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Find your dream dress but having trouble with sizing? Explore what’s possible, what’s not, and key tips to know before you go dress shopping.

Discovering the perfect dress only to find it’s too small can be disheartening. Maybe you’re shopping off the rack at a chic Brooklyn, NY, boutique, or you’ve inherited a cherished gown from a loved one’s attic. You might also just be dealing with fit issues caused by measurement errors or body changes. In any case, the question remains: Can you alter a wedding dress that’s too small? In many cases, the answer is yes, but with some limitations. Here’s how to tackle a dress that doesn’t fit quite right.

Understand What Can Be Altered—and What Can’t

Most wedding dresses can only be let out by one size. This is due to the limited seam allowance most gowns are made with. If your dress is a little too snug, a seamstress may be able to release the seams just enough to create a comfortable fit. However, more extensive work is needed if it’s more than one size too small.

In these cases, a professional tailor may suggest adding panels to the sides, modifying the back to include a corset, or altering the bodice. These changes require matching or complementing fabrics carefully so the result looks seamless and intentional.

Why You Should Know This Before Shopping

Many brides fall in love with sample dresses or boutique floor models, especially if they’re getting married soon or on a budget. But if a gown doesn’t fit, you must know whether it can realistically be altered. In fact, this is one of the most important things to know before wedding dress shopping, particularly if you’re considering a vintage gown.

Knowing the limits of what tailoring can achieve helps you avoid disappointment, added expenses, or a last-minute scramble for a replacement.

Work With a Skilled Seamstress

Bridal alterations aren’t simple fixes. A skilled seamstress experienced with wedding gowns can assess what’s possible based on the structure, fabric, and detailing of your dress. They will know how to adjust sizing without damaging delicate lace, boning, or beading. This is important when adding new fabric, which must blend naturally with the existing material.

Don’t Delay Fittings

If you know a dress needs size adjustments, whether it’s inherited, off-the-rack, or recently altered, start the process as early as possible. Significant changes will require more than one fitting because your seamstress will need time to source fabric. Ideally, all final alterations should be completed at least six weeks before your wedding day to avoid last-minute stress.

The Bottom Line

So, can you alter a wedding dress that’s too small? Often, yes, but only by about one size without major changes. Beyond that, expect to add or modify fabric to get a proper fit. No matter if your gown was a surprise find, a meaningful hand-me-down, or just didn’t fit as expected, the right seamstress can help you transform it. With early planning and expert tailoring, a too-small dress can be made to feel like it was made for you.