Gown Size Question?

At least this thread is good motivation for when I go to The Cheesecake Factory tonight. I will definitely skip the bread and cheesecake now.

But now I'm thinking a size 6 would be better because of the style I want. I'm going for something very bohemian/hippie. Something with an empire waist, which would mean the only fitted part of the dress would be in the chest area, which makes me think I should order a 6 so that the straps and chest fit snuggly and arent to big. An 8 would just be swimming on my chest area I think.

UGH I'm so confused!

I'm 5'7 and wear a size 4, I think they ordered my dress in a 10, (boobs and thighs reason for the bigger size) but when my dress came in they took it down to almost a 6/8 dress size. Keep in mind that my dress wasn't loose around my thighs. SO, IMO I would first get measured by your local salon, then once you know your measurements you can usually go to that designers website and figure out what size of a dress to order, If you are inbetween sized (as I was) then go bigger and have it taken in.

Yeah, I read that it's part of the bridal industry's "thing" to have us order larger and then charge the high fees to alter it.

My sister told me that she'd tried on her dress in a 4 and it fit perfectly, but the store convinced her to order a 6 and then altered it down. She said they never got the fit right around her shoulders and she was wishing she hadn't listened and gotten the one that did fit.

I agree with Tammy that you should definitely get fitted to determine your size before ordering online. Then again, if you order larger, they can always alter it to fit.

If the dress is by a European designer, it will be a larger size then you normally wear, but if it is sized American, then you can order your size. Like I tried a few on in David's and a size 2 fit me, but then I tried on some Oleg Cassini (Euro) and I needed an 8. So the sizing will also depend on the origination of the designer...

I am normally a size 4. I ordered my bridesmaid dress for a wedding I'm in next month in a 6 because that was what I thought I was "supposed" to do. Well, I got it and it's huge and now I have to pay for major alterations. So, when I ordered my wedding dress from the same store I insisted on a 4 even though the sales lady basically yelled at me to get a 6. I say go to a store and get measured. Don't order too big just because that's what you've been told. All designers make their dresses differently, and you don't want to end up paying tons of money to get it altered. If a 4 or 6 feels right, get it.

the bridal shop should measure you, and then tell you what size range you fall into, depending on the designer!