Ask Angie: Reiss dress sizing - YouLookFab Forum

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Ask Angie: Reiss dress sizing

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I'm eyeing a cornflower blue Reiss dress that looks like it could be nice for my stepmother of the groom role this summer. I have very little experience with Reiss -- I think I tried on a dress from them in NYC and it fit well but was too short. I believe it was a fit-and-flare cut, which usually fit me much better than sheaths, but sheaths feel much more my style (I suppose they feel more sophisticated and less girlie to me). Are their cuts generally straight through the hips or is there a prayer of this working for me? Is their sizing TTS or small?

Thanks in advance!

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16 replies

Latest reply was from Vix

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I think Reiss runs a bit small compared to American brands. Also I have found their waist sizes particularly small for skirts and pants. I don't know about dresses but I would have to go up two sizes to button things at the waist ( don't have much of one, being rather rectangular).

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, UmmLila! Hmm. The waist I have, but it's high -- I'm narrow right under the bust, but then, sadly, it's a big ski slope all the way down through the thighs. Not sure what that would mean for their dress cuts. My waistline at the belly button is not quite what it was a couple of years ago. I'd be inclined to try a size up to accommodate the hips, but often that means the top half is too long and too wide. I haven't tried on any dresses in months, so I'm inclined to try a couple of sizes. I just hate to order multiples of a couple of $300+ dresses, even if a bunch -- or all of them -- will get returned. Ouch.

Thin White Duchess

I haven't shopped there in a little while, but in the past I always sized up. And of course mind the American size/ British size conversion.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

From one experience I would say the dresses run small and especially small on the bottom half. But I don't know if you can generalize from this one dress.

SarahTheWhite

Veteran

No idea on this brand or sizing, just wanted to say that this is gorgeous... And. That you are singing my song! I *should* like fit and flare but I also feel like they are too girlie and want the sheath dresses so badly! Ugh.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, ladies!

Sigh. This is why it is NOT fun to shop for a special occasion, it's just too darn stressful. I try to tell myself it's not because my body is so freakish, that dresses are difficult for many of us.

I haven't tried on a single dress yet and I'm stressed already.

Tanya

Veteran

I haven't tried on their dresses, but a close friend of mine who is very sensitive about the size she wears had bought a dress of theirs that was fit and flare. She had to go a size up and was very upset about it. I seem to remember that, at Boston YLF meeting, Suz got a Reiss jacket and went up a size too.

nancylee

Veteran

That dress is such a beautiful color, Janet! I actually own one Reiss dress. It's a similar design to the one you're considering and I wore it two years ago to my son's graduation.

I agree that Reiss sizing runs a little slim. In better dresses I wear size 4-6, and my Reiss dress is a size 6. It's quite fitted through the waist and hips and I did have my seamstress take up the bodice, which was a little too long. My dress is a bit more "straight" through the hip area compared to the one you're considering. It looks like yours has a slight flare.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll find something lovely!

Anonymous

I can just picture that dress on you, Janet, it will look beautiful! Do you have a good tailor? If so, maybe order a size (or even 2 sizes) larger and get it tailored to fit. Or, if you have a really good tailor, take her/him the pic and see if you can get one custom made. That blue is a divine colour for you!

And I'm nodding agreement with you and Sarah on fit and flare. They make me look like I'm a mom playing dress up with her daughter's wardrobe.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Thanks, ladies! I'm almost scared to try on dresses right now. I know my size/weight is up a little, and I've gotten rid of so many of my old dresses (lack of wear) that dresses are now starting to intimidate me. For a while I was a pretty sure 6 or 8 in dresses, but now it's more like an straightforward 8 and possibly a 10, and I really don't like going there. I think I'm also less tolerant of any snugness, even though a couple of years ago I was more likely to put up with a slight bit of it for sake of "fitting into" a 6. I know, it's silly because it's just a number. It's possible I'll lose a little weight in the months leading up to the wedding with my increased activity, but I know I can't count on that. But I also don't want to wait and then have a panic in the summer looking for a dress when fall stock is starting to appear in stores!

texstyle

(website)

Veteran

I went dress shopping just to see if I could find something that "looked" like Janet. This is what I found so far. I could be totally off and I didn't have a budget in mind. I really liked the ombre of these two dresses, and the colors and the fact that they have flow on the lower half. And of course, you could take off the jacket for summer.

Komarov Beaded Charmeuse A-Line Dress & Chiffon Jacket (Regular & Petite)

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0

Komarov Ombré Charmeuse A-Line Dress with Jacket (Regular & Petite)

$458.00 $274.80

Sale

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Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

TTS or a little small. I would try too sizes. The larger size will also be longer.

JAileen

Veteran

A friend of mine has bought a couple of Komarov dresses that Texstyle linked to. She showed them to me to ask my opinion. They are really lovely. I think she wore them to a few weddings last year, not as mother of the bride or groom, but as an aunt.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

The Komarov dresses are pretty, and I had noticed the turquoise one on Nordstrom's site when I was poking around looking at dresses. But I'm not sure they feel like "me" somehow. Too "romantic"? I don't know. Even if it looked nice for this occasion, I'm not sure it would be something I'd wear again, and I really want to get something I can wear more than once. I wish it was available to try on somewhere near me, but it isn't.

Vix

Veteran

Duplicated below, oops

Vix

Veteran

Janet, what about a field trip to Rent the Runway's DC store? Might give you silhouette ideas if nothing else...but if you fell in love you could reserve months ahead. I do love the Reiss!