Say Yes to the Dress: Big Bliss...What Happens When the Zipper Breaks 5.27.11

Hi ladies! With my own crazy wedding plans and upcoming bachelorette weekend in Vegas I haven’t had the time to post. I am, however, excited to share with you pictures from the bachelorette weekend! Now on to this week’s episode of Say Yes to the Dress: Big Bliss.

Public Service Announcement: We interrupt your regularly scheduled program to let you know this: Planning a wedding and finding that special dress is especially stressful. If you are a friend chosen to help the bride find her dream dress, remember that wedding related activities are about the BRIDE. During this episode, I heard a lot of “I wants” from people other than the bride. Your opinion is appreciated, but there is a fine line between giving your opinion and imposing your reign of tyranny. Now on to the regular scheduled programming.

EPISODE TITLE:

Girls, Girls, Girls

Jasmine wants to please the whole group, but claims that she'll go against her ladies.

Spicy Jasmine wants to find a gown that her fiancé as well as her family will love. She actually finds a beautiful gown that had a major snafu while she tried on the gown. I felt so bad for Jasmine. The zipper actually broke on one of the dresses she was trying on. GASP! No one wants to break a zipper on the dress, especially a plus size girl. Here are a few coping techniques for such an event: 1. It happens, even to the skinny girls. 2. Most bridal shops have seamstress on staff that can easily fix the dress. 3. It’s a sample, and will have wear and tear from the many try-ons. 4. And finally, the dress attendant broke it, not you. She knew she should have stopped and clamped it instead, but she just kept on going…LOL ;).

Sam's goal is to find a gown that she loves, and one that all of the sorority sisters will agree on.

Beautiful Sam brought four of her best sorority sisters to help her to pick a wedding dress. With a group of women this large there is bound to be at least one member that is going to have a strong opinion. Friend, Leslie, was that girl. Whether the really opinionated friend is right is usually a tossup, but I must admit, Leslie was dead-on with her assessments. The way the back of the dress fits and looks is just as important as the way the dress looks in the front. While you are at the altar everyone will literally be staring at your back. The first dress Jasmine tried on was extremely beautiful in the front, but the back left much to be desired. It made her butt look really long, square, and flat. No one wants the pancake booty on their wedding day. When thinking of how your butt should look, think “lovely lady lumps”, and that goes for anyone regardless of body type. The derrière should look more round and curvy, which can be accomplished by trying on different silhouettes and finding one that works for your body type.

Jeanine is worried her friend Stephanie may have a panic attack.

Jeanine was super nervous about not fitting into her dress. She confessed that she had been dieting, as most brides do. (I am only down a lousy 10 pounds). Tip: It is wise to buy your dress 9 – 12 months in advance, so that you can allow time for the dress to be made, shipped, and tailored. Now, you are probably thinking “that gives me 9 – 12 months to lose weight, right, so should I purchase the dress in the size I think I might be?” WRONG! Purchase the dress in your current size and have your bridal shop tailor down your dress to your current measurement. It is always easier to go smaller than to go bigger. Attaching yourself to a size, meaning the actually numerical digit, can get you into trouble. Thinking, “I have to order a dress in a size ___,” can leave you with an ill-fitted dress. Instead, order a dress that fits the largest part of your body and have it tailored down.

BONUS TIP: As you may or may not know, a lot of bridal gowns can be made to accommodate up to a size 30. As you are planning your budget please note the upcharge on plus size gowns. Because of the extra fabric you could possibly be looking at paying an additional $200 - $500. So remember to factor in amount for the additional sizing surcharge.

I love that this episode focused on more than the fit of the dresses. It focused on friendship, bridal dieting, and dealing with the feeling of a close friend getting married. Join me every Tuesday for a recap of the week’s episode. Catch Say Yes to the Dress: Big Bliss on Fridays at 9/8 c.

And finally, a lot of brides go on diets, I would love to read comments about diet plans that worked for you while preparing to be a bride. I need help!

Say Yes to the Dress: Big Bliss...Curvy Style Recap!

So he liked it… put a ring on it… and now you have to find a dress for the big day. Oh the woes of the curvy girl trying to find a wedding gown when most shops don’t carry samples in your size. Being a bride-to-be myself, this has caused me much anguish & anxiety, but I found my dress and now I am here to help you find yours. Some of you saw on Twitter (@garnerstyle) that I have partnered with TLC’s Say Yes to the Dress: Big Bliss. The Big Bliss shows are about women sizes 14+ who go the famous Kleinfield  store in NYC. It is probably one of the few stores that carry both straight & plus size sample sizes. Every Tuesday I will be recapping each week’s episode, giving styling tips for the big day and recommendations for how to shop for a wedding dress… curvy girl style! Now on to our first week’s recap…

May 20th Episode Title:

The People Closest to You...

One of my favorite themes of this week’s episode was the support that I saw from each bride’s family and friends. I have watched many bridal dress shows and sometimes the opinionated family & friends can be more of a distraction than help. Tip #1: Choose the people you bring with you while you hunt for your dress VERY carefully. This is YOUR time and you don’t need any extra added stress from people who think their opinions reign supreme (you know the person I’m talking about). I know there are some people that you can’t leave at home, but this is a great time to work on your diplomacy skills. You can appease the more aggressive opinionated family member by trying on one dress that they suggested. Get it out of the way early, so you can focus on what you are really looking for in a dress.

“Brittany wants a ball gown but her family is afraid it will make her look like a cupcake.”

Tip 2: Bigger is not always better. Oh my goodness when I heard ball gown I thought to myself, “EEK!” I don’t want to say that ball gowns are out for the plus size bride, because there are always exceptions to every rule, but a ball gown skirt can be very problematic. Ball gowns are usually very voluminous and can add a lot of bulk to the body. You can become engulfed by this humungous dress, especially if you are petite like Brittany. One thing I liked about Brittany was that she appeased “team mermaid” by trying on a mermaid gown even though she knew it would probably not be best for her body type. By the way, the first gown she tried on had to be probably the hardest to wear for the plus size body. The gathering right underneath the stomach is just an epic fail in my opinion. Even the curvy girl with the flattest stomach still has tummy enough that the brooch and gathering could make her look pregnant. Brittany’s final pick was beautiful and she still had a bit of the princess-y look, but the fit kept her from looking like a cupcake.

“Cari is using her appointment as a time to bond with her long lost half sister Cynthia.”

Tip 3: Fit is always key. It saddened me that Cari was trying to hide her body underneath an A-line skirt. On your wedding day you should be glamorous to say the least. Hiding your body in everyday clothing isn’t flattering and so the same rule should be applied when choosing wedding gowns. You want to accentuate the parts of the body that you like on your wedding day. I especially love the shape that Cari gets from the ruching of the gown. Ruching smoothes and can help to create a curvy silhouette.

“Romance wants to find a gown that will "knocks her fiancé's socks off."

Tip 4: Wear your hair similar to the fitting. When searching for such an important dress you should come to the fitting with a similar look. For instance, Romance’s hair was up and short. I assume that her hair was a wig. In her actual wedding photos her hair was up (or off of her neck as well). Romance also showed up with make-up on. She didn’t show up being overly made-up or with this grand updo, but she did set the stage for her look for her actual wedding. Sometimes dresses can look different with different hairstyles & make-up. I’m saying all this to say don’t go searching for your dress looking like you just rolled out of bed. It could distort your own image of yourself in the gown that you try on.

As I watched the show it was obvious that the dresses that fit closer to the body were much more flattering on all three ladies. I think one of the best ways to pick out what kind of style dress will look best on you is to think about your favorite outfits, especially your dresses, and why they work for you and your body type.

Married gals, engaged ladies, and any girl thinking about purchasing a wedding dress: Share your tips that you used or will use when you pick(ed) out your wedding gowns for the big day.

Outfit of the Day: The Body Shop & Fonzworth Bentley

Before I went to the DFW blogger meetup Saturday, I was getting ready to leave and my hunny took a look at me and he proceeded to tell me that I look like Fonzworth Bentley and then handed me an umbrella and started humming the song "I like the way you move," by OutKast....LOL.  I was cracking up all the way to the North Park Mall.   I decided to try a little color blocking with my outfit....and low and behold I actually am wearing a piece from Forever 21 plus size line.  I have vowed against such a thing because I am...well...far from 21 years old and the line also reminds me of Wet Seal and I feel it is too young for me.  But I saw something I liked and decided to try.  The sweater is really nice and thick.    I must say I am actually surprised at the quality for only $22.  Who knew?!?  I probably wont be a regular shopper, but a piece every now and again probably won't hurt.

Get this Look

Cardi - Forever 21 - $22        Belt - Michael Kors $22     One Stop Plus - $70         Shoes - Evans $24

                                                                                    Off Fifth Ave or here

(The original dress is from Newport News from about 3 years ago)

Anywho, Elissa from Dress with Courage hosted a blogger meetup at The Body Shop. I must say I was really excited, because I knew a lot of "smell goods" & "girly creams" were gonna be in full effect and they WERE! The Body Shop showed us a good time with plenty of free samples and discounts. They have so many great products it was hard to restrain myself. So I ended up spending quite a bit at The Body Shop. What on? I am glad you asked. I got a new skin care regiment recommended to me by the store manager, Brian. I am also innnnnnn looooovvvvveeee with the Bronzer section. Anything you want to have that much coveted summer glow.  The products smelled so good and because everything is made from natural ingredients it makes it even better for your skin.

One thing I was super impressed with The Body Shop was the orgins of their ingredients.  They are all natural.  They actually buy their ingredients directly from small farmers from countries all over the world. I love companies that obtain their products with integrity and respect for all involved.  That is one reason I am a Chipotle fanatic (all of you that follow me on twitter know this). The Body Shop also is host to a  "Stop Sex Trafficking" Campaign in the United States.   They hope with petition signatures they can get laws on the books to better prosecute sex traffickers.  You can sign the petition in the store and with you signature you get $5 off of you purchase.  Win/Win right!?!  But in all seriousness, I watch the documentaries on sex trafficking of young women & children and its one of the most horrendous crimes.  

On a lighter note, I love having a summer glow.  My favorite bronzer is from The Body Shop.  It gives me great color, it doesn't make me breakout, & smells good.   Where do you buy some of your favorite bronzers for the summer?

Rest in Peace Miss Mia Amber

I never post about about plus size models.  My blog has always just been about fashion and not the bodies that model them.  Today,  I feel compelled to post about the death of the plus size fashion industry's most influential icon, Mia Amber.  I will start off by saying I don't know Mia Amber.  I have worked with her on a couple of occasions through fashions shows and what not, but I cannot say I know the person that she is.  This post may be really random, because my thoughts are in a disarray right now.  It's hard to pull them together.

I guess I start by explaining my connection to Mia and what she represents for me.  2005 I started off in the plus size industry. It was relatively new and a very small community where everyone knows everyone.   I have crossed paths with the likes of Gwen Devoe, Maddy from Plus Model, Monif Clarke from MonifC, etc.  Though many of them have been in the industry longer than I we experienced the boom of plus size around the same time.  We have all knew what we wanted to do and branched off in different directions to do it.   I guess in a way we are family...we may not all get along at times but we all have a very mutual respect and admiration for each other's craft and position in the plus size world.  This is where Mia comes in.   Though I don't know her I still feel like she is family.  She is the iconic figure that every plus size model wanted to emulate including myself.  I mean she is the face of the modern plus size industry as we know it today.

It is very hard to say goodbye to her and I can't help thinking that in her death I am confronted with my own mortality.  Mia and I were around the same age.  She was the top of career and honestly nobody could touch her and what she represented.  My thoughts and prayers are with her family, but also with people like MonifC.  Mia was the face of clothing line.  To Gwen Devoe, Mia was her muse.  Mia was a lot to so many people.  She represented hope to many aspiring plus size woman that a woman of real size  and stature could be considered beautiful.  I have a heavy heart today...I hope this post makes sense, but if it doesn't I'm sorry. I am just so very confused and shocked today.  I could go on and on about what she represented...my throat just tightens as I think about this.  I'm going to pull back now. 

To Mia,  I know you are in a better place.  To her family & friends, you are all in my prayers the world has truly lost someone great.

Outfit of the Day: The Sound of Music

Maybe I'm into movies these days.  I seem to find inspiration from some of my favorite movies of all time.  I evoked my inner milk maid (inspired from The Sound of Music) for this look.  I was invited to a fashion show that was to help raise money for Hugging Hearts an non-for-profit organization geared to educate and promote awareness of HIV AIDS and other STDS to the age group 12 -18 for those whom has either been infected, affected or in risk of being infected by the disease.  As I do love to dress up, I thought this would be a great time to try out my new silk dress from JIBRI while trying a new updo...all while supporting a great cause.  This hair style was super easy.  I just parted my hair into two sides, braided each side and pinned them in place. I added my Jessica Simpson bangs to bring the look together.  

Outfit Logistics

Dress - JIBRI $240

Shoes - ALDO $80

Necklace - Liz Claiborne (super old)

I thought between the dress and the braids I should keep it simple. 

Hairpiece - Jessica Simpson Bangs $24

I think next time I try this hairstyle, I will try to do the style a little messier like Zoe Saldana & Sienna Miller below.  Their braids are so pretty.

Braided hairstyles are very on-trend for this year.  When my fiance saw this hairstyle I can't say that he liked it.  I think after seeing me dressed the hairstyle grew on him.  I actually questioned whether the hairstyle was for me, but I really liked it after I stared at myself for about 30 minutes.  It also was great way to keep my hair nice and neat.  Sometimes trends can be 'iffy' on whether they can work for you or not.   What other 'iffy' trends do you want to try this year, but maybe are a little scared to try?  

Could We Get Chic Designer Collections at Target?

Did Target hear our curvy girl cries for chic designer fashions?  I was cruising the Target website and saw the Calypso Collection.  This collection is offered online only to all sizes, including plus size and petites.  The collection is centered around resort wear. Now, I am not overwhelmed with the colletion, but I will say this --- could this be a clue that Target may start to extend their swanky Designer Collections? Maybe even offer Target coupons for them, too? Maybe....just maybe, they will start to offer the cute pieces that are in the misses department in the women's department as well. 

I have heard a little chitter chatter about such a thing.  I try not to get too excited because there is no telling how long such a thing will take to get on the racks of Target, but it may be closer than we think.  Remember the letter that bloggers had going around on their blogs urging Target to extend their  GO! International Designers Collections to plus sizes.  I thought I would share some of my deductive reasoning with you guys.  Could this be a test run?  The questions have been swirling in my head.  

Here are some of the pieces that I liked from the collection.  Again, it is a resort collection.  I think I may pick up a a couple of pieces.  I could definitely see myself wearing some of these pieces on my honeymoon.

                     

                    Navy Blue Knit Dress $44                                     Blue Tiered Maxi Skirt $37

 

           Chelsea Gray Sleeveless Romper $30               Red Sleeveless Maxi Dress $45

          Pink Sleeveless Sheath Dress $45                            White Crochet Dress $80

What do you think about this line?  What would you like to see at Target?

In the Navy Now!

I think it may be a navy blue summer.  I keep finding myself buying navy blue.  I am so attracted to this color this year.  Last week I purchased a navy blue and white retro bikini as well.  I'm crossing my fingers that the swimsuit works out. Someone please kindly tell me to stop if it just gets ridiculous.  I usually have this issue with leopard prints, but I guess I've graduated to navy blue.   Anyways, this Saturday Elissa from Dress with Courage put together a meetup for the DFW Bloggers.   The day started at Ann Taylor Loft.  They actually opened the store up 1 hour early for us to shop with 40% off.  I am a fan of the Ann Taylor brand, but I did kindly leave my store card at home...Im trying to learn restraint.  I picked up a couple of pieces. 

Outfit Logistics

Top - Isaac Mizrahi for Target ~ This was actually a DIY Project.  This top was a dress that was too small...LOL...so I cut the bottom and made it a top.

Skirt - JIBRI $110

Belt - Forever 21 $3
Purse - Ditto Boutique $60

Shoes - Ann Taylor (last summers)

Scarf - from 10 years ago...really

It was nice to see the girls again and to meet some new faces as well like Nekiah from the blog "From the Rez to the City."  She definitey has a unique point of view.   

Stephanie from Beauty & Gardens, Jessica from Splediferious Inclinations, Tasha from Imperfect Concepts, Charis from MizzScoop, Katy from Be Pretty Think Pretty, Tina from TMinusTPlus, Nekiah from Rez and the City, Julie from Rosy + Tart, Juanette from Fashionette Work

After the shopping we participating in bottomless Mimosas (Drink Responsibly) at the Lemon Bar in West Village.  It's a swanky little place.  I recommend the Garlic Shrimp. 

Summer is bringing back all those fabulous colors have been in hibernation.  What colors can you not stay away from this Spring/Summer?  Also, the DFW bloggers meetup is definitely open to all DFW bloggers email me if you would like to get more information.