Almost every bride has the same moment: the size on the bridal chart is not the size she wears anywhere else. It is disconcerting, and it is also completely normal. Here is why it happens and what to do about it.
Bridal sizing is its own system
High-street sizing has drifted steadily over the past few decades — the same label number now corresponds to noticeably larger measurements than it did a generation ago. Bridal sizing largely did not follow that drift. It stayed anchored to older, more stable measurement standards.
The result is that a bridal size chart typically runs one to two sizes different from a high-street chart. This tells you nothing whatsoever about you and everything about two industries using different rulers.
The practical conclusion: ignore the number and read the measurements. The number on a bridal chart is only a label for a set of measurements, and different makers assign different numbers to the same measurements.
How to read a wedding dress size chart
A bridal chart gives you three or four numbers per size — usually bust, waist and hips, sometimes hollow-to-hem. Take your own measurements first (here is how), then find the row where your numbers sit.
Two rules make this much easier:
- If your measurements fall between two sizes, size up. A dress can be taken in far more easily than it can be let out, because letting out is limited by the seam allowance.
- If your measurements fall across different sizes — one size at the bust, another at the hips — that is completely ordinary. Very few people match one row exactly. This is precisely the situation made-to-measure exists for.
Standard sizing vs made to measure
| Standard bridal size | Made to your measurements | |
|---|---|---|
| How it is cut | To a chart's average proportions | To your own numbers |
| If you span two sizes | Fit the largest, alter the rest | Not an issue |
| Typical alteration work | Moderate to substantial | Minor, often just hem |
| Lead time | Shorter | Longer — made after ordering |
The trade-off is time against fit. We cover the difference in more depth in made to measure vs made to order, and the cost consequences in our alterations guide.
Silhouettes that are more forgiving of small changes
If your date is a long way off, some shapes give you more room to move without any alteration at all:
- Corset-back gowns adjust by several centimetres through the lacing. See lace-up back wedding dresses.
- A-line skirts skim rather than trace, so small changes through the hip are invisible. Browse A-line wedding dresses.
- Two-piece sets let the corset and skirt be fitted independently — see two-piece wedding dresses.
Closely fitted silhouettes such as mermaid and sheath styles are beautiful and worth every bit of their precision, but they are set to your measurements at more points down the body — so order them closer to the date if you can.
How Dioma sizes work
Every gown is made to order to the measurements you send us, so there is no size chart to squeeze into. For our ready-to-wear and last-piece dresses, which already exist, we tailor the fit to your measurements before the dress leaves the atelier.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my wedding dress size bigger than my normal size?
Bridal sizing is based on older, more stable measurement standards, while high-street sizing has drifted larger over time. A bridal size typically runs one to two numbers different. It reflects two different systems, not a change in you.
Should I size up or down in a wedding dress?
Size up if you fall between two sizes. Taking a dress in is straightforward; letting it out is limited by the seam allowance built into the garment.
What if I am one size on top and another on the bottom?
That is very common. With standard sizing you fit the larger measurement and alter the rest; with a made-to-measure gown it simply is not a problem.
Do I need a size at all for a made-to-measure dress?
No. You send measurements instead, and the gown is cut to those numbers.
Keep reading
- How to measure yourself for a wedding dress
- Made to measure vs made to order
- What alterations cost, and how to need fewer
- Buying a wedding dress online: the complete guide
Browse gowns cut to your own numbers in the custom-made collection.