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I don't really know the reasoning behind it but from what I've read online, I get the impression that most wedding gowns are sized that way, larger than your regular clothing size. When I got measured for mine the lady at the shop ordered it 2 sizes larger than my normal size but told me not to pay any attention to the fact that it was 2 sizes bigger because that's how they're made. Mine will definitely have to be taken in at the top though as my hips are disproportionally wide compared to my bust (or lack thereof).
Clothing manufacturers realized years ago that if a pair of jeans had a smaller size on its label, women are more likely to purchase it. So they took a size 10 jeans, slapped a size 8 label on it and viola, customers are happier in the dressing room and more likely to purchase the jeans. Coutre clothing resisted this trend, as did wedding gowns since women choose the dress first and then are measured for size.
I was told by friends to ignore the "sizing" and just go with the measurements. The sizes will depress you so don't even focus on it. I've given this same advice to my bridesmaids who have the same issues when trying on dresses. The "size" doesn't matter; the measurements do.
Ha! Love it, and thanks for the reasoning! It's still odd that I wear a 4 and they're fitting me into 10's but maybe I should just stop looking. Wonder if they would charge me more to rip the tag out after I buy it? 
I was dreading going dress shopping for this same reason. I had read that they all run small and you will have to go up at least 2 sizes if not more. Well, I had lost 40 lbs. last year and was finally in a size 12/14 street size, smallest I had been since early middle school days! I was so excited, my whole life it seemed I had been an 18/20. So it is very discouraging when you go to try on dresses and can't wear your street size. But I had a very nice and helpful saleslady who helped with my dresses and she said not to worry about it, that everyone has the same problem. She said she has had girls come in who are a size 6 and leave in tears because some had to go to a size 10. So even though my dress had to be ordered in the size I had worked so hard to get out of, by the end of the day, I wasn't upset anymore, there are so many other things to worry about and I feel great in my dress and know I look great, so that is all that matters!! Don't fret, everyone has gone through the exact same thing!!! I personally think they should just change their sizing charts and at least make them say an 14 even if it is a size 16 or 18. Heck, why stop there, if you are a size 14 street size, make the dresses say 10 or 12 and make the brides feel really good when trying on dresses!!!! It is all about us on that day!! Good luck and forget about the size of the dress!!!
Seriously! I'm a size 4/6 in street clothes and was trying to shimmy into size 8 samples at stores this past weekend. What was absolutely hilarious though was at a store that was having a turnk show - a bunch of their dresses were taken from the runway and were fitted for the models' bodies. Let's just say I *barely* got into these dresses with the zipper fully unzipped. Trust me, nothing says "zing" quite like trying to fit into a trumpet gown that fits someone who's 30 pounds lighter and 5 inches taller than yourself! 
All the dresses I tried on were fitted to my bust since that's the largest fitted part. I have a trumpet dress, but I imagine it would be the same for a ballgown. Either way, it was still super frustrating - BUT it did provide me with inspiration to lose weight. That, or I'm just really good at finding the silver lining...
Aren't they sized using older sizing standards? Like, a modern 8 was a 1960s 12 or 14?
Regardless, it's aggravating. I wish they'd just do measurements in inches like they do for guys. That way, it would be consistent across situations...
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I don't have any insight, but I'll join you in ranting about how crappy it is to have to order a dress 2 sizes bigger than your normal size. I know I probably shouldn't care what the tag says as long as the dress fits and I feel good wearing it, but still...
Someone asked me what size wedding dress I bought (why it mattered to them, I have no idea) and when I told them, the response was "that's huge!!". 
Whoa, cappucino! That person clearly has no idea what the sizing standards are. They probably meant, "That seems so huge compared to what you look like!"
I guess my biggest fear about this whole thing is that, as a size 12/14 street size, I'm going to show up to try on a gown and the samples will be ridiculously too small for me... is this a valid fear? And does that piss anyone else off? I want to try on a dress that is remotely near my size while still getting to try on the normal girl dresses!
AlmostMrsG- It's try a lot of the dresses I "attempted" to try on were only a size 8/10 and I wear the same size you do. I asked each shop I went to why they get those sizes and their response was "Thats the sample size they send us". I dont' get it because I see a lot more girls who are size 12 and larger than I do those who are in the singel digits.
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professorbee is correct. Honestly, I feel the most thin being completely nude. It's only when you put on those jeans you just washed or that strapless dress that you realize 'Gosh I feel fat!'
With my wedding dress, my size proportions are so wacked out that I had to order a size 10 just because of my hips (normally between a size 6-8)
Hmm I thought I would have to go up a size in my dress too, but my dress size is the same as my street clothes. Not sure how that happened...
Try David's Bridal or Alfred Angelo. My street size is the same as their dress sizes, so maybe it's just "designer" dresses that suffer from that size difference issue?
Yeah, I agree that they should just do women's sizing in measurements like they do for men. Vanity sizing in street clothes just makes things more confusing -- I've found that I can vary by as much as 4 sizes depending on the store and designer.
I think the most annoying thing about wedding dress shopping is that they only have the one sample size, so you're out of luck if it's not right for you -- it's almost as hard to get a sense of how a dress looks on you if it's too big as if it's too small. Since I'm short and flat-chested, a lot of the sample dresses didn't hang right on me (even with the clips -- I couldn't fill out the cups of most of the strapless-type dresses, or the waistline would be down closer to my hips). I ended up just ordering my dress online from the J. Crew petites and I was way happier.
They're all kinds of messed up. even the attendants were like, 'ok don't look at this size!' when they'd help dress me.
They always measure the biggest part and size you to that so they can do alterations on the rest. Nothing makes you feel good about yourself like trying on a dress 6 sizes bigger than what you normally wear! It's just stupid and as long as you don't get too caught up in it you'll be fine!
I have zero hips (built like a boy from the stomach down!) and I still ended up with a 10....so, whatever! As long as it fits, who cares? After it's altered you could consider the smallest portion your "dress size"
You know, when I first go into a store, the consultant will tell me I will need a dress two sizes bigger (I'm a street size 6). Then I start trying on size 8s and 10s, and they're too big. So I don't know...I think it varies from body to body. It also varies from designer to designer. In one store I fit into a size 4 (I was floored), in another store a size 6 mermaid was very snug (though I did get the zipper all the way up!).
I think what I'm more concerned with is when I order my dress and they want to order it in a size 10...I will be very nervous about alterations.
By the way, that might be another reason they want you to order a huge dress. ;) The store makes $$$ off of your alterations.
It's most likely partly due to the fact that they've inflated the sizes of street clothes because vendors are trying to compensate for the fact that there's a lot more overweight people, and they want to make them feel good about the clothes they're buying so they'll buy more. Lots of people are more likely to buy a shirt from one company that's sized as, say, a 6, than the same shirt at another store marked as a 10, for example.
Meanwhile, wedding dresses have just maintained traditional sizing.
That's my guess, anyways.
ProfessorBee I heard they were going to fix that problem with the jeans and put the correct sizes on them. I have an Allure womens size....it has an added W to the style number! Which means it's made for curvy girls...its not a regular Allure gown...its a Women's Allure!! But I dont care...I love my dress and how it looks on me...the thing that surprised me is that its a size 14...last summer I was an 18...and my pants are a 16...so Im glad Ive been working out and lost 45lbs!! Dont worry about the size....what matters is how beautiful you feel in it!
It's because wedding gowns don't cater to egos or vanity sizing. A size 10 is a 10 is a 10...not a size 10 with a size 6 on the tag. I wear a "smaller size" than I did in 7th grade (I'm 31) and I obviously weigh more now. Can someone explaine that to me? UHGGHH! It's so frustrating! I'm sorry my post is a rant. =( It just really bothers me.
I take 10,12,14 street clothes depending on the maker. My dress is form davids bridal and it is a size 16. I don't know what to say except i love my dress reguardless of what the tag says.
Ugh...isn't it awful. When I first started researching dresses, all of the size charts on the internet suggested that I'm a size 10, even though I normally take a size 6. When I walked into a dress shop, the salesgirl told me I was crazy for thinking I was a 10 and promptly shoved a bunch of size 2 dresses into my arms. Talk about vanity sizing. At another dress shop, I ranged between a size 4 and a 12 depending on the designer.
Some consistency between designers would make dress shopping so much easier. So far, I've found that J.Crew is the most true to my real street size. David's Bridal has also been fairly close to my "real" size. My own suggestion - go with a corset-style dress. It makes it so you can choose a smaller size, but still have plenty of room for adjustment.
I bought a bridesmaid dress when I was a size 10 that was Davids Bridal size 12. that made me feel much better about myself considering I couldn't fit into the samples at all the other bridal stores. Go shopping there!! It'll be much cheaper anyway :)
Check out this older post:
http://www.weddingbee.com/2007/01/05/why-are-bridal-dress-sizes-weird/
It helps, a little.
Isn't trying on a wedding dress a complete mind -*bleep*-!? I was nearly hyperventilating when I was handed a size 12. I kept thinking, I've been working out like a crazy person for 6 months to get down to a size 6, but now you're telling me I'm a 12 again!! I. wanted. to. die.
I'm a street size 16, and just to answer some of the concerns that Mrs. G had-- there was very little I could try on at AA or DB. Most of the really awesome dresses at AA and DB are custom order in women's sizes, and the sample sizes are an 8 or 10 (which is like a street size 4 or 6). I wasn't going to order my dress without trying it on, so I didn't give any stores my business if I couldn't try on the dress I loved. I found a smaller local bridal boutique that had about 20 dresses for me to try on-- some were even too big! They were fantastic. My suggestion is to keep looking, you may not have found the right store yet.
Sadly, in modern day, clothing companies have started to adhere to what is known as "vanity sizing." This isn't the case with wedding dresses however! Companies know that women feel better about themselves when their clothing size is smaller...and over the years what used to be a size 10 became a size 8, which then becomes a size 6, and so on. Then we start having crazy sizing like 00, I mean...yikes...clothing companies have gone so far as to need to create something smaller than 0 because of the vanity sizing.
Anyway, with the wedding dresses, you definitely don't find that. From what I can tell, they are more true to the old school sizing. You shouldn't feel bad about having a "bigger" size ordered. They always order the dress according to your biggest measurement so that the dress will fit you properly (things can always be taken in, but if you don't have enough room in other areas, you're going to look like you've been sewn into your dress)! The number on the tag doesn't matter, it is based on your actual measurements (and hey, if you are comfortable with those, that is all you need to worry about!).
Good luck on the dress hunt!
I really think they should change the sizes because this is the time in our lives where we REALLY want to feel smaller NOT bigger!
Ugh I'm so scared about this. I'm a street size 14/16 and I want shopping for a dress to be FUN! Honestly, I really do not care in the least if my wedding dress size is a 18 or 20 or whatever. I'd rather it was my street size or lower of course, but I won't let the number ruin my day. What I'm scared of though is that I won't even be able to try dresses on! WHY don't more places have bigger sizes to try on? There are lots of brides that are bigger and it seems like they're probably hurting themselves by ignoring us.
This happened to me yesterday! I am a size 14 and had 10 & 12 to try on. The majority I could at least get on, but there was one mermaid style dresses that weren't going to go. I don't want to rip the gown either, but the lady just kept saying you know they make these in sample sizes and don't send out sizes for full figured people like you, that's why I showed you the full figure gowns. Way to make it a special experience for me. I almost left, but there was one dress I loved and they are the only people in state that carry it....so now I am most likely going to give my business to someone who spent time insulting me.
My dress is a 6. When I tried it on it was HUGE on me. Which means I must have been a 2. I do NOT look like a 2. NOT AT ALL
vanity sizing... everyone caters to it except wedding dresses (and almost everyone outside of america).
though... i ended up getting a dress with a number size smaller than my street clothing because it's a ballgown and didn't get the hips measured (so i guess it's my bottom that is the biggest part of me lol)
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So I've gone to a few different shop and tried on a lot of different brands and the sizing that they pull out for me to try on is anywhere from 3 to 4 sizes bigger than what I wear every day! OMG. And then that horrible part where they measure the biggest part of your hips/thighs? Geeze. I sometimes feel a lot bigger than my regualr street clothes say I am.
Anyone have any insight (that isn't toally ego crushing
)?
Or if you want to rant too, go for it!