Square One

Size 18 dress was HUGE. 
I wore a size 18 dress for
my mom's funeral at age 13
Ever feel like you're doing really well (on point with diet and exercise; feeling strong mentally and physically) only to have something knock you back to where you started?

My blog started to pick up steam once my friend Nancy showed us the dress she wanted her bridesmaids to wear.  It was a very visual goal of where I needed to be.  And I got there.

My brother is getting married on August 20th, 2011 and I am in the bridal party.
This time around, I'm (trying to) helping the bride pick out the dress.  I find this both fun and ridiculously discouraging.  Why? Sample sizes.  Luckily the stores we have been to have a wide array of sizes, but the majority are still in the 8-10 range.

My body shape right now is a bit of an inverted triangle body shape -- which is very hard to dress.  I'm very broad up to (boobs + ribcage + shoulders = size 16 or so) and pretty narrow on the bottom (size 10/12 or so).  Dresses are a NIGHTMARE for me. 

Hopefully we found a few styles that will work on all the girls' body types -- but man, it's so hard to not get down on myself when I'm putting on a size 18 dress (that's too big) but still doesn't look/fit right.

I just have to remember that bridal dresses are often smaller sizes than "regular" sizes.  I have to remember that dresses can and will be altered to look good.

I have to remember that my body is changing all the time.....

13 comments

THe size is just a number and the sizing is couture... So don't think abput the number. I weighed 135... Tiny... when I got married and my dress was a size 14. you will make yourself miserable if you only concentrate on the number.

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I'm trying not to concentrate on the number. I remember that most clothing in stores is "vanity sized" and that bridal dresses are more true-to-size/based on measurements. But still... it's a fight I'm always having with myself.

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Lucky you that you get to have input on the style of the dress! Focus on what's figure-flattering for you and plan on having it altered. I hear you on the sizing: while we accept that the number may be higher than we're used to, it still smarts when it's beyond the size range we worked so hard to achieve.

What style top is usually considered best for someone who is broad-shouldered and carries their weight on top? Can you swing it in your favor and angle for a short dress? Flaunt what you've got--LEGS!

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I totally just went through this picking a dress out for our Second Chance Prom. Not to mention they were kinda juniors dresses, so the numbers were disappointing to say the least but After alterations. I loved my dress and flabby arms or not... I rocked my hot pink dress!

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maybe try something more a line with an empire waste and tea length

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oh and a halter neck will make your shoulders look less broad and streamline everything ...I used to work for a bridal shop

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Misty--I'm so against empire/babydoll waistlines. I think they make everyone look pregnant, unless it's with a wide obi-like belt. Halter tops usually make me look more broad. Weird body stuff!!

Mon petit cupcake -- it's all about attitude, right?

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I know exactly how you feel. I am going to be getting married next year and my biggest dread I have right now is finding a dress that will fit me and flatter me. I am so terrified!

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I know exactly what you mean. My mom was going to start sewing but the patterns didn't do vanity sizing so then she was so discouraged that she didn't want to do it because she didn't want to make things at such a high size after losing so much weight.

You looked amazing in that last dress so you will look amazing for this wedding. Just don't look at the sizes.

Also I never realized how you were the inverted triangle until you pointed it out. I wonder why bodies have so many different possible shapes.

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Colleen -- i'm sure i'll be able to work with whatever I'm given. Just a passing frustration. I think all women go through it, no matter their size.

I'm either an inverted triangle or an hourglass. But my hips are definitely not as broad as my shoulders.

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I commend you for wanting to lose weight to be healthier. I lost 30 pounds and can tell that my body and my overall health are better than before. I agree that the size is just a number but that number is a way for us to gauge what our progress is, and should be used as a tool for our success.

I'd also say you're an apple, like me. I've learned to do A LOT of weight lifting for my lower body, which helps strength and builds mass while you lose weight. Protein, protein, protein, too :) Keep going, you're doing great!

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Anon: the size is just a number -- but that number isn't even really accurate. If i'm going to use a number, it'll be my body fat percentage or inches on a tape measure. Those are much more accurage gauges of progress, no?

I can't do weight lifting cause of my back, sadly. Believe it or not, under all the flab I'm actually an inverted triangle/hourglass.

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Hey! I have noticed that the RSS of this portal is functioning without any mistakes, did you somehow all the options all by yourself or you just turned to the default settings of this widget?

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