O/T Wedding dress alteration help!

[pticouk]

Hi all,

I need help!

I'm getting married in NY on 1st Feb next year and am having this as my dress http://www.serendipityprom.com/10746.htm however, on LL I've gone from a 22 to a 16 I'd like to get to a 14 which on the serendipity site would mean I was a US12. I need to order the dress today (20th September) but don't know if I should get

a. A US14 so it can be taken in
b. A US12 and it should fit

I'm quite an hourglass shape so am worried if I get a US12 my boobs and hips might not fit in, but then I'm worried if I get a US14 it will need to be taken in too much and might ruin the shape of the dress.

Any advice, from dressmakers about if it's ok to get a dress taken in by a size?

Not sure if it makes a difference but I'm gettig a corset made to go underneath as I was told that there's no boning in prom dresses as there is in wedding dresses.

Thanks soooooooooooooooooo oooooooo much

Helen

 

[iceycold]

Sorry I'm no dressmaker, do you really have to order it this early?

 

[Fatty_no_more]

Hi hunny i would order the smaller size.
As its only sept now your on a role and it will give you something to aim for?

Thats what i would do anyway?

 

[pticouk]

I need to order it as it'll take around 4-6 weeks to get here, then I need it altering, but I also need the corset making before so she needs to see the cut of the dress.

I was thinking if I get the smaller size and it's a tad too small the corset will hold everything in! I'm just not sure of the cut of the US dresses, we all know how hard it is to get a size 12 that fits in every shop here!!

Helen

 

[iceycold]

It does look a fabulous dress, and I agree with Dancing best to let a proper dress maker see the picture of it. I think I would probably go for the 12, you can always slim into the smaller size, whereas it might be a mammoth task to alter all the layers of a larger size. On your ticker tape you only need to lose the last stone, so you should easily make it. (Might keep you going)

Is there a returns policy from where you are buying it from,? order one size and see what it's like when it turns up? and let the corset lady see it perhaps before returning it, if necessary, you would still have time for another one to be delivered.

Or is the shop you are ordering from in New York? could you if the worst came to the worst take it back and change it before the wedding, when you're over there?

 

[Sweetpea]

Are you sure a US 12 is equivalent to a 14? My understanding is that US sizes are two sizes below ours which makes a US 12 the same as a 16 here. I guess if you bought the 12 and you slim down to a UK 14 you could have it adjusted to fit.

I'd just make sure the style can be altered by a whole size as it is such an important occasion.

BTW the dress is totally fab!

 

[iceycold]

Hi,
Had a quick look round for you, now I'm not "supposed to be working".
It doesn't look as though you can return the dress at all.
Not sure what US size 12 is, but the make of Dress Jovani says it's
Size 12 -bust 38-1/2 waist 31-1/2 hips 41-1/2
Size 14 -bust 40 waist 33-1/2 hips 43-1/2
The only other thing it mentions is you can turn a hem up, but you can't add more on. But it doesn't then tell you how long it is. I'm a shorty so this wouldn't be a problem for me, if you're tall it might be worth an e-mail to them to make sure it's long enough.
It says they ship by UPS and it takes about 3 weeks, so maybe you could hang on a little longer.
How much time does the corset person need, never bought one of those, will be fascinated to see a piccy, when it's done.

 

[Sweetpea]

Great advice from iceycold to go by the actual measurements - I would never have thought about what length the dress comes in either.

Their site does say their 14 is our 16 so I'm off to find out my Liz Claiborne trousers I bought last year in a 14. They must fit me now then as I'm a 16 bottom. I thought they were a UK 18 so I feel a lot better about them now. Hopefully they'll be too big for me soon anyway.

It does say on the site that if you are at the boundary of a size that it might be better to get the next size up and have it altered rather than get one that is too small. But I suppose if you want to be a UK 14 then you easily have enough time to get down to the size before your wedding so a US 12 could be the best option.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Cerulean]

The standard difference between US dress sizes and ours (ie those used by dressmakers rather than high street stores who alter sizes to flatter customers) is one size - however in recent years US sizing has got out of hand and dropped a further size. I ended up a US 6-8 at the end of LL.

If yu want to play it safe, get the 14, you can always take dresses in - letting small dresses out is nigh on impossible. I would add the provisto that as your dress has an overlaid layer, this may make taking it in 'nicely' an issue. However - if you take LL to the middle of your healthy BMI, you are more likely to be a US size 8-10 - I went from a similar BMI as you started at and at BMI 22 I was easily a US 6.

 

[pticouk]

sorry haven't been on and seen all the replies until now - also didn't get a chance to order it!!

Normally there is a 2 size difference but I emailed the company and they said with this make it's a one size difference - all the clothes I've got before form the states ( my bro lives there) are a 2 size difference - most of them gone on ebay!

I won't be a heralthy BMI as I only want to be a size 14 no smaller. Great news is today I went shopping and got a load of size 16 clothes and tried a pair of size 14 trousers on and the fitted although I think if I sat down either the seam or zip would split! but excellent news!

The web shop has a no returns policy, so it's a one time only ordering deal!!

thanks again

Helen