Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

My bridesmaid dress doesn't fit!

144 replies

hidinginthenightgarden · 05/03/2020 19:02

I am a bridesmaid 2 weeks today. Tried the dress on 2 weeks ago and it wouldn't zip up. Tried again today and no better.
There are 6 bridesmaids so I can't go out and buy another. We have had them since August so months ago and no chance of ordering in time plus I can't afford.
Not sure if slimming is going to work. The zip is under the arm.
What are my other options? Try and fashion a lace tie up and hope no one notices?

OP posts:
loveacupoftea18 · 05/03/2020 20:46

Ok, if zip is on the side then a seamstress should be able to put two panels in under each arm?

Mine couldn't because of the way the dress was designed but you could get a close fabric match?

momtoboys · 05/03/2020 20:50

I had the same thing happen to me but in my wedding gown! In the months between when I bought the gown and the wedding my now DH and I both gained weight. I had to have it taken to a seamstress and add a panel. Thank god we found someone.

Inextremis · 05/03/2020 20:51

Please don't starve yourself or do anything extreme. The first 2 weeks of a low carb diet is when you lose weight the fastest, so that would be ideal, and keep you full whilst you're doing it. Try eating this (and nothing but this!):

Breakfast every day - 3 or 4 egg omelette with cheese or ham or mushrooms, cooked in butter (or fried eggs, scrambled eggs and bacon, though not bacon every day 'cos that's a lot of salt).

Lunch - tinned tuna in sunflower oil mixed with full fat mayo, over lettuce leaves, chopped spring onion and cucumber, or pan fried white fish with a sauce made from double cream and Parmesan if you can cook at lunchtime.

Dinner - steak, or lamb chops, pork chops, salmon fillet, chicken breast (skin on if poss) pan fried or oven baked with suitable spices and maybe some mushrooms. Cauliflower, cabbage, or broccoli dressed with melted butter, maybe with some grated cheese sprinkled over.

Try to stick to water for drinking and avoid the Diet Coke, because it can trigger an insulin response, despite not having any sugar in it.

A low carb diet can be a lot more interesting than this, but rather than explaining it in great detail, I just thought I'd give you a basic diet you could stick to for 2 weeks without going hungry. Hardboiled eggs are a good snack if you need one, or a small piece of cheese. Best of luck!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

AnneLovesGilbert · 05/03/2020 20:52

This has reminded me of a story I heard of a bride who wanted to lose weight before her wedding so licked the bottom of a shoe hoping a bout of d&v would do it for her. She got so sick she lost twice as much weight as she wanted to and half her hair fell out.

Don’t do anything dramatic OP, including the cabbage soup diet which DH and I did a few years ago. He lost loads and was fine but I was in a murderous rage or a miserable slump due to constant hunger and missed salt so much I nearly cried. We both put it all back on in a couple of days and I wouldn’t do it again, even in a crunch.

PRL73 · 05/03/2020 20:52

There’s only so much a seamstress can do with the cheaper dresses from China. I did all the advice on here, no more than 1200 calories, gym and seamstress and it was still touch and go. My seamstress said she wouldn’t be able to solve the problem unless I put the work in to drop a few lbs too.

I can understand that the OP may want to stave herself and risk putting it all back on with extra, I know I didnt think twice about doing it to save letting my friend down on her wedding day.

Incidentally the one I tried on in the shop fit, I lost a stone and a half and my actual dress didn’t fit?! Maybe they ordered the wrong size. As you can tell I’m still bitter...

PRL73 · 05/03/2020 20:53

Starve sorry

I need some calories myself, delirious typing 🤣

FenellaMaxwell · 05/03/2020 20:53

I had this with my wedding dress. Dukan plus 30 day shred. It’s hard but so doable.

Carriecakes80 · 05/03/2020 20:54

FFS tell the bride, at a time when we should be really watching our health, crash dieting can leave you weak, tired and feeling shit, and thats the last thing you want without mentioning the dreaded C virus!!

Yeah people will be up in arms, but funnily enough, when I got married, all I wanted was my husband there and my 10 bridesmaids comfortable and happy! (Unless shes a Bridezilla type where things and looks mean more than comfort and happiness!)

YouokHun · 05/03/2020 20:56

I had the same problem with a dress. Luckily I wasn’t on shoe in the same way as a bridesmaid. I did the Fast 800 and drank plenty of water, 9lbs off in two weeks. It’s basically low carb eating but pretty sensible.

Lucked · 05/03/2020 20:56

You can do it! Pick something that will work for you. Also although you can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet if you are restricting exercise has a more noticeable effect. HITT training or just go out and jog, even if you can’t run walk/run as much as you can.

willowmelangell · 05/03/2020 20:59

@hidinginthenightgarden I will be on this thread every day for you. I will be waving pom poms and cheering you on. I will be by your side encouraging your every step. If you waver or wobble or doubt, I will be there telling you, keep going, you absolutely can.

hidinginthenightgarden · 05/03/2020 21:05

Thanks for willow!

OP posts:
RideaCockHorseOfCourse · 05/03/2020 21:05

Whatever you decide to do, most definitely ditch the diet coke. All those fizzy drinks, are bad for you, 'diet' versions as well. They're stuffed full of artificial additives, which along with sweetners may even give you cravings for food!

eaglejulesk · 05/03/2020 21:21

A good dressmaker will be able to do something - even if they have to put a panel in.

stickerqueen · 05/03/2020 21:26

please tell the bride that your dress doesn't fit. I could have killed my Maid of honour on my wedding day because she knew her dress did not fit. I knew she had put on some weight and did ask her 2 weeks before the wedding to try the dress on again and she told me it fitted. Fast forward to wedding day and she can't do the damn dress up so 2 hours before the wedding my sister is running around trying to find a red dress for my maid of honour. Thankfully my sister turned up in time with a dress but no idea what we would have done otherwise.

RB68 · 05/03/2020 21:27

go low carb/sugar free and get a body wrap

Blondeshavemorefun · 05/03/2020 21:27

Tell the bride and sure a small panel can be added

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 05/03/2020 21:28

@hidinginthenightgarden Please consider talking to the bride... I know you don't want to stress her out, but unless panels are an option (in which case, do it!!), she may well want to know. I get married in 10 weeks and have two bridesmaids, I'd swap the dresses if one didn't fit anymore. I'd rather deal with that now (next day delivery if it's a brand that Next stock, etc) rather than risk a dress breaking, or one of my bridesmaids feeling really uncomfortable...

I'm not sure if a bolero will work if the bride doesn't know, anyway, because she'll probably ask you to take it off. She'll have planned photos etc...

I hope you can lose it quickly and easily; but if there isn't a way to change the size of the dress and it doesn't fit on Monday, I'd chat to the bride.

Winterlife · 05/03/2020 21:32

Try the Atkins low carb diet - no more than 20 g of carb a day. It has a very quick initial weight loss, and is tolerable for two weeks. No diet colas or other diet drinks, only 1 cup of black coffee a day (as it allegedly increases insulin), but you can eat eggs, meat, and a large salad daily.

Grembolina · 05/03/2020 21:57

First port of call is proper shaping underwear, expensive but worth it.

Then a seamstress, she may be able to move the fastening to the back of the dress and add a ribbon back instead.

How big is the gap?

I think diet and exercise are great but If they don't work you are screwed. Better to deal with it properly now.

Squirrelfan · 05/03/2020 21:59

Say you've injured yourself and show up with your arm in a sling - you'll have to keep your arm pressed closely against your side - no one will be able to see the gaping zip!

Lifeisabeach09 · 05/03/2020 22:01

Don't eat for two weeks.

Lifeisabeach09 · 05/03/2020 22:02

(Half serious) Fasting may help.

YesThatsATurdOnTheRug · 05/03/2020 22:05

My dh has lost four stone in the last two months by simply sticking to under 1000kcal per day. I wouldn't normally recommend it but it's what I'd do in your situation. I don't think two weeks of an fairly tough diet can really do much damage, especially if you make sure all the calories are good nutrition. Definitely ditch the DC.

JustInCaseCakeHappens · 05/03/2020 22:09

you could also get parachuted in the wilderness in Alaska. If you make it back to civilisation, you should have lost a few pounds in the process.