dress question

ThongLori Posted: Aug 23, 2003 11:04 AM

dress question

hey ladies,
I am taking a day off work this friday to shop for dresses! I am very excited!!

I've also been a bridesmaid MANY times in the past -- and I CONSTANTLY run into this problem with sizing and I am nervous it is going to happen with my bridal gown. Was wondering if anyone has a similar situation:

I have big boobs but a thin body.. so whenever they measure me and look at the size chart, my boobs fit into say a size 14, but the rest of my body fits into a 10. So, the store winds up getting me the larger dress to accomodate the chest size, and it ALWAYS turns out the thing is enormously huge!!!! Then, I have to pay thru the nose to get it sized down and it never fits exactly right.

Does anyone else have this problem, and how can I get around it??!? I think its going to be $$$$$ to have a dress custom made to my measurements. thanks girls!

denakimou Posted: Aug 23, 2003 11:43 AM

Re: dress question

I have a similar problem. I am 'big boobed' also. I am not that thin-but boobs are the biggest part of me. I am a size 12 and my wedding dress is a size 22. Make sure that they cap the price for aterations at a reasonable rate. Then, it won't matter how much they have to take in. That' what I'm doing. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, ti be smaller 'boobed'!

jw11897 Posted: Aug 23, 2003 11:53 AM

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I got my dress from Lynbrook Bridal and they had a flat fee for alterations of $175 and then it is an additional $75 for the bustle. I thought this was pretty reasonable.

aug9bride Posted: Aug 23, 2003 12:25 PM

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I think most places will cap the price for alterations. Is there anyway that you can try on your size (or closer to your ize) before you order. I am not positive but I think when I went to try on gowns the most common try on sizes were 10 and 12.

ThongLori Posted: Aug 23, 2003 12:53 PM

Re: dress question

hey ladies, thanks for the advice. hopefully i will be able to try on samples close to my size.

usually the BM dress samples are in my size and tend to fit OK, but the store says 'oh that is the sample so it gets stretched out. you need the bigger size for the chest area.'

maybe its all a scam to get alteration money!

palebride Posted: Aug 23, 2003 12:55 PM

Re: dress question

make sure it's comfortable on you above all else!
and i'm sorry i have no better advice for you....
but i am so far from having the same problem as you - so so far

good luck finding a dress!!!

ThongLori Posted: Aug 23, 2003 01:00 PM

Re: dress question

dena and palebride -- out of curiosity, which necklines did you guys try on? I think i want to avoid strapless so i don't look like boobs with legs. I usually wear boatneck/bateau necklines in regular dresses and i LOVE the style! I hope in white it doesn't amplify the area though. White always makes my boobs seem even BIGGER! Which is why i never ever wear white shirts. LOL Why can't brides wear black LOL

palebride Posted: Aug 23, 2003 01:07 PM

Re: dress question

i have strapless...but i have almost no chest!

Fortunately, i have a friend with a huge chest who is also really skinny and i went with her when she was trying on dresses, so i can tell you what she looked best in and maybe that will help!
Strapless was not her friend - she looked great in spaghetti dress tops though!
She looked get with some detail on either the top edge of the dress and around the waist, or just in one of those areas. but she looked like a walking chest when teh detailing covered the entire bodice of the dress. it brought so much attention to that area that i was uncomfortable looking at her in the dress!
that's about all i can remember. try on a whole bunch of styles though and see what you like the best. dont' say no to anything without trying it on!
Oh - one more thing - I'm really really pale....so i thought white wold be terrible on me....but with some antiqued-type beading at the top, it really broke up the white on white look that i often get. so i ended up with white anyway!!
good luck!
have fun!!!
let us know what happens!!!

ThongLori Posted: Aug 23, 2003 01:11 PM

Re: dress question

palebride, that is really helpful thank you so much!!! And for the record, I am pale too!!

MarciaD Posted: Aug 23, 2003 01:14 PM

Re: dress question

ThongLori, you have FM.

Custom made dresses are probably not as $$$ as you'd think!

Kathy116 Posted: Aug 23, 2003 02:28 PM

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I also have a similar problem...I'm like a D to a DD, and I'm around a 2 or 4 in pants.

I met with the designer of my dress and she didn't want to just order a huge dress size and take in the waist, because the top may not look right if you get a dress with a lot of detail on the bust area (like I did) because the embroidery will be larger than it should because you're a small person. Does this make any sense?

So what she did was she is actually customizing the top of the dress for me, she's adding more material (raising the neckline so I'm not falling out) and of course adding and changing around the embroidery, so everything is in proportion. it's hard to explain...

ThongLori Posted: Aug 23, 2003 04:08 PM

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kathy, that sounds interesting.. would you mind FMing me the designer and/or store that was able to do this for you?

Xelindrya Posted: Aug 23, 2003 04:31 PM

Re: dress question

geez.. I wish they didn't MAKE cake cutter dresses..
Im not large (at least I dont think so) and apparently I don't look it.

The lady measured me was all smiles till she got to my hips..
She checked it TWICE!!!!

Im a 10 up top.. and 12 below big deal. My dress flares anyway so you won't see my hips..

My FH went with me for the sizing part (no he didn't see the dress) it was 36, 29, 42

I like myself and my body.. but did she have to stop smiling? She was quick to say everything work and all, but I think a lot of women don't fit the 'perfect' measurements.

J.Lo24 Posted: Aug 23, 2003 04:43 PM

Re: dress question

Hey Lori, You might want to try a dress with a corset back. Its great because it is almost like a self alteration. You can have the corset back pulled tight or keep it alittle wider, depending on your size and peference. This might help avoid major $$$$ in alterations.

ThongLori Posted: Aug 23, 2003 04:53 PM

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thanks ladies, these are all great ideas! i'll let you know how it goes when i go shopping on friday!

juju Posted: Aug 23, 2003 11:29 PM

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I wish I had the boob problem. But, I do have a similar problem....meaning that because of my bone stucture my back is very wide and I have a small waist. So I had to order larger. I hope the dress fits properly.

jannshari Posted: Aug 23, 2003 11:37 PM

Re: dress question

I have the exact opposite problem. In regular clothing, I'm an 8 on top and a 10 on the bottom (have almost the exact same measurements as Xelindrya), and I have a hell of a time finding anything that fits properly. All of my suits for work have been very discretely mixed and matched so they fit both top and bottom, plus I'm short, so it's got to be petite. I'm dreading the wedding gown shopping experience, but I'm lucky in that I may be able to have my dress custom made for me. I'm just concerned about trying dresses on to see how they look before I have one made.

Xelindrya Posted: Aug 23, 2003 11:49 PM

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Jann!!!

We have way too much in common.. Im not short.. Im AVERAGE!!

My license says 5.4

Im really 5.2

jannshari Posted: Aug 23, 2003 11:51 PM

Re: dress question

Shut UP! Your heights average out to mine - 5'3'! I also prefer vertically challenged to short, and I'm not overweight, I'm just too short; I'm the perfect weight for someone 4 inches taller than me.