Wedding bridal gown shopping is either painful, or very exciting and fun. It's fun if you can find your size and in your style of dress. It's painful if you have to try on dress after dress, because the dress is unflattering or doesn't fit properly. Many women face this same problem when shopping for their attire. The reason is that each designer has their own measurements for dresses size 16, and sometimes even separate measurements , size 16. Ultimately, a good boutique will know whether your actual measurements fit a size 16 for a designer or a 12/14 or 18. But what if you're shopping on the Internet?
Shopping on the Internet has its risks and rewards. One of the risks is ordering the wrong size. The main benefit is, of course, the price is usually better. However, even if you use a boutique with trained staff, you can run the risk of an incorrectly sized dress. And while some stores have dresses in stock, most have only a few in various sizes so you may be unable to try the dress on for sizing or fit. In these cases it's always best to shop the closest to your wedding date as possible. Keeping in mind that alterations can take up to 8 weeks to complete, and a dress may take 3-4 weeks to order; you will want to order your dress approximately 3 months before the wedding date.
What you should have in hand when you shop :
1) An accurate measurement of your bust, hips, waist and length. Measurements should be taken with your thumb inside the tape and the tape should not be pulled tight. When measuring length be sure to follow the natural line of your body.
a. Bust measurements should be taken around the widest part of the back to the front across the very tip of the bust line.
b. Hip measurements are also taken at the widest point of the hips, for most designers. Some designers have two hip measurements. If you know your particular designer, have a look online for their requirements.
c. The waist is measured just above the belly button and below the ribcage.
d. Measure length from the hollow of your neck to your waist, and then from the waist point to the area where you would like the hem.
2) Your distinct style of skirt, train, neck, sleeve and bodice types.
a. Skirts can be A-line, pencil, short, long, full or slim. Check into various pictures to decide which suits your personal style best.
b. Trains can be cathedral, short or none.
c. There are many neck (collar) styles including square, heart shaped, V, scoop and others. You can check Wikipedia under "necklines" for more information.
d. Sleeves also come in many styles from mid, capped, short and long. Wikipedia also has a great list of different sleeve lengths.
e. For bodice types there are hundreds of choices, a great place to find different bodice information is on theknot.com. A few ideas are corset or empire waist.
3) The fabric and embellishment designs you'll require
Knowing the different types of fabric can be a huge bonus when requesting gown styles to try on at the store. Wedding dresses come in different fabrics and some are more expensive than others. There are even different fabrics within fabrics such as organza and taffeta, those can be silk organza or synthetic etc.
4) Veil and jewelry information.
If you have a special tiara, veil or jewelry that was passed down or that you wanted to wear specifically with your dress, it's best to find a dress that will look appropriate with the style. For instance, a tiara may not look best with a semi-casual gown. And a long veil will look strange with some types of shorter dresses.
5) Any slips and shoes you will be wearing, if at all possible.
Slips and shoes can affect the length of the hem. Be sure to wear them when taking your measurements and trying on the gown.
This is not a comprehensive list of what you will have with you when shopping for a dress, but every little bit of information will help make the right choice.
Shopping on the Internet has its risks and rewards. One of the risks is ordering the wrong size. The main benefit is, of course, the price is usually better. However, even if you use a boutique with trained staff, you can run the risk of an incorrectly sized dress. And while some stores have dresses in stock, most have only a few in various sizes so you may be unable to try the dress on for sizing or fit. In these cases it's always best to shop the closest to your wedding date as possible. Keeping in mind that alterations can take up to 8 weeks to complete, and a dress may take 3-4 weeks to order; you will want to order your dress approximately 3 months before the wedding date.
What you should have in hand when you shop :
1) An accurate measurement of your bust, hips, waist and length. Measurements should be taken with your thumb inside the tape and the tape should not be pulled tight. When measuring length be sure to follow the natural line of your body.
a. Bust measurements should be taken around the widest part of the back to the front across the very tip of the bust line.
b. Hip measurements are also taken at the widest point of the hips, for most designers. Some designers have two hip measurements. If you know your particular designer, have a look online for their requirements.
c. The waist is measured just above the belly button and below the ribcage.
d. Measure length from the hollow of your neck to your waist, and then from the waist point to the area where you would like the hem.
2) Your distinct style of skirt, train, neck, sleeve and bodice types.
a. Skirts can be A-line, pencil, short, long, full or slim. Check into various pictures to decide which suits your personal style best.
b. Trains can be cathedral, short or none.
c. There are many neck (collar) styles including square, heart shaped, V, scoop and others. You can check Wikipedia under "necklines" for more information.
d. Sleeves also come in many styles from mid, capped, short and long. Wikipedia also has a great list of different sleeve lengths.
e. For bodice types there are hundreds of choices, a great place to find different bodice information is on theknot.com. A few ideas are corset or empire waist.
3) The fabric and embellishment designs you'll require
Knowing the different types of fabric can be a huge bonus when requesting gown styles to try on at the store. Wedding dresses come in different fabrics and some are more expensive than others. There are even different fabrics within fabrics such as organza and taffeta, those can be silk organza or synthetic etc.
4) Veil and jewelry information.
If you have a special tiara, veil or jewelry that was passed down or that you wanted to wear specifically with your dress, it's best to find a dress that will look appropriate with the style. For instance, a tiara may not look best with a semi-casual gown. And a long veil will look strange with some types of shorter dresses.
5) Any slips and shoes you will be wearing, if at all possible.
Slips and shoes can affect the length of the hem. Be sure to wear them when taking your measurements and trying on the gown.
This is not a comprehensive list of what you will have with you when shopping for a dress, but every little bit of information will help make the right choice.
Wedding, Bridal Gown ; Finding The Correct Size
Reviewed by Delet
Published :
Rating : 4.5
Published :
Rating : 4.5
