Skinny Girl’s Guide to Ordering a Quince Dress Overseas

 I finally had my quinceañera and honestly the whole dress thing was such a ride. I know it's a Latina tradition and I'm Indian, but I've always wanted one of those big princess ball gowns ever since I saw one on Pinterest, so I just went for it. I ordered from a designer in India because I figured they'd understand my measurements better than some random China factory, plus my aunt knew someone who knew someone, you know how it goes.

I picked this really pale sky blue – like, almost icy – because my party was outside in the backyard with all those warm fairy lights and I wanted that soft dreamy look. And I asked them to add so many extra layers, like holographic organza and tons of tulle underneath, because I was terrified it would look flat. And thank god I did, because when I tried it on without the extra layers (they sent me a sample swatch thing) it was so sad, just limp and lifeless. With the layers though, it puffed up like crazy and looked amazing in photos.

But yaar, the wait was torture. It took a full month to arrive. I was literally texting the seller every week like “hello?? any update??” and they'd be like “shipping soon” and then nothing. So if you're doing this, please please give yourself at least six weeks, maybe even two months. Don't be like me checking the tracking number at 2am and stressing out.

And then the fit – ugh. I'm really skinny, like narrow frame, and when I finally put it on, the corset was so loose around my bust and waist that I could practically fit another person in there. I had to take it to this local tailor who does alterations for wedding lehengas, and she took in the sides and tightened the back lacing. It was cheap and quick, but still, I hadn't planned for that extra expense or the running around. So if you're slim, just assume you'll need some tweaking – send your exact measurements, not just the size chart, and maybe ask for a softer boning because stiff ones dig into your ribs.

The colour thing – I almost changed my mind because someone told me pale blue washes out under white lights. But my venue was all warm yellow string lights and cream balloons, so it glowed beautifully.

If you're indoors with cool lighting, go for a stronger blue, like royal or dusty. And if you have a medium or dark skin tone, baby blue actually looks stunning – my cousin tried it and it popped so nicely against her skin.

For hair and shoes, I just did loose curls half-up and wore plain white satin flats because honestly nobody sees your feet under all that tulle. And decor-wise, stick to warm golds, whites, soft blues – never use neon blue, it'll make your dress look grey in pictures, trust me on that.

Anyway, despite all the panic and the tailor trip, I absolutely loved my dress. Every single photo turned out gorgeous and I felt like a literal princess.

So if you're a skinny girl dreaming of a big blue gown, go ahead and order from overseas – just plan for shipping delays, add extra layers, save some money for alterations, and have patience. It's worth it in the end, I swear.

That's it. Hope this helps someone because I wish I'd known all this before I clicked “order”.