Bridal sizing

Its important to know your bridal size, as it will be asked & needed many many times during this process. If you say “I don’t know”, they will measure you. And I know my physical measurements would be much more upsetting to me than a size assigned to a dress. I would just mentally prepare for it. You are already aware that bridal sizes run differently from street clothes. Just remind yourself that only the number is changing, not the size of the garment.

You should be able to tell your consultant your street size and have them bring samples to you that should more-or-less fit, then when you select a dress they can order you the appropriate size based on the manufacturer size chart, the design of the dress itself, and alterations planned.

Bridal sizing isn't consistent from brand to brand anyway, so you could be a bridal size 16 in one brand that runs closer to street sizing and several sizes up in another brand that has more traditional sizing. Its the bridal boutique's staff's job to know how their brands run, not yours!

I'm a street size 6 and at the shop I went to the recommendation was to size up one to two sizes (so an 8 or a 10) based on the brands they had. I ended up shopping around online and per my measurements I ranged from a size 6 to size 12 on size charts, depending on the brand. My actual wedding dress ended up being a size 12 and fit like it was made for me.

In letter sizes I'm usually a small or a medium, but I have items in my closet that range from an XS to L depending on the brand, cut, and material. Sizing is just not consistent, and your body shape, fabric type, garment cut, etc all play into how a particular item will fit you. I know it's easier said than done, but as much as you can disregard the size on the label as much as possible and simply buy what fits your body well.

Also keep in mind that you will most likely have alterations done, and its always easier to alter a too big garment to fit smaller than the other way around. Because of this, your consultant will likely order a size that fits or is larger than your largest measurement. So even if you are on average a street size 16, if you have slightly larger hips or bust you will measure bigger, and your consultant will likely order up to allow for easier alterations. So if the number on your dress is bigger than expected, its all a part of the process because you get to have your dress custom fit to you and aren't being forced to try to get the best average fit off the rack.

It would be worth telling shops your street size when scheduling your appointment and before arriving on the shop - and you can even let them know you are a little size conscious. This will help them ensure that they are prepared when you come and not catching you off guard with invasive questions or telling you they don't carry samples in your size. A good shop will try to pair yo with a consultant that is a good fit for your needs and can make you feel comfortable and confident.

Good luck!

It’s important to know and realize that everyday street clothes are vanity sized. Most women would prefer to think they are a 4-6 when actual measurements say they are a 10-12. Hollywood airbrushing and stick thin models don’t help with body image because people (men included) feel they aren’t attractive enough unless they are a certain measurement that is not healthy or proportionate. Before vanity sizing became a thing, you had people like Marilyn Monroe who, back then was “normal” at a modern size 10, by today’s standards would be obese and mocked away from a career while Audrey Hepburn was painfully thin even for her era.


Sizes with every day clothes aren’t consistent between brands and sometimes within the same manufacturer. Wedding dresses are no different. Try not to pay attention to the sizes and focus on the fit. What does it feel like on you?

Honestly, I just went into it knowing the size was going to be bigger than I was used to. Regardless if the dress or designer you choose, the size will be probably double your normal size. However, that doesn’t change how you look or feel. It’s just a number on a tag. Try not to focus on the size and instead focus on how you look and feel in the dress!

They will ask for your size as soon as you walk in. Generally your dress will be 2 -3 sizes larger than your everyday size. I’m a size 8 and my dress is 14.
I feel like cutting the tag off because it’s a downer.

Bridal sizes are almost always larger than their equivalent street sizes. The number on the tag is just a number. The dress size would still be the same physical size as what you wear in street clothes, it's just on a different scale. It's like kilometers vs miles: same exact distance, one just sounds further than the other. Try to ignore the number. Instead, pay attention to how you feel in the dress, and know that once you order it, the gown will be the roughly the same size as your street clothes (regardless of what number the tag says).

Sounds like you’re already aware that bridal dress sizes run small. So, (with that knowledge in mind) if you’re a street size 16, then you’ll still be a street size after dress shopping (despite what the number on the gown says). So, don’t stress over something that you know is sized differently than regular clothing.