Trying on dresses: what to expect?

I would say wear the bra you are going to wear on the day so you know it sits well and feels comfortable with hte dress and you can see any of it anywhere etc.

I wore tights when I went to try dresses on and it really put me at ease. I felt less on show in my tights!

When I went they were REALLY lovely about it - they've seen it all before!

If you have a nice strapless bra, I would wear that but, if not, just wear some underwear you feel good in and you can tuck the straps in

I did my makeup before I went, but I don't wear that much. It helped me visualise the dress for the day though I also wore my hair down as that's how I'll have it on the day too

As others have said just wear what makes you feel comfy. Tights if that's feeling less undressed for you. A strapless bra is good if you have none but a lot of dresses now are shaped and boned and don't need a bra. They are completely used to it and see every shape size etc and even people with no bra as I was when trying on. If they don't make you feel comfortable you're in the wrong shop!

Even if you know yu want your hair up or down you might change your mind depending on dress so a clip to put it up more might be good and possibly any heels that are the right sort of height that you might wear so you get a better idea of look without keep standing on tiptoes. Chances are the dresses will be too long anyway.

The most important thing to take..... An open mind! ?. Try on things you think you wouldn't like as a lot of us come away with a perfect dress that is something we never thought we would wear.

Enjoy your dress up day. If you don't find what you want you will at least know what you don't want.

Just wear what makes you comfortable - don't worry about trying to think what bra/shoes you will wear on the day as a lot of the time that will depend on the dress! You'll need your shoes/undies for fittings but not when choosing a dress. Most bridal shops will have everything covered for making it easier to visualise what you will look like. All of the places I went to had shoes, hair clips, slips etc to make everything as good as it can. A couple even had champagne, which certainly helped ?

Just make sure you try all of the styles you can think of (and a few that you hadn't thought of) and enjoy every minute. Try not to put too much pressure on each dress; when it's right you'll know it!

Leave your dignity at the door! The staff in the shop will make you feel comfortable (if they don't, as said previously, find another shop) but there really is no dignity in it. I wish I had followed the advice here and worn tights, though I wasn't a member at the time - I'd have felt less like an elephant without my legs and backside on show.

Be open minded. You might have already decided in your mind that you want a, b and c and you really don't want x, y and z, but put that to one side. Try on anything the shop staff suggest to you. So many people have told me they, very reluctantly, put on a suggested dress, professing it to be the most hideous thing they'd ever seen, and ultimately bought it.

Don't rush yourself, try a few shops and a few designers, before you make your choice. I thought I'd found my dress after the first shop, but when I got to the third shop I found half a dozen dresses I liked even more, and the dress of all dresses which I ultimately bought. However, this is a fine balance between giving yourself options and overwhelming yourself, so be guided by the friends/family who come with you.

Finally, enjoy it, despite the lack of dignity it is fun ?

Thank you for all your advice, it's been very helpful. I feel a bit better about it now, I need to focus on it being an exciting day rather than an ordeal!