Measuring yourself at home

Dear customer,  since we practically insist on your measuring yourself before ordering I thought it best to write you a little guide on how to measure properly. It is essential that you can do this correctly for your dress to fit and to ensure you order the correct size.

It is all to easy to assume that your regular dress size will do for bridal and formal wear to but sadly this is wrong as the sizes are vastly different because there is simply no ‘give’ in formal fabrics compared to the stretching, forgiving fashion fabrics from our favourite high street stores.

For example, you may be a 12 when you buy all your cotton summer tops but when it comes to formal wear a 12 is more likely to measure up at a 16. Now ladies, don’t be ashamed to wear a bigger size, it does not demean your pre-event dieting efforts. Wouldn’t you much rather look stunning, cool comfortable and confident in a larger size dress than awkward and stuffy squeezed into a smaller size just so that you can say it's a ‘12’? Besides that's why the label is sewn on the inside… No one but you and I know its secret! 

Please, I can’t stress enough how important it is to measure and reference back to the size chart. The reason why it is so important is that if you order the wrong size, you must pay the expensive costs of sending dresses back and forth for exchange or refund Measuring will save you a lot of extra time and money, preventing unnecessary hassle, which you really don’t need before your special event. This guide will also be useful to customers who are ordering made to measure items from us or arranging an alteration on their purchase.

Four most common measurements;

Bust

This measurement is one of the three most used when ordering a dress. ‘Bust’ means the full circumference of the fullest part of your bosom and round your back together. When you measure, wear a bra or other support garment that offers equivalent support that the underwear you intend to wear with the dress will (if possible the same bra). If you intend not to wear a bra then measure unsupported (and unpadded).

Use your bra-strap as a rough guide for the tape measure because the back of the tape needs to be straight, not sagging. Do not squeeze the tape around you; let it rest lightly but not loosely. Best to measure in inches at this is what most bust/waist/hip measurements are listed in. As with all measurements it is best to get a friend to help you or better yet a friend with dressmaking skills!