Sawyer and Paola Fit Questions, Answered Before You Order

Quick answer

Order the size that matches your largest current measurement, not the size you hope to be by the event date, because most gowns can be taken in more easily than let out. If you are between sizes on a fitted style like the sawyer-6b243fb10671cfec7ac4da46-1743870">Sawyer dress, size up and plan for alterations. For the paola-b45b8ff11bff4e9d5dd72b97-1743830">Paola gown, confirm the exact color and size options available for your event date before you order.

Fit is the one thing you cannot fix after the event, so it deserves more thought than the color swatch. The questions below come up again and again from shoppers comparing the Sawyer dress and the Paola gown, and from anyone trying to decode how Jenny Yoo sizing actually behaves across silhouettes.

Every answer here is short and standalone, so you can jump to the one that matches your situation. Where a detail depends on your measurements or the specific style, we say so instead of guessing.

How do I know which size to order?

Start with a full set of current measurements, taken over the undergarments you plan to wear, and compare them to the size chart for the exact style you are buying. Fit varies by silhouette: a bias-cut satin dress like Melody drapes and skims, while a structured gown with architectural seams like Fiona holds its shape and has less give. When your bust, waist, and hip measurements point to different sizes, order the one that fits your largest measurement and have the rest tailored down.

Do not order a smaller size as motivation. Taking a dress in is routine for a tailor; letting one out depends on seam allowances and is not always possible.

• Measure over the undergarments you will actually wear.
• Write down bust, waist, and hip in inches or centimeters, then compare to the chart for that specific style.
• If two sizes are close, choose the larger one.

Should I size up or down in the Sawyer dress?

If the Sawyer dress is fitted through the torso and hips, size up when you are between sizes. A tailor can take in a seam, but fabric that is not there cannot be added. If the Sawyer style you are considering has a looser or bias-cut skirt, you have more room to choose based on your bust and waist measurements alone.

Sizing up also gives your tailor more fabric to work with at the bust and waist, which usually means a cleaner final fit than squeezing into a size that is technically close but uncomfortable to sit in.

• Sit, walk, and raise your arms in the sample size if you can try one on.
• Ask whether the style you want has stretch or a defined waist seam.
• Budget for at least one fitting appointment after the dress arrives.

What should I check before ordering the Paola gown?

Confirm three things before you commit: the current size chart for the Paola gown, the color you want, and the size options actually available in that color. The Paola is cut in an iridescent chiffon that reads differently in daylight and in evening light, so if color matching matters for a bridal party, request a swatch rather than judging from a screen.

Because the Paola is deceptively simple in shape, most of the fit conversation happens at the bust and waist. If you are long-waisted or short-waisted, ask your tailor whether the waist seam can be adjusted before you order, since that determines how much alteration work you are signing up for.

• Order a swatch if you need to match other dresses or a color palette.
• Note the return window before you buy, in case the size chart surprises you.
• Ask your tailor about waist-seam adjustments before the dress ships.

How much alteration should I expect?

Most formal dresses need at least a hem and a small adjustment at the bust or waist, even when the size is right. Fitted styles with structured seams, like Fiona, often need less reshaping because the seams already do the work of creating an elongated line. Flowy styles with bias-cut skirts, like Melody or Penelope, usually need a hem and sometimes a strap or neckline tweak.

Plan two appointments: one when the dress arrives to mark changes, and one closer to the event once you have your shoes and undergarments. Bring both to the first fitting so the hem length and bust fit are measured in the exact conditions you will wear them.

• Bring your event shoes and undergarments to every fitting.
• Ask for a quote before you approve the work.
• Leave at least three to four weeks between the final fitting and the event.

Can I order a size that fits now and still lose weight before the event?

Order for your current measurements, not a future goal. Weight changes of even a few pounds can shift how a fitted dress sits at the waist, and a tailor can take in a dress that is slightly loose far more reliably than they can rescue one that is too small. If you do lose weight before the event, the second fitting is the right time to adjust.

The same logic applies if you are pregnant or planning to be. Ask about styles with more ease through the waist, and discuss the timeline with your tailor early so there is room in the schedule for a final adjustment.

• Do not order down as motivation.
• Schedule the final fitting close to the event, not months ahead.
• Tell your tailor about any expected body changes upfront.

What if the dress arrives and the fit is wrong?

Check the dress against the size chart and your measurements the day it arrives, before any alterations. If the size or color is not what you ordered, contact the retailer immediately and keep the packaging and tags intact. If the size is correct but the fit is off, that is an alteration issue rather than a return issue, which is why ordering the larger size is the safer choice.

For multi-person orders, such as bridal parties, have everyone measure themselves at the same time and submit sizes together. It reduces the chance that one person orders based on a guess and ends up needing a rush alteration.

• Inspect the dress on arrival before removing tags.
• Report any order discrepancy right away.
• Collect measurements from your whole party on the same day.

Fit FAQ checklist

Measure first, order second

Take current bust, waist, and hip measurements over the undergarments you will wear, then compare them to the size chart for the exact style. If two sizes are close, choose the larger one.

Match the size to the silhouette

Bias-cut and fluid styles like Melody and Penelope skim the body, while structured styles with architectural seams like Fiona hold their shape. Fitted styles leave less room for error, so size up when in doubt.

Plan alterations before the dress ships

Ask your tailor about hem, bust, waist, and strap adjustments, and bring your event shoes and undergarments to every fitting. Leave three to four weeks between the final fitting and the event.

Catalog details that affect fit

• Lana: Cut in luminous Barcelona satin with removable long sleeves and included sash sleeves, pleated and draped over the body. The removable and sash sleeve options let you change coverage without changing the dress, which is useful if you are between sizes at the shoulder or want a different look for the ceremony and reception.
• Penelope: Cut in a fluid iridescent chiffon, described as deceptively simple yet intricately textured and luminous. A fluid chiffon skirt skims rather than clings, so fit decisions here hinge more on the bust and waist than on the hip measurement.
• Camilla: Features a sculpted cowl sweetheart neck, detachable off-the-shoulder sleeves, and a bias-cut skirt. The detachable sleeves add coverage or remove it without altering the dress, and the bias-cut skirt follows your curves, so order for your hip measurement as well as your bust.
• Melody: A satin dress with a sleek strapless neckline and a slinky bias-cut skirt. Strapless necklines depend on a snug bodice fit, so a tailor should check the bust and waist before you finalize the hem.

Fit questions are easier to answer when you start from real measurements and the specific style you are buying. Order for the body you have now, confirm the color and size options before you commit, and give your tailor enough time to make the dress yours.