Plus Size Dreams

While working at a bridal shop in Dallas, Texas, I met a sweet lady by the name of Stacy. Stacy came into the store like any other bride-to-be, excited and hopeful that she would find the perfect wedding dress. Right away I noticed that Stacy was a vibrant and curvaceous woman and I wanted to put her in a gown that showed off those wonderful curves and matched her confidence. What Stacy did not know is the concern that was going on in my head. As a consultant, you never want the client to feel any apprehension or nervousness you may have. I have always strived to put my b2b (brides-to-be) at ease. This is an exciting time for them and I want to make them feel comfortable and happy. My concern was the shop that I was working had a poor selection of plus size dresses. The shop was packed full of gorgeous gowns but it seemed when it came to deciding on the full-figured styles that just closed their eyes and said give me those.

I pulled the best selections I could find but I knew they were less than par. As we tried each gown on I could see the joy and excitement diminishing from Stacy's face. I tried dressing the selections up with accessories but it just wasn't enough. It broke my heart for two reasons. One because every b2b should feel beautiful while trying on dresses and two, I was also in Stacy's shoes once upon time. I wasn't the same size but I too am a curvaceous woman. When I went dress hunting for my big day, I was hoping to try on any dress in the shop that I liked but the sample sizes were not my size. When they had to pull gowns two sizes up, the choices didn't look as fashionable. I looked around and as the sizes got larger the dresses were plain or down right ugly. I was in disbelief. I later figured it out that bridal gowns tend to run smaller than your normal size. But most b2b don't realize that. I showed Stacy the more fashionable selections in smaller sizes and told her we could order her size but with the inability to try it on, that was a bust. And understandably so. Who wants to buy a dress they can't try on?

As Stacy gathered her things to leave, I made my apologies. Stacy had a pending wedding date and no dress to be excited about. She stated she wasn't expecting dozens of dresses to chose from but a good few would have been appreciated. She left feeling disappointed and said that she was going to give dress-hunting a break for a while. My heart went out to her.

Alot of plus size b2b who want a designer gown either settle for a dress they are not 100% happy with, they order a dress in their size without trying it on and take the risk, they have to travel a good distance to find a store that offers more, or they purchase from a place that mass produce non-designer dresses. That should not be the case. Boutiques should carry beautiful dresses for everyone and just because someone is plus size doesn't mean she should be forced to be boring or understated.

So, until options improve, here is some advice for any full-figured b2b:

• Don't be afraid to tell a store owner if their selection of plus size gowns is dissapointing. 
• If you are interested in a particular style of dress, call boutiques ahead of time and ask if they carry your desired style in plus sizes.
• Check out store websites. Alot of them are very informative about what they carry. 
• If time permits, go to a local bridal show and speak with dress vendors about their selection. Ask them to be honest about their plus size options so you don't waste your time visiting a location that can't accomodate you.
• Try not to get discouraged. That dress is a lifeless object until you step into it and breath life into it. You make the dress! The most beautiful dress won't seem beautiful if you are lacking self-confidence.

So good luck to all the full-figured brides-to-be out there. And if you are planning on a fall wedding in 2017, come visit us in the spring!

😉
 McKinley Bridal