Emmys exclusive: Sofia Vergara's size-0 dress drama

Sofia Vergara is this year's awards-show darling after landing an Emmy nomination for her larger-than-life role on "Modern Family." That means she gets her pick of the best gowns for the red carpet. "I have to say, now the designers are coming," she tells Yahoo!. But she adds that her well-known curves created trouble for her in the past.

"Before, it was really hard to get a dress," she says. "They would send me the sample dresses, and sample dresses are size 0 for the models on the runway. I am not a size 0."

"I might fit the waist, but not up top, so they usually have to add panels on the side and reconstruct them," says Vergara, who had to learn to love her curves. "When I was little, being very voluptuous was a little uncomfortable. But now I can't complain."

Neither can the designers. "Now they are making things special for me, so I feel very honored," she says.

It's no easy task, she jokes. "With my figure, it is a little bit difficult to find something that holds everything together for so many hours. It is not like for a photo shoot where you can have clips in the back. It has to be built to last eight hours. Now they know how to make things for me."

She also found a good resource in her stylist, Deb Waknin. "She is very good with voluptuous and knows how to get the dresses made and the special corsets I need to put inside," she says.

"Definitely, Emmys is not a comfortable night. I don't care if my dress is really tight or itchy," she says, adding that she only has one boundary when it comes to her outfit. "I refuse to wear uncomfortable shoes. I can't do it anymore. When I was younger, yes. But now, I still wear high heels but I put insoles inside and I put Band-Aids on my feet -- I don't care. It is horrible," says the actress, who favors Casadei platform heels.  

This year, she will have a head start on her jewelry, thanks to a sparkling engagement ring from fiancé Nick Loeb. But don't expect her to stop there.

"I have my ring now, but I still want spectacular jewelry. I never go for subtle. Whenever are you going to wear that kind of jewelry but to those events? I like to wear everything," she says. "For those events, less is not more!"

She has the same attitude toward celebrating the Emmys. "I think the more I go, the more fun I have. It is really a special event," she says. "I try always to bring all my family and friends and I get tickets for everybody. So for me, it is like a big party and I get to enjoy it with all the cast."

"It is a celebration and that is how you have to see it. Just to be part of that event, for me, is an award."