23 November 2009
Dresses are like underwear, they need structure & support. Thick lining, breast pads for shape, boning, interfacing, invisible hems... there's a lot of tricks hidden in our dresses, in fact, some of them are like those magic knickers!

Just received a new style today designed by Courtesan Boutique, really pleased with it. An all round amazing dress. V-neck, cross over bust, soft gathers down to the knee, then fishtail skirt, with under netting. Hides lumps and bumps like a dream while making you look like Jessica Rabbit.

 

Had some lovely feedback from our customers this week. It means a lot, thank you.

 

15 November 2009
Although the internet has been good to us, we couldn't run this business without meeting people. It keeps us in touch with which styles work/don't work for different body shapes. Dressing different body shapes has become our obsession!.

09 November 2009

Bridals here!!! We've started to add some wedding dresses to our site, but we're also creating our own unique collection of fantasy, avant garde dresses for the funky bride. Steel boned corset, decorated in beautifully made organza flowers, with slick fishtail skirt with waterfall back. Or ruffled skirt, with fitted boned top covered in white peacock feathers.. ooooooo! Get in touch with your ideas... We don't pile on the pounds just because its a wedding dress. We only pile on the pounds because we eat Pot Noodles and other filth!

 

07 November 2009

Prom has come early this year, we are bracing ourselves! We've been talking to some students to discuss styles and which dresses suit which body shape etc,- where has everyone's confidence gone? What's wrong with being shy?! Why does everyone hate their body? I can't remember thinking about how fat my bingo wings were when I was 15... possibly getting too old, or just spent too long concerned about my chicken breasts (as we used to call them!).

 

 

05 November 2009

We hit record numbers of internet sales in October with Noir being the number 1 best seller. The world has gone Noir mad. We love meeting people too so come and visit us - avoid Amy's tea like swine flu.

 

 

15 October 09

No such thing as Plus Size....
This week I've been looking back at all the 'Dress Guru' queries that we've received over the past year and I realised that there's no such thing as a 'plus size' category.

Instead, it's about the love/hate relationship we have with different areas of our body regardless of size.

Included in our 'Dress Guru' form are two questions "which parts of your body do you like" and "which parts do you not like"... and the results are surprising. About 95% of people don't like their tummy... even our size 8 customers mention this as being their number 1 area of doom. Next on the hate list are hips, followed by legs then boobs.

So, its the same areas for every size. This leaves me wondering why we have a plus size category at all. We need to stop dealing in sizes and deal with shapes.

Number of 'standard size' customers this year - around 10%!

 

 

18 September 09

 

I haven't had a chance to update this blog until now as we've had the busiest year ever. Thank you to all our fabulous customers - we've had lots of laughs, which makes the long hours worth while!

Lets talk Bridesmaid Dresses:

The most popular colours for 2009 so far have been deep purple, light sage, black, silver and dusky pink. As colours on the high street and down the catwalk change, so does the request for bridesmaid dresses in the same colours. Teal & Royal Blue are two of my personal favourite bridesmaid dress colours and they're so popular right now. We've made anything from Royal Blue dresses with leopard print sashes, to Teal structured dresses with peacock fascinators.

 

Ordering now for summer weddings 2010 its Peach, Coral and Dove Silver. With the classic Claret, Emerald and Silver popular for winter.

 

In terms of style, mid-length and long dresses have been favourites, sweetheart necklines, and ruching - thank the Lord for ruching. We're now getting more requests than ever for fishtail dresses and slinky evening style bridesmaid dresses.

 

I think we've just about encountered every body shape, size, cup size, and height this year, which proves our theory that we not only have a dress to suit everyone, but we can also make you feel 100% confident in it.

 

January 09

 

My 10 pence on weddings!

 

Flowers
Some people are opting for wrist corsages instead of bouquets for their bridesmaids. I love this idea. They don't get in the way -unlike bouquets which have to be held all day - bridesmaids need two hands to drink!
 

Food
We originally wanted tapas for our wedding. But all the old folks started saying “chorizo? garlic bread? what’s topaz?” and we went for the play it safe chicken option. Looking back I wish we’d of gone for tapas, it was our wedding, and if you don’t like the food bring a sandwich. For the evening, you can't go wrong with bacon baps and cheese and biscuits.

 

Dessert
More and more people have the wedding cake as desert. This is a great idea. The only people who like traditional wedding cake are the people old enough to know this. Chocolate, or white chocolate, puff pastry, cream and raspberries, lemon cake, cup cakes, profiterole mountain, it’s all good.

 

The wedding day schedule
Guests often haven't had time for breakfast, and are normally starving. As soon as you get to the reception I would give people canapes, then keep it rolling. Getting fed at 8:30 p.m. is the reason people get drunk at weddings!

Speeches
They always make me cringe, good or bad. But then, I get nervous watching stand-up comedians, so I'm probably alone in this! I would advise they're done before the meal, even during the canapes, leaving everyone free to relax and enjoy the day. I shamefully heckled my husband during his speech - not cool!.

 

Time of the wedding
As a married woman and attendee of many weddings bad and good, I would suggest getting married in the afternoon. This leaves you plenty of time to re-do your hair and make-up 5 times, have 1 hour of panic, a few hours to sip champers, 2 hours to figure out how to deal with stockings, and time to realised you’ve forgotten the ‘something old, someone blue' bit.

It also gives your guests time to drop the kids off at Grandmas, find the venue, buy your on-line gift, and arrive in time for the grand entrance.

The morning of the big day
If you’re a groom reading this, consider sending flowers with a meaningful note on the morning of the wedding. I personally received a selection of cooler bags, but it’s the thought that counts.

You may now kiss the bride.... or not.
You’ve dreamt about the “you may now kiss the bride” moment since you were 5,  you’ve rehearsed the ‘not a peck, but not a snog kiss’ with your man…, the vows have been said, rings exchanged, and…… Nothing! I got married in a Church and the vicar never did the "You may now kiss the bride bit".

My advice is to plan what you do after the vows have been said. Normally you kiss and everyone claps. Avoid this discussion, and you’ll both panic and your shiny new husband will pat you on the back like mine did, and leave the audience in confusion.. “is it over” “do we leave now”!

 

Walking down the isle

Feeling nervous about walking down the isle? Wear a veil, no-one will see you going red!

 

Who goes first?
I had my bridesmaids follow me. No-one was stealing my thunder.

 

Changing outfit in the evening - and dress hook
You’re dress will probably have a hook that allows you to bustle the dress and shorten the train. They always break. I don’t know how dress makers think a thread of cotton will hold up a 3 stone dress. Make sure this is strong, and your bridesmaids know how to operate it!

If you have evening guests, then stay in your wedding dress. Otherwise family members from his side won’t know who you are and you’ll miss out on the second round of  “you look wonderful” compliments. 

If you do change outfit, I’d definitely don a fascinator, and go for a fairly over the top dress, you can also muscle in some designer heels in to the wedding budget.

First Dance
If you’re gonna rehearse a first dance, its all or nothing. Also, I personally hate it when other people start to join the couple on the dance floor… I don’t think anyone dare do this at mine!

Music

I think music is the key to a great wedding. I’d of sacrificed the wedding cake, expensive food and booze to have the gospel choir that sang in our church (they were 5 of them, sounded like there were 50) and the live band we had in the evening. My parents’ generation danced with their eyes closed like they were re-living a Rolling Stones concert in the 60’s. Kids did the customary skidding across the dance floor on their knees, and our friends rock n’ rolled with the Grandparents.

 

Etiquette 

I think there is a certain amount of wedding etiquette that must be adhered to… no-one will be impressed with the drunk uncle that falls into the cake, or the bridesmaid who starts getting it on with the best-man. But I’ve been to weddings where people are trying to act like Prince Charles and the Camilla, and in doing so forget to have a laugh and remember what it’s all about.

 

What makes a great wedding? The food? The wedding ceremony? In my opinion, no. It’s when people feel relaxed, mingle and people aren’t afraid clap after the wedding vows, mock peoples speeches, dance like they’re at a junior disco, and just have fun and celebrate.