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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect to buy a bridesmaid dress fairly easily?

72 replies

readywithwellies · 01/03/2011 19:42

Bridesmaid, 9, has a bit of a tummy, bmi in low end of overweight (tall). Because of this, dresses from the waist don't fit unless they are huge on the chest (and these are in aged 15)

Can't get a dress to fit her off the peg. I need one that drops from the chest, is reasonably priced (under £100) and colour is negotiable.

So AIBU? If so, where are these elusive dresses?

OP posts:
Hulababy · 01/03/2011 20:33

Bridal shop dresses will be much dearer. However, they do often have sales and you can get good bargains, half price, etc. Brideshop dresses often have more leeway in the fabric to allow them to be altered more.

Bogeyface · 01/03/2011 20:33

She has 7 months to lose her belly. Is that a viable option? I'm sure she'd feel much better for it too

I am damn sure she wont!! She will already feel bad that dresses she has tried dont fit, I know this because my dd is slightly (and I mean slightly) larger than average for her height. She has boobs hips and a waist whereas all of her friends are still straight up and down. Getting a BM dress for her was a work of art. If I had suggested she should lose weight for the wedding it would have crushed her.

She has now evened out naturally and I daresay the girl in the OP will too.

OP, the only way I could do was to have a dress made. It didnt cost as much as I expected, way less than £100 because I used a dressmaker not a wedding dressmaker iykwim. It fitter perfectly, looked lovely and best of all, DD loved it felt so much more confident in it than she would have done in a bought dress that didnt fit properly.

crystalglasses · 01/03/2011 20:35

I didn't know parents could choose the bridesmaid dresses. when my dd1 was a bridesmaid the bride chose the dress, which I had to rent from Pronuptia and a horrible brown colour. I also had to buy a very expensive headdress. I was a bit annoyed but couldn't let my dd down by saying she couldn't be a bridesmaid.

Original poster
readywithwellies · 01/03/2011 20:38

Bertie - loving the Debenhams one Smile

Think I am just going to have to steal her for the day and take her around the shops.

BogeyFace - yes I don't want to make her feel bad and we see a dress online, she likes it and then it doesn't bloody fit. Have tried a few now and getting fed up. I know a dressmaker, I may email her and ask her what she would charge.

OP posts:
BertieBasset · 01/03/2011 20:39

john lewis

Can you tell I like looking at dresses?

PurveyorOfWoo · 01/03/2011 20:39

If the BHS dress is the right kind of shape they also do it in 'merlot', 'champagne' and 'green'. Also with bolero jackets to match. See here - the Francesca style.

Original poster
readywithwellies · 01/03/2011 20:39

Crystal - parents aren't choosing the dress, I am, but bm is getting a say and it has to fit.

OP posts:
Original poster
readywithwellies · 01/03/2011 20:41

Purveyor - it will be hot and would rather a shorter style tbh

Bertie - like the John Lewis one, but have two bms, not available in age 3-4!

OP posts:
BunnyWunny · 01/03/2011 20:41

MONSOON AGAIN

Is lovely and the ruffles will hide her fat tummy.

flyingspaghettimonster · 01/03/2011 20:46

try ebay - the chinese sellers take your measurements and make the dress to match that - so you should be able to get a style you like in a size that fits her... they have loads of colours too. I have bought a dress from one of the Hong Kong sellers before and although it took a month to arrive, it was exactly what I had expected...

squeakytoy · 01/03/2011 20:48

I got my bridesmaids dresses in monsoon in the sale... bargains!

It wouldnt cost a fortune to make a simple adjustment to the bust on most dresses though.

Original poster
readywithwellies · 01/03/2011 20:48

Bunny - only available in 9-10, thanks tho.

Flying - my nerves would not take a months wait.

OP posts:
Original poster
readywithwellies · 01/03/2011 20:49

Thinking monsoon is a definite option. I don't go in there normally, its too posh for me.

OP posts:
saffy85 · 01/03/2011 20:55

Shock at people suggesting OP put her 9 year old bridesmaid on a diet! And to fit into a dress! I thought my sister was a bridezilla by telling me I should BF just so I can fit in my poxy BM dress 3 months after the birth of DC2 Hmm

Have you thought about M and S OP? Now they're getting all their spring/summer stuff in they might have something bridesmaidy but not too grown up.

herbietea · 01/03/2011 20:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Edinburghlass · 01/03/2011 20:56

When we got married one of our bridesmaids was only 10 but with quite an adult figure. The others were 5 and 8. We got party dresses from Marks & Spencer for about £30 each. Not especially smart dresses but they looked smart when there were 3 dresses together and at that price we didn't mind that they wouldn't be worn again. The style was quite loose fitting.

Original poster
readywithwellies · 01/03/2011 20:58

herb - tried her in satin, not a good look.

OP posts:
redshoes · 01/03/2011 20:58

You should check out bhs - their bridesmaid dresses are way nicer than their normal stuff and the 'young' styles do go up to teen sizes

Original poster
readywithwellies · 01/03/2011 20:58

will have a look at m&s

OP posts:
EveryonesJealousOfGingers · 01/03/2011 20:59

I cannot believe that nobody has picked up on the fact that the OP got her wedding dress from a garden centre!!! OP please explain, ideally with photo!

Original poster
readywithwellies · 01/03/2011 20:59

redshoes - counted bhs out as not same dress or similar for 9 year old as 3 year old

OP posts:
Original poster
readywithwellies · 01/03/2011 21:00

Everyone - I am just wearing wellies and a bikini. I have to shop for the bikini. Hence my name on here Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
readywithwellies · 01/03/2011 21:01

And now the serious answer

www.romanoriginals.co.uk/icat/wedding-dresses/

strapless £50 one

Store is in a garden centre

OP posts:
Bogeyface · 01/03/2011 21:04

Thats a lovely dress, and what a bargain!

DH told everyone I was wearing wellies and a donkey jacket when got married :o Although we had a January wedding so a bikini wouldnt have worked!

PowderMum · 01/03/2011 21:04

Had this problem when DD was last a bridesmaid, she was about 9 and big for her age. Basically just tall 5ft plus and curvy. BHS had good dresses then. Would have struggled to get an off the peg smart dress as to fit her they were just to old for her.

This year they are bridesmaids again and DD1 is now older and developed so fits into an adult strapless dress well. DD2 is younger and stick thin with no shape but tallish. At the local bridal shop I have been able to buy a teenage or tweenage dress which has some removable shaping at the top. This was within you budget.

Maybe worth a try is Monsoon does not work out for you