Breaking it gently to someone that you don't like their dress

I'd tell her. No matter how much I love the dress I'd want my closest friends to tell me if I look good it in or not. Sure, my feeling would probably be hurt but it's better than looking back at pictures and wondering why my 'friends' did not tell me I looked like a fat cow. Just a thought.

I say start off with the positives about the dress then tell her your honest opinion but be mindful of how you tell her, nothing is more hurtful than to hear bad things from someone else and to later find out that a best friend felt the same way the whole time and didnt have the decency to say anything. It may hurt now but she will thank you later ( as in later when she sees her wedding photos & hate them) Good luck!

Do it gently

Maybe just suggest she try on a different style dress, one compltely different than that so she can see herself in different ways

Sometimes brides on here talk about how they go shopping with one style in mind, and find themselvs falling in love with a dress completely different than style they orginally liked

Tough situation. I agree that you should tell her, but you can do it in a gentle way. Point her toward a website like this one that discusses different fits for different bodies. You can also say that you want to go back out shopping because you though of some dresses that would look great on her body.

I wouldn't tell her directly, but I would encourage her to try other styles (A-line, Empire, ETC) and see if she can get herself to fall in love with any other dresses.. otherwise, if she is dead set, I wouldn't. If she has tried on every other dress and thinks that the mermaid is perfect for her, she can't see her flaws and there's no need to point them out to her. Just my opinion.

We tried that, she wouldn't even try anything else on. I think I am gonna have to tell her that I don't like it. Mostly for the reasons of I don't want her to look awful.

Is she in love w/ the dress on her, or on the hanger? I'm sorry, but you probably should've told her when she had it on. It's going to be hard to go back and tell her you think it's not flattering when you've already told her it is. But definitely suggest she keep looking, and be honest if/when you see other dresses. I'm sure she'd appreciate the honesty over saying she looks good in anything she tries on. I know I do.

When I tried dresses on (I'm a size 18), I was never offended if someone said a certain dress didn't flatter my body even if I liked the dress. If they said I looked like a cow, then I'd be offended. Point out how the DRESS doesn't flatter her body - not how her body looks in the dress. There are lots of dress styles that can flatter a plus-size bride - she may just need to see a really good one to realize that the mermaid style isn't the best for her body. Good luck!

Did you get to take pictures? Sometimes, I think I'm in love with what I'm wearing and then I see a picture and think WTF?!?!?!

Also, if the day is about her and she feels wonderful in a mermaid dress, who is anyone else to tell her different...you can express your opinion, but I wouldn't expect for it to be met with a hug and a smile necessarily. Just don't push it - say it once and if she doesn't want to hear it, let it go

Well, you posted while I was... if she's hell-bent on that style and you're not the only one who thinks it's unflattering, definitely tell her, but again - focus on how the dress looks bad on her body, not how her body looks bad in the dress (does that make sense?). She may not be looking past the pretty white dress to realize it's just not flattering to her body.

Some girls have a hard time looking past the dress - they're just so excited to be trying on wedding dresses instead of bridesmaids' dresses.

Thanks Ashley that is helpful. The one that was awful I told her was not good on her body. I said the dress did nothing for her. I told her nothing about her looking bad. Some of the ones she really loves she loves on the hanger because they don't have them in a size she could get on. I tried to get her in mermaid with ruching but she informed me she hates the ruching. She didn't find the dress yet so I am hoping we can coax her into a different style before she sets her heart on one dress. We do have pictures I am hoping when she looks at them she will see the dresses really really aren't for her

I would tell her in a way that won't hurt her feelings. Maybe suggest she try different styles and tell her how they compliment her. Focus on the positive rather than pointing out the negative. People tend to be very sensitive about their weight.

Do it gently. Maybe try this? Go back with her to try on different styles, and take photos that she can look at again later. That way she can compare the way one style fits right next to the other style. That's probably her best chance to see the fits side by side and realize for herself how one makes her look vs. the other.

Were the samples in her size? I have seen some plus size women rocking mermaid styles.

Did you take photos? Did she try on different styles? In the end if she feels beautiful in it, then everyone else's opinions won't matter.

The three they had in her size were bad. I have seen a few that looked great on other women too, but they were really unflattering on her.

I know if I was her, I would want someone to tell me the truth. Perhaps just casually offer her other styles to try on, and see if she has a change of heart..HOWEVER, If after you already told her, and she is still wanting to rock the dress..then so be it. It is not a subject I would push. If she feels like it is the style she wants and the dress of her dreams..no need to rain on her parade. If she is happy, that is what matters.

I would never ever stop her from getting it if she loves it. I would tell her how I feel but I would not ever try to tell her not to get if she loves it. However I think she should know with her body shape some other style would be more appealing we are going to the shop were I found the dress I am gonna buy tomorrow hopefully I can convince her try on something different. wish me luck.

What salons did you guys go to in CO that had a consultant not express to her that the dress doesn't fit her body shape? I want to make sure I keep my friends and brides away from them.

I'd probably see if you could get her to try on a different sillhouette, and then tell her how you think it is more flattering on her because of x y and z (it makes her waist look tiny, or makes the girls look good, etc)

I'm about the same size and I tried on a couple of slim-fitting or mermaid shaped gowns. My family agreed that they were surprisingly fashionable on me, but overall I felt that while I looked good standing up and sucking it in slightly, that after I might feel different if any pics were taken while sitting down, or slouching, or after eating food and standing around for several hours when you aren't quite worrying about what your stomachs doing.

Those are some ideas you can also present to her while trying on other dresses. How does she feel/look while sitting in it? Does she feel like she's "working" (sucking in, standing straight, etc) to look good in it, and how will she feel after hour 5 of wearing it?

Did you take photos of her in the dresses she loved that you can show her?

I personally cannot totally understand how a silhouette looks on me until I see myself in a photo.

Honestly- if she looks downright terrible I guess I would encourage her to try something different. But I'm with Miss Tattoo, if she feels beautiful and confident, if the dress fits her properly and nothing is hanging out or vulgar looking, I would let her rock it. Maybe she just has different taste than you do?

Maybe once it's actually fitted and altered to her body you'll think she looks great.