Bridal Boutiques - Dress Sizes

jojo2004

Hello!
Newly engaged (yay!:j) and starting to look around at wedding dresses - but I've encountered a number of websites which seem to suggest that in bridal shops, they hold stock in 'standard' sizes 8-12 only? Is this everyone else's experience?

I'm a 14, and would really like to try on a load of dresses to get an idea of what suits me (then find a moneysaving way to buy the dress/have a dressmaker copy it etc ). I really don't want to book an appointment, to find there's nothing I can actually try on?! I'm hoping to get into Pronovias, and a few others. Any advice gratefully received.
xx

4nnabella

I would ring the bridal shops in your area and ask them what samples sizes they stock. I found that in some shops they had more size 10-12 dresses, and others were more 12-14. I was a size 14-16 when trying on dresses and most of the dresses I tried were either 12 or 14 and it was fine. Also, corset dresses are easier to try on if you're a bit bigger than the dress size as they're more flexible

Have fun!

emz118

I am a size 18-20 and have been able to try on at least 3 dresses in the 5 shops I've been in.

As has been said above, if you're looking at corset back dresses you can try on in a smaller size and have it not too tight.

I have tried on lace back dresses down to a 12 to get an idea of what suits me.

fran-o

Congrats!
I am a 14-16 and had no trouble in dress shops, they even squeezed me into a size 8 sample size! Strapless corset styles definitely have plenty of give for the shop staff to squeeze you in! The only one I picked up and couldn't try on was a small dress with lots of lace work over the shoulders and back. I imagine there are high fashion shops which cater only to a smaller sizes, but the ones where I live in the suburbs are a bit more realistic about their customers! I was pleasantly surprised!

jojo2004

Thank you lovely ladies! Very reassured now, and shall book in some appointments (having rung them to check beforehand) and steer clear of high fashion places where only stick insects are allowed to wear the clothes!
This board is awesome! xx

codemonkey

A good shop should have a wider range of sizes because although you can cram into a tiny dress, I found I liked the dresses that fit me more as I could see what they'd look like. It's the most expensive dress most of us will ever wear and some of the shops acted like it was so unimportant. I should just buy the dress. The shop I eventually bought my dress in had a massive range of sizes which was much better than the bigger boutiques.

Another thing to be aware of, if you arent already, is that most dresses come up small and you'll probably be a size larger. But be aware that some unscrupulous places will tell you you need a bigger size to boost alteration costs. I'm a 12 and one shop was telling me I'd need a 16 in a Maggie sottero. I checked my measurements and a 14 would have been more than fine.