Bridesmaid Dress Barely Fits

[Alex39]

I'm in a wedding as a bridesmaid in one month from now. I ordered the dress months ago and was losing weight on and off. I recently lost 6 pounds and am still going for more. Slow and steady wins the race. 

I just got the dress in the mail and it's snug. The zipper won't close just right at the top. I'm panicked now. I need a dress that zips. My seamstress can't fix it if it doesn't zip. She claims these dresses are tricky and she'll need more fabric and it's not worth it. 

Do I try to frantically lose more weight? I'm usually losing about 4 pounds a month. Will 4 pounds make a difference though? I found a backup online that I could get in a week. Totally different style. Wasnt what I was thinking, but pretty. I could order this last minute dress I see online. What do I do? I didn't want to spend the money on two dresses, but I need this dress to fit on the wedding day. 

[catfeeder]

I'd order the backup, then return the one you don't wear.

If you can't return it, sell it.

[MissCanuck]

Get the back-up. 

It will be a lot less stress on your body and mind if you don't try to crash-diet your way into the current one. 

[Wiseman2]

6 hours ago, Alex39 said:

I just got the dress in the mail and it's snug. The zipper won't close.

Talk to the bride or head bridesmaid. See what they suggest.

[Batya33]

I would throw money at the problem and get a backup dress.  It is not worth stressing yourself out to lose weight -and also for example if you have your period or it comes early/late that could mean the difference between zipping and not.  

[Kwothe28]

Might I suggest not ordering online? I know ordering online is cheaper sometimes, but there is no guarantee if it will fit you or just how it will look on you. Its like that "Storage Wars" show where you buy warehouse of items not knowing what you will get. You may get it for cheap but you dont know if its worth it or not.

Go to store, try a dress there and if you like how it fits, buy it.

[Batya33]

1 minute ago, Kwothe28 said:

Might I suggest not ordering online? I know ordering online is cheaper sometimes, but there is no guarantee if it will fit you or just how it will look on you. Its like that "Storage Wars" show where you buy warehouse of items not knowing what you will get. You may get it for cheap but you dont know if its worth it or not.

Go to store, try a dress there and if you like how it fits, buy it.

So with bridesmaids dresses - even in the 80s and 90s - most typically you try on styles at the store then they measure you and order. Then you return for a fitting. So off the rack is very very rare.  From all I know. One time mine didn’t fit. I had gained 5 pounds from a bad birth control pill. But the store also ordered the wrong - too small - size - so of course I couldn’t fit into an even smaller size.

 It was really embarrassing as I was asked if I was pregnant etc (the five pounds were all there I guess). What was the best was the brides who said it was fine to all wear black and then we all wore whatever black gown or dress we already had. Saved so much time and money. 

[Wiseman2]

9 hours ago, Alex39 said:

Totally different style.

Does the bride want dresses that all look different? Try not to shop for "when I'm slimmer". Buy your actual size.

[gamon]

I’ve never seen a wedding where the bridesmaids dresses aren’t all the same. Unless your friends wedding is different you cannot wear a different style you’ll stand out like a sore thumb especially in the pictures and you’ll ruin her special day. You packed on the pounds and you gotta lose those pounds. Get yourself over your your local gym get a trainer start exercising and stop eating. 

[Rose Mosse]

11 hours ago, Alex39 said:

I'm in a wedding as a bridesmaid in one month from now. I ordered the dress months ago and was losing weight on and off. I recently lost 6 pounds and am still going for more. Slow and steady wins the race. 

I just got the dress in the mail and it's snug. The zipper won't close just right at the top. I'm panicked now. I need a dress that zips. My seamstress can't fix it if it doesn't zip. She claims these dresses are tricky and she'll need more fabric and it's not worth it. 

Do I try to frantically lose more weight? I'm usually losing about 4 pounds a month. Will 4 pounds make a difference though? I found a backup online that I could get in a week. Totally different style. Wasnt what I was thinking, but pretty. I could order this last minute dress I see online. What do I do? I didn't want to spend the money on two dresses, but I need this dress to fit on the wedding day. 

Oh order the back ups for sure. Always have back ups. Order to size and have a stress free enjoyable time. 

[boltnrun]

35 minutes ago, gamon said:

I’ve never seen a wedding where the bridesmaids dresses aren’t all the same. Unless your friends wedding is different you cannot wear a different style you’ll stand out like a sore thumb especially in the pictures and you’ll ruin her special day. You packed on the pounds and you gotta lose those pounds. Get yourself over your your local gym get a trainer start exercising and stop eating. 

I was matron of honor at my best friend's wedding. She chose the fabric but allowed us to design the dresses. We each had a different style dress. 

[tattoobunnie]

Get the backup.  Return or sell the other one that doesn't fit.  3 to 5 lbs won't make the dress fit.

I have been to a dozen weddings where the color scheme was similar, but the dress styles were the bridesmaid's preferences, including for my wedding.  

[catfeeder]

2 hours ago, gamon said:

I’ve never seen a wedding where the bridesmaids dresses aren’t all the same. Unless your friends wedding is different you cannot wear a different style you’ll stand out like a sore thumb especially in the pictures and you’ll ruin her special day. You packed on the pounds and you gotta lose those pounds. Get yourself over your your local gym get a trainer start exercising and stop eating. 

Often there is a guideline on color and/or fabric, but the style is left up to each bridesmaid to choose for herself.

While losing the weight is a worthy goal, intentions are not guarantees, and it makes no sense not to have a safety net.

[Wiseman2]

[Tinydance]

11 hours ago, gamon said:

I’ve never seen a wedding where the bridesmaids dresses aren’t all the same. Unless your friends wedding is different you cannot wear a different style you’ll stand out like a sore thumb especially in the pictures and you’ll ruin her special day. You packed on the pounds and you gotta lose those pounds. Get yourself over your your local gym get a trainer start exercising and stop eating. 

Actually I've seen bridesmaids dresses be not exactly the same style, but they were the same colour. Usually bridal stores stock an identical colour in different dress styles. So I've seen bridesmaids choose a dress which is actually flattering on their body shape but they all looked blended in together because the colour, make-up and flowers were the same.

Sorry but your advice about weight loss has basically been a path to getting an eating disorder. "Stop eating?" Weight loss first of all has to be healthy and it also needs to be slow so it can be sustainable. If the wedding is soon and a large amount of weight needs to be lost in a short time, then yes that probably requires starvation. Which is very bad for you. The healthy weight loss guideline is just a small amount per week. It needs to be done through healthy eating of normal food. Not starving or only drinking protein shakes or something. And it shouldn't feel like the person is actually torturing themselves because that's not sustainable.

[catfeeder]

1 hour ago, Tinydance said:

... If the wedding is soon and a large amount of weight needs to be lost in a short time, then yes that probably requires starvation. Which is very bad for you. The healthy weight loss guideline is just a small amount per week. It needs to be done through healthy eating of normal food. Not starving or only drinking protein shakes or something. And it shouldn't feel like the person is actually torturing themselves because that's not sustainable.

Sure, and while sustainably sounds long term rather than just for the month, it makes no sense to show up with a fabulous fitting dress only to take a face-plant faint at the altar.

Besides, not even a crash plan perfectly executed guarantees a closed zipper or seam that won't bust open.

There's no real down side to having a backup plan, and plenty of sleep to lose if you don't.

Eating the cost between buying a second dress and whatever you might need to sell it for is worth every penny to avoid a wedding day fail.

Eat healthfully, and enjOy!