The Becoming Bridal guide to mid and plus-size wedding dress shopping
- becomingbridalnc
- Jun 4
- 8 min read
Updated: Jun 5
67% of American women are size 14 and above, which is what the fashion industry considers plus-size. But if you look at fashion retailers that offer plus-size options, it does not reflect that number. Just like in regular fashion, the bridal industry is notoriously not inclusive to plus-size women. The same issues that affect plus-size brides also affect some mid-size brides as well. Not all brands have extended sizing options, and not all of those options are actually designed for curvy women! Most of our team here at Becoming Bridal are mid and plus-sized. We truly care about our fellow full-figured ladies finding beautiful gowns that are proportioned for their body type! So here is our little guide of what to look for in plus-size dresses, as well as some good quality brands we have worked on that are actually made for realistic proportions.
Structure
The first thing you should think about is how the dress feels on your body. Note if it is supportive or not. If your bust is not supported by the structure and design of the dress, it's very important to consider your options for creating that support. Adding correctly sized bra cups can also help with support. So many dresses cut for larger cup sizes still only use a B or C cup, which are not going to help.
Your seamstress should have a variety of styles and amounts of lift to try in your dress, but even if you don't want or need any extra lift, just having the right size can help your bust feel more secure. If you don't like the feeling of boning, really want to control the amount of cleavage, and/or your dress style would not work well with built-in structure, you may want to consider using physical therapy tape or a sticky boob option. This will take some practice to get the right placement, especially within the lines of the dress. You should go to your fittings already taped so that you can see how you might need to adjust for your wedding day. (Please don't wait until the day of to try taping for the first time!)
An option for brides looking for more support in their dress is finding one with a built-in corset. The corset pictured was made with mesh and boning and had hooks and eyes in the back to fasten it. The mesh is a nice feature because it is breathable, mostly sheer, and the boning provides great support. This bride’s gown is from Allure Bridal.
Some seamstresses will strongly encourage you to wear a longline bra or corset so that the dress will not be required to do all the work, but many modern dress designs don't provide the coverage to hide the bra/corset. Another option would be to have your seamstress add more boning and/or reinforce the existing boning with stronger pieces.
If your dress has an open back, depending on how the dress is clipped by the stylist, it may not feel as snug and supportive as it did with the clips in the store. The clips can be deceiving, and it is important to note that when considering the style of the back of your gown. If you are loving the idea of an open back, ask your stylist if they can clip you in differently so that it will feel more true to style before you make a decision. Or if you want to add more support on the back, talk with your seamstress about options that will work with the style.
If your dress has a more open neckline with a deeper V, you can ask your seamstress about options to add stability. If there's room, the neckline could actually be sewn shut a little. You could also look at adding mesh and/or lace or other details to create tension across the front.
Straps
Pay attention to how the straps feel and if they are supportive. If you are going with spaghetti straps, do they feel like they are digging in or will they be sliding off? Really think about the placement of the straps and if they can be moved during alterations to make them more secure. Some strap styles can allow for new, more supportive straps to be added in their place. If you are going with straps or sleeves that are on the edge of or off the shoulder, they will offer less support. Talk to your seamstress to see what kind of options are available!
Shapewear
Be sure to pay attention to whether or not you can wear shapewear with the dress if you are planning on wearing it on your big day. Bring the shapewear with you to your bridal consultation and also to all of your fittings. Your seamstress can help you see if the shapewear shows lines through the skirt, if the top is peeking out, and even if the color is showing through. There may be situations where you are unable to wear shapewear if you have an illusion bodice with low cutouts, a low neckline in the front or back, or a very fitted skirt with thin material. Your seamstress can work with you to figure out what your best options are.
How to order a dress in the proper size
Order your dress based on your largest measurement. For example, if your bust is your biggest measurement, order your dress to accommodate your bust. This is important because it is easier to take something in than to let it out! Not all dresses are made with a seam allowance to have it let out. So if you are in between sizes, ask your stylist to see how much of a seam allowance is in the dress to see if it could be let out enough or if you need to size up. If measuring your body is at all confusing, make sure to get help from your bridal consultant. The exception to this would be if you are fuller on the bottom and wearing a full skirt. Often, those styles will give you more flexibility in sizing because they are designed to be roomy and flowy on the bottom. Though you will want to note if the inner linings are more fitted and the top layers are flowy, as that will affect how it feels on your body.
Dress sizes
With this Becoming Bridal bride, she ordered her dress size so accurately that it needed hardly any alterations to make it fit. She ordered split sizing, which means you are getting a different size in the bodice and in the skirt, so it complemented her body extremely well. If you are petite, you can also ask if the designer does petite sizing!
This bride also ordered her dress to a near-perfect size! She just needed shaping around her bust to keep her in place and accentuate her gorgeous curves.
Don’t be discouraged if the dress sizes aren’t what you think they should be! Wedding dresses notoriously do not match street sizes and vary from designer to designer, so the size truly does not matter. You also may have to order a size larger than you think based on your largest measurement. The way the dress looks on you and how you feel in it is way more important than the number on the tag!
Style
Don’t feel like you are boxed into a specific style based on your body type. Any style can look gorgeous on any body type; what matters is the fit! Consider how the dress fits, its structure, and how you feel in the dress. How you feel is the most important thing when trying on your wedding dress! And you should feel drop-dead gorgeous!
What happens if you pick a dress without paying attention to these items?
You may have to pay more for alterations depending on what needs to be added to make your dress work for you.
Designers
There are designers that offer plus-size dresses, but these are the brands we have worked on that are very plus-size friendly. They are quality dresses made with real plus-size proportions in mind.
Dany Tabet
At the top of our list is Dany Tabet with his Dany Girl plus-size offerings.
Dany Tabet is our personal favorite because the dresses we have worked on have been really high quality! We didn’t have to do a lot of work on the bodices we have worked on because they were proportioned well from the start and had extra boning for structure. They are beautifully designed and come in a variety of stunning styles.
We love that Dany Tabet includes this on their website:
“Dany Tabet is committed to releasing new looks that share his love of runway fashion and stay true to his trademark of impeccable fit. His collection for curvy brides is finally here and is making a poised, strong entrance. Dany loves giving brides what they want, and Dany Girl is no exception. Dany has gone headfirst into checking off every box on the must-have list:
Fit that flatters every curve
Easy movement with support
Classic styles with trend-driven elements
Bespoke detachable accessories
Luxury light-as-air fabrics
Wearing Dany Girl is believing…Believing you can feel vivacious, stunning, magnetic, and confident
BE BOLD . BE BEAUTIFUL . BE A DANY GIRL”
Ashley & Justin
While there aren’t any plus-size brides on the Ashley & Justin website, they do have high-quality dresses. The dress we worked on was exceptionally well structured and patterned. Not to mention, it was gorgeous and of great quality!
Essence of Australia
Essence of Australia has great plus-size options with good structure and a variety of styles.
Maggie Sottero
Across the board, Maggie Sottero dresses have good structure for straight-sized dresses or plus-size dresses. They have a wide variety of beautiful styles.
Vow’d
Though Vow'd does have plus-size options, they do not have plus-size models on their website. The alterations for these gowns are pretty consistent for both plus-size and standard sizes.
Justin Alexander
Justin Alexander recently started being more sensibly size-inclusive. The dresses we have seen are sensibly made with proper proportions for real people, not just making the dress larger. They have more support and structure.
Redesign
If you aren’t finding exactly what you want in your size, you can go the dress redesign route like our brides Amanda and Kelly. Depending on the amount of work needed for a redesign, it most likely will be a significantly more expensive alterations process. It will also take significantly more time to work on and require more fitting appointments. For example, Kelly came to us once a month for 6 months before her wedding for her dress redesign. That is double the average number of alterations visits, and her dress did not fully take shape till basically the final visit. So if you want to go the dress redesign route, you will need to have an open mind to the alterations that are possible, and that your dress will likely be in progress for a while!
Beauty knows no size, and no matter what gown you choose, you will be a stunning bride on your wedding day!
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