Alterations Question - Letting "OUT"

W/ your MOH: if she tried something on in shop & it fit but the newly ordered was too tight, it's because those dresses in that shop have been stretched out somewhat from being tried on. a new dress, i'd need a 16W. my dress is being bought in shop & had been tried on no telling how many times and its a 14W. Slightly tight across my chest and tummy but I want to lose maybe 5-10 lbs and ton up a bit before 9/25. I've been thinking of fasting for 20 days. Do to this I'll need to live with my sister (who fasts often) because I'd fail at home.

@ being taken out: probably not possible since they measure it to the exact size. they could "add" fabric probably, but this may be a little more costly. i'm not for sure. call DB and ask them. i am using DB also, that's how I learned about the sizes in the store being slightly different from the wear of the new dresses you order.

good luck!

To my knowledge I thought a dress can be taken out but it is very Expensive and can only come out just a little.

On a Side note did you try the dress on with any under under garments they will work wonders if you need to suck in a few loose pounds.

It really depends on the material and cut. Some have more extra seam allowance than others. Depending on the style, maybe you can have a corset back put in! That always adds a little extra room. Good luck!

I would call and ask them. I don't really know for sure. I know a lot of girls like the idea of a corset top so that you can tighten or loosen it to accommodate a bit of change in your weight. I'm guessing this one isn't made like that.

No corset back Another one of the dresses I liked had the corset back, but the one I chose does not. I'm hoping when I put on my Spanx it'll help but I'm just going to be stressing until Tuesday. Ugh. Here's the sample on shopping day. It doesn't LOOK tight but I could barely breathe and it was pinching my underarms.

It really depends on the cut of the dress and where you carry your weight. I'm a big girl and have a tendency to gain weight on my hips/thighs, so I bought a dress where it won't matter if I gain 5 pounds before the wedding. If your dress is like this, you may not have too much to be concerned about.

Letting a dress out can be tricky. Again, it depends on the cut of the dress. I would say most can be let out a very small amount, more like an easement than anything else. But, as suggested above, perhaps asking to have a corset back put might be a valid option?

Back view

I tried on that same dress!!!

For your next sitting, take your spanx, bra, hose, anyhting that you're wearing to "hold you in" so that you can see what the dress feels like then. I got my bustier from DB... I need my undies part to go over my belly and meet with the bustier so that it holds me in more. I am mainly worried about my hips, belly and arms. my arms are 100% exposed because its strapless. but my hips and belly can be flatted with the right garments. I am not wearing panty hose. But tight undies (I don't know what the kind are that has the thigh & upper belly part) lol. But I'll have on all of that beneath mine and it should make it feel slightly better. So I'd say trying it all on, together, before alternating anything because if your wearing something to hold u in and get it let out it then might be slightly too loose.

It was the tightest around my chest/underarms.

Snd my tummy (hoping Spanx might help that)

Ok, you have a couple of months to tone up, drink water, do lots of cardio, eat fiber, veggies, and citric fruits and avoid carbs, processed foods, and red meat. Making the dress into corset will help--they add an extra panel of cloth and that will give you more room, if it comes to that. I've heard quotes to convert a zipper to a corset back from $50-150.

GL

To my knowledge you can only take a dress OUT like 3/4 of an inch. They kept telling me if anything felt tight to order a size bigger and get it taken IN. I'm sorry :-( Don't stress! Good luck!

My problem is my dress is too tight in the chest area. Fits perfectly everywhere else besides the chest. I've always been large chested on top. When I try my dress on again I'll have to make sure I have my correct under garments.

I dont believe you can, I agree I would look into converting the dress to a corset back. If that not an option try to lose some weight/tone up, you have some time Good Luck

Try not to stress! Most dresses are made with *some* extra fabric; like Nicci said, there's usually 3/4" of wiggle room. I had to get a bridesmaid dress taken out last year in the chest area, and the seamstress did a fantastic job.

I had mine let out. I gained friggen 8 pounds and it became too tight =(

It cost 65 to do and fits really well now. It really isn't a big deal. I was like a month and a half away from the wedding and would rather risk losing the weight and having it a little baggy as opposed to it not zipping up. If you have more than 2 months I would work on losing the weight you want to lose since a seamstress really shouldn't need to have your dress for very long to alter it.

I have been told by a few different alterations people that if your dress has a side seem, the general rule of thumb is that they can let your dress out up to 2 inches per seam. You should be able to look on the inside of your dress and see if there is material there, or take it to an alterations person before you let yourself get too nervous!

Well I know on my dress they cannot let it out. The alterations lady was at the shop when I was trying my dress on and when I asked her she looked at me like I was crazy and was all "no no no that dress cannot be let out". So I was INSANELY worried that my dress wouldn't fit when I did my first fitting in April. (I bought it in November before thanksgiving and Christmas dinners!) Lucky enough I had been worried enough about it and started driving a TON of water and just doing little stuff to lose a few pounds it fit better then when I originally got it. I would say do your fitting on Tuesday and if it doesn't fit or doesn't fit right Don't lose it just start drinking alot of water and just doing little stuff (taking the stairs anywhere you go, eating half portions etc).

It really depends on the dress. You can let them out a little. We could do it to mine but we still had to add the corset back. I would ask them and a seamstress if it is possible.

Most can be let out. Some of the problems you run into letting out rather than taking in are:

Not enough seam allowance to let out enough.

If it is silk you cannot, completely, get the needle holes out from the old seam.

If there is lace, trim, embroidery etc. there may not be enough to cover where it was let out.

Most seam allowances are 5/8" to 1". It depends on the designer - generally the more expensive dresses have more seam allowance. If you have a gown with side seams that are 1" you could safely make it a 1/2" seam. That would give you 2 inches. If you could only decrease the seam allowance by 1/4" that would still give you an inch.

I wouldn't worry too much. I'm sure something can be done - panels at the side seams or a corset back (I would go with the corset back if it can't be let out. Looking at your photos the only problem I can see is that the lace layer might not have enough seam allowance but, it depends on the type of seam finish - French seam might be OK -