BRIDAL FASHIONS
fourteen in jeans that come from three dif-
which is based on European measurement
matter what the tag in your dress says.
ferent stores. Your waist obviously doesn’t
charts. You should expect your wedding
The reality is that it does matter to a lot of
change from store to store, but rather the
dress to be one to two sizes (or more)
plus-size brides, so what can you do
number assigned to your clothes has little
larger than your typical off-the-rack size. If
about it?
correlation to the actual measurements of
you already have a difficult time with your
You have different options for dealing
the garments.
number size, having to go up in number
with the emotional impact of your wedding
Now here’s where things get psycho-
can feel soul-crushing. But here’s the
dress size. You can mentally prepare your-
logically challenging. Wedding dresses are
thing – you haven’t changed size. You are
self for the size to be bigger, acknowledge
typically made following high-fashion sizing,
still exactly the same, so it shouldn’t
the fact that wedding dress sizing runs small and accept the size of the dress you order as a reality that doesn’t affect how you look or feel in your dress. This strategy will work well for a lot of brides, but it isn’t enough for everyone. Another option is to simply not find out what size you are ordering. The sales associate will take your measurements and order your dress size based on your largest measurement, but you don’t have to know what size they order. Simply ask for that information to be withheld or redacted on any form or receipt you need to sign. You can have a friend cut out the tag when you receive your dress and never be the wiser. While this may sound dramatic, if the size of your dress will influence how you feel in it, it’s worth it to keep that negative information out of mind.
SHOPPING Where you choose to shop for your gown and who you choose to invite with you will seriously affect your experience. You should put some serious thought and consideration into both decisions before making appointments or inviting anyone along. Your feelings matter the most here, so be careful and cautious. Do some research to find plus-size friendly salons. We’ve got some incredible bridal boutiques in this issue who offer a range of plus-size gowns. Some brides also prefer smaller, more intimate salons where they don’t have to try on dresses surrounded by other brides. If you feel self-conscious, consider booking your appointment in an off-peak time or at a smaller store where you can be assured 50
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