 

[Black Jade]

Date: 9/9/2009 9:43:52 AM
Author: Lynnie

My street size is 8, my wedding dress was a 12, and I had to get it taken in a bit in the bust, waist, AND hips. It was a La Sposa.

Re: why are they sized so differently? Taken from weddingbee:
Bridal sizing goes back to a scale established during World War II that used data intended for making uniforms. The scale also was used for ready-to-wear clothes, but over time, sportswear adapted its sizes to reflect changing body shapes, while bridal, for the most part, didn’t.

Yes, this is when sizes were standardized, from this WWII studies. But ready to wear hasn''t ''adapted'' the sizes. It hasn''t stopped using the measurements 34-26-36 as ''standard'' (which is why you need alterations, if you are, say, 36-24-34 or 32-30-36 or any of the million possible variations around those numbers.) Most designers just now CALL a woman who measures 34-26-36 a size 6 , while in 1940 these exact same measurements were called size 16.
I say ''most designers'' because if a designer thinks they can sell more calling a a 34-26-36 a size 4, they will. This is how clothing size numbers have crept ever downward and are soon to going to have to go into negative numbers (size 00''s actually exist, but there''s a limit to the number of 000s they can use so there''s going to be a size minus 2 eventually, just wait and see).
What the''ideal'' body is has changed a lot over the years. In 1940, 34-26-26 was ideal. Every woman wanted to be size ''sweet sixteen''. Then in the fifties the ideal went UPWARDS and Marilyn Monroe was perfect as a 36-24-36 (and undoubtedly had to have alterations or custom made clothes with that small waist and small rear end). Since the 1960''s though the ideal has got smaller and smaller and many if not most women would now like to be size zero which is 31-23-33. (As I said before, sewing pattern size 4 is actually smaller than store size zero-- with a 29 1/2 inch bust). Interestingly, studies done have shown that most men don''t actually care anything about a woman''s clothing size. They are not as interested, even, in if a woman is larger or smaller (within reason) so long as she''s basically ''hourglass''--that is, her waist is visually smaller than her bust and butt. They accept a lot of variation with this--bust a little bigger, butt a little bigger, etc. etc. But a woman who is a 44-34-44 is going to attract a large amount of men, if dressed so that they can tell (that is, not in a muu-muu) as is a woman who is a 32-22-32. But the 44-44-44 or the 32-32-32 are going to have some trouble.
If you google ''waist-to-hip'' ratio, you can find articles talking about this--the fact that men like curves and like women to have small waists (relative to the rest of their body).
All of this is a tangent--the main point is, know your actual measurements, because that''s power (you can dress attractively with a lot less trouble) and try to look as much like an hourglass as you can if you''re interested in impressing men or ''a man'', as opposed to impressing your girlfriends. A wedding dress especially should accentuate your figure in the best way and there are all kinds of visual tricks out there (as well as things like corsets or suck-in, uplift underwear) for those of us (including myself) who aren''t actually hourglasses but would like to appear so.

 

[MonkeyPants]

Like lots of the other PSers were posting, a lot of sizing has to do with the designer and also your body shape. I am a size 0-2 street clothes and ordered a size 0 watters and watters gown based on the designer''s measurement chart. I''m pretty pear shaped and since i carry most of my weight in my thighs (where a wedding dress isn''t usually tight) I could fit into a size 0 wedding gown. My fsil weighed the same on her wedding day as I do now, but she ordered a size 8 because she has a much bigger bust and is more apple shaped. I would just ask to see the designer''s size chart and pick the size closest to your measurements. The dress shop should have that on hand for you.