Since working in this industry I have heard so many times that our “plus size” brides have been discriminated against because of their size.
Can I just add right now that at Lisa’s Bridalwear we hate the term Plus size. We prefer to use the phrase “fuller figured”. What does it matter if you are a size 8 or an 28! Does this mean that you don’t need to feel as special as everyone else on your big day?, Does this mean you are not beautiful? No is the answer. I’m getting fed up of hearing these horror story’s from our “plus size” girls about the service they are receiving elsewhere. I am only adding in the words “plus size “ for one reason and that is so this blog is noticed. I want ladies to read it and know that not all bridal suppliers are negative towards the fuller figured brides. Getting married should be one of the most exciting times of your life. What gives anyone the right to take that away from you? Because you don’t measure up to have what society “thinks” is the perfect body. Does this actually exist anyway? What I will say is while everyone almost expects ladies 18+ to be self conscious it is not always the case. However for anyone that is a bit concerned about attending a bridal appointment please don’t be. Once you are in our capable hands we will put you completely at ease. We even offer private use of the chapel for any ladies that dread the thought of trying wedding dresses on in front of other customers.So to all you sexy curvaceous fuller figured brides I want to give you some advice on how to find your perfect dress. You may have read my previous blog on finding the right gown to suit your body. If not have a quick peek here
So you measure at a size 18 or above, but this does not mean that your shape is the same as every other curvy bride. As you can see from the link above, each shape can be accentuated differently depending on their body silhouette. For more curvaceous ladies I recommended A-Line styles, Empire waist lines and also drop waist gowns can work great for you. With a drop waist or fit and flare as I like to call them you can get a great look. The tightness of the bodice can accentuate your waist line while the bottom flare can even out your shape.Another observation I have made is that a lot of our more curvaceous ladies feel they can not go for strapless gowns. Maybe they think because they have a large bust they won’t be held in properly. This is not the case. At Lisa’s Bridalwear we will ensure you are fitted perfectly and securely into your gown. A great way to guarantee this is to have a corset back. This will give you great support and also pull you in in all the right places. You can also piece your strapless gown with a bolero which will give you more coverage without having to discard that strapless gown you have fallen in love with. Gowns that have a wrap waist or asymmetrical waistline are also great for the fuller figures. They will draw the eye towards this part of the gown. Styles such as this would be great.At Lisa’s Bridalwear we like to give every bride the Same experience. We want you to enjoy finding “The Dress” feeling special and beautiful while trying on all different wedding gowns. There is no average size as such, everyone is totally different. That is why we have stock sample gowns from size 10 to size 22. Sometimes the gown you love will not be your dress size. It can either be too big or too small for you. This works both ways. But this does not mean that it’s automatically eliminated. We will try our best to let you try that gown still. All of our designers go up to a dress 30.We are currently looking at adding a new designer to our collection. One specifically designed for curvy girls. If any of you have any Recommendations of labels you particularly like we would love some feedback. Simply drop us an email or private message on Facebook and we will explore them all.
Although our designers go upto size 30 some of them do charge a surcharge on sizes above an 18. As we are completely against this we are wavering the fee for our ladies. Why should you be charged more for a larger size. Girls who order smaller don’t get a reduced price.We are participating in a wedding fayre at The Ramada Hotel in Solihull on Sunday 21st September. We wanted to represent “real brides” So we advertised for ladies to show off our gorgeous gowns on the catwalk from sizes 12-20. No matter your dress size you are beautiful! The response we had from ladies to be apart of the show was brilliant! Gowns by Phil Collins Bridal, Blue by Enzoani and the award winning Benjamin Roberts ‘Gorgeous With Curves’ Collection will all feature. Its not one to miss!
image(s) by Enzoani, Benjamin Roberts and Paul Foster for Phil Collins
You must remember
Body confidence doesn’t come from trying to achieve “ The perfect body “ it comes from embracing the one you’ve already got.
Please come along on Sunday and have a look around the Ramada, there will be lots of exhibitors that may be useful for your upcoming wedding. Our catwalk show will be on at 12pm and 2pm. There will be some gorgeous gowns on display for you. It will be a great opportunity for brides to see how they look once fitted to your size.I hope this blog has given any girls out there who haven’t had a great experience somefaith in the industry. Every girl deserves that wedding of their dreams. Let us be the ones to help you on your way.