Light in the Box: Size FAIL!

I’m going to consider this post neither a rant nor a rave, but rather an act of public service. If you ever find yourself in a situation where you’re about to order something from a website called Light in the Box… STOP! Stop, and do yourself a favor by ordering a size (or two) larger than you’re thinking about ordering. Do NOT trust their sizing charts is all I’m saying.

My sister found some decently priced dresses on Light in the Box that she wanted us to wear in her wedding. The shipping costs were cringe-worthy because the dresses were coming straight from the manufacturer overseas, but it was still significantly less than most brides ask their bridesmaids to spend.

We all spent a good deal of time toiling over what size to order. Of course we were all sort of in between sizes, so it was a question of order big and get them taken in or order the size closest to your measurements and hope it’s accurate. We hoped it was accurate. But we didn’t want to pay for major alterations either, so it felt like a good decision. Besides, what can you do but trust that the manufacturer will make the dresses according to their own damn size chart? The one they PUBLICIZE on their site!

Here are my measurements:
Bust: 36
Waist: 28
Hips: 38

Based on this chart, what would you order?

That chart is pulled directly from the Light in the Box website. I went with a US size 10. I swear what I got was a size 6. Everything about it is too small, and I’m not the only one. Everyone’s dress is about three inches smaller in the waist than advertised. The hips and bust are slightly better, but still small. I considered that perhaps we actually received UK sizes, in which case a 10 is actually a US 6. But I checked and when ordering, the website says “Size: US please.” So no.

With much tugging and grunting, we all managed to squeeze into the dresses when we tried them on, but I couldn’t breathe and I couldn’t move, and it was it was definitely not a size 10.

The dresses were well-made, so I’m not criticizing that aspect. Other than the color being a little off from what the website showed, the dresses are of a quality well worth the amount we paid. Except, of course, for the fact that we can’t breathe with them on. My sister emailed our contact at Light in the Box and asked what we could do, explaining that the sizes we received do not correspond with the size chart. This was the reply:

“we are really sorry to know the dress does not fit you, but you know that we had your dress made from scratch with your request about color and size, so we are unable to accept the return. however, we would like to remake a new one for you with free shipping, you just need to pay us the price of the dress.”

Only, no you actually DIDN’T make the dress with our request about size! Maybe you think you made a size 10, but you didn’t make the size 10 that your chart promised me. In my book, that’s your fault, not mine. And no, we don’t want to buy new dresses even if the shipping is free. So we’re going to the tailor and praying for a miracle.

I’m certainly not endorsing this company, but I’m also not telling you not to shop there. I’m just saying, if you do decide to buy a dress from Light in the Box, don’t believe what you see in the size chart provided. Lies, it’s all lies.