Bridal sizes and why they SUCK!!!!!

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purpleroxmysocks
purpleroxmysocks Posts: 137 Member
in Chit-Chat
One of my best friends in the whole world is getting married this summer and I have the honor of being one of her bridesmaids! I am super excited about the wedding, her dress is stunning and the bridesmaid dresses are very elegant and romantic and seem very figure flattering. I ordered my dress yesterday and after getting measured I had to purchase my size 14 dress! My jaw dropped...and I was very shocked. I have been a size 14 before, I have even been a size 22, but I am currently a size 6-8 and I couldn't believe what a jump that is! I guess I am just ranting, and it's just a number but dang you'd think they would change the sizing a little? I feel like vanity sizing might be better for bridal gowns. I don't know, if just kind of made me mad and I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this...

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  • benzeld
    benzeld Posts: 3 Member
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    I've been there. I've been in a few weddings and I almost always had to go up a size or two for my bridesmaid's dress. However, I've never had to go up more than two sizes, so I'm a little surprised that they measured you for a 14. When I was a 6-8 (but admittedly an 8 more often than a 6) I ordered a 10. However, they do usually tell you to measure to your largest measurement, so if you've got a larger chest or hips that might be why. Just find a good tailor to take it in where it needs to be taken in! :)
  • purpleroxmysocks
    purpleroxmysocks Posts: 137 Member
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    I think it's my waist, I'm very boy shaped :/ my bride was the same was, a size 2 but boy shaped and she had to get an 8. Maybe it's the designer...which it probably is but still, that's a big jump.
  • benzeld
    benzeld Posts: 3 Member
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    It very well could be the designer. Only one dress that I bought was true-to-size, if I recall correctly, but then I lost weight and it had to be taken in anyway, haha. Just know that *most* bridal designers are not true-to-size (at least in my experience).

    (I think I also bought a true-to-size dress from J. Crew, but I kind of expected to buy my actual size from them.)

    Just try not to let it discourage you.
  • fcp1234
    fcp1234 Posts: 1,098 Member
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    You were mad over a dress size??
  • molissep
    molissep Posts: 452 Member
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    just had the same experience this past weekend...i just got married in october and didn't have to size up on my dress and for her bridesmaid dress i had to go up 4 sizes and my measurements haven't changed since october. bridal sizes sure do run small!
  • MommaChocoLatte
    MommaChocoLatte Posts: 389 Member
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    I am going through this right now. My best friend is getting married next yr and has chosen me as her MOH. I went with her dress shopping last Nov and it was so disheartening. I normally wear a 10/12 but bridal sizes tend to run 2 sizes smaller so I size 16s I was trying on were very snug and the 18s were way too big.

    I went back just last weekend on my own (my BFF lives in AZ and I live in WA) after dropping a few pounds prior to joining MFP and was able to try on a 14, albeit snug, but I got it on! My goal is to be able to actually buy either a bridal size 10 or a 12 in the dress I found. I think I would be very pleased with that.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    I think a lot of wedding dress designers tend to be Spanish, French or Italian, and they use different sizes anyway, plus women in those countries are often quite petite.

    I had to order my wedding dress 2 sizes bigger than I was, but it ended up being taken in a lot.
  • purpleroxmysocks
    purpleroxmysocks Posts: 137 Member
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    You were mad over a dress size??

    I wasn't "mad" just made me think of how crazy sizing can be. I understand that it's just a dress and just a number. The numbers are just crazy to me.
  • sreaves1176
    sreaves1176 Posts: 1
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    BRIDAL SIZES DO NOT RUN SMALL, THEY ARE TRUE TO SIZE!! The problem is rampant vanity sizing aka size inflation. Vanity sizing is a tactic used to make the consumer feel better about herself so that she'll buy more. Telling a women who's measurement's are a size 8 that she's a size 4 is a huge ego boost. 20 years ago at 5"9 and 110 lbs, I wore a size 4. Now fast forward, 3 kids and an extra 17 lbs later...I wear a size 2 ..yeah right. My wedding dress is a size 6 because my measurements don't lie to me like Hollister, Abercrombie, Old Navy and all of the other brands guilty of vanity sizing. Ignore the size and wear what fits. Remember your measurements don't lie.
  • jessiebean85
    jessiebean85 Posts: 1 Member
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    BRIDAL SIZES DO NOT RUN SMALL, THEY ARE TRUE TO SIZE!! The problem is rampant vanity sizing aka size inflation. Vanity sizing is a tactic used to make the consumer feel better about herself so that she'll buy more. Telling a women who's measurement's are a size 8 that she's a size 4 is a huge ego boost.

    The "true to size" thing is somewhat a falsity because there is no standard size in the garment industry. It's very frustrating. The vanity sizing is completely true, and part of it the change in women's undergarments.

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