Have a solid idea of when and where your wedding will be before starting to shop for a gown. It makes it very difficult for the consultant to assist you if you have no idea yet about the general style of your wedding. Also, some gowns need to be ordered at least six months in advance, so if there is a chance that your wedding will be sooner, your consultant definitely needs to know.

Make an appointment with bridal salons before setting out. A fine salon does not allow you to try on gowns without the assistance of their staff (in many places, the gowns are not even out where you can look through them). If you show up on a busy Saturday without an appointment, you will be very disappointed if no one is available to help you.

When you do go to your appointment, wear the proper undergarments. You will want to bring a strapless bra if you have one that you like (if you don’t, the salon can provide you with one). And, for heaven’s sake, remember to wear underwear! You would be amazed how many women don’t routinely wear them, but I guarantee that no shop will let you try on their dresses without panties!

Do not bring an entourage when you go gown shopping. You’ve heard the expression, “Too many cooks spoil the soup?” – it applies to bridal gown selection as well. One or two people is the most that you should bring. Choose wisely – you may have to bring your mother, but if you do not have similar taste, make sure that your second person you invite will see things from your point of view. If you have too many friends or family members with you, they end up just chatting with each other, and lose focus on helping the bride with her selection.

Bring pictures from magazines of styles that strike your fancy. Even if you only like the top of one, and the bottom of another, it will give your consultant a quick way to learn your taste in gowns (most appointments last only an hour, so it helps to come prepared with ideas).

Be open to suggestion. Your bridal consultant has worked with hundreds of women, and can tell at a glance what styles will be most flattering to your figure. She will also be intimately familiar with the gowns in her shop, and will know which ones look terrible on the hanger but beautiful on a bride. You might be pleasantly surprised.

Do not be discouraged if the sample dresses do not fit. Salons stock the samples in only one size (because they have to buy all of their sample gowns – the designers do not provide them), but don’t get hung up on if it is too large or too small. Your gown will be ordered based on your actual measurements. Also, be aware that sizing for bridal gowns is not the same as for other clothing. It is common to order a dress two sizes larger than your usual size. If you are concerned, review the designer’s size chart with your consultant. And remember, no one will see the number inside the gown, only how well it fits you. (Cut out the tag if the number offends you!)

When you find the gown that takes your breath away or brings a tear to your eye, order it! You would be surprised how often the very first gown that a bride tries on turns out to be “the one”. Sometimes brides feel like they can’t commit to a dress until they have tried on hundreds, but it is silly to waste your time once you have fallen in love with a gown. After you decide on your dress, you will still have the fun of choosing your bridal jewelry, headpiece, veil, and other accessories. You will find that selecting your bridal jewelry is much easier than it was to choose the perfect gown, since you will be able to draw inspiration from the style of your dress.

Don’t take gown shopping too seriously! Enjoy the process; it’s a once in a lifetime experience, and it’s not every day that you get to feel like a princess wearing a spectacular gown.

By Bridget Mora

Bridget has many years helping clients select jewelry and accessories. Do you have a subject you would like her to talk about? Contact us at SilverlandJewelry.com

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A very popular song in the 1990s stated that in order to love others, you must first learn to love yourself first. This piece of advice is easier said than done. Everyday we are surrounded by magazines, commercials and shows that define beauty for us. It’s not easy for plus sized women to feel good about themselves when they’re surrounded by images of wraith thin models. Most times, shopping for suitable plus size lingerie becomes a tall order.

“It’s hard to feel sexy when nothing ever fits” shares Adrianne, a friend of mine who works as an animal trainer. Like many plus sized women, Adrianne often has to settle for Ill-fitting bras. Moreover, most women who can’t find the right bra for their body type lose confidence in themselves. Confidence is always important for success. Women who find even shopping for plus sized intimate apparel daunting often experience obstacles when dealing with self-image issues.

That’s why I’ve made it my mission to find the best plus size lingerie on the market. I would like plus size women like me to feel sexy, beautiful and confident in their own skin. I looked up on lots of plus size underwear sites on the internet and came up with three simple rules for the big, beautiful lady (BBL).

BBL#1: Have yourself measured accurately in a professional way. The first step to having the perfect set of lingerie is knowing you cup and band size. You don’t have to pay to be able to know your exact measurements. Sites like laurensilva.com have simple how-to’s to be able to measure yourself in the comfort of your home.

BBL#2: Determine what you want before going shopping. If you tend to be impulsive, try making a list of lingerie non-negotiables (style, comfort and function wise).

BBL#3: Look up popular lingerie for plus size women but don’t let that stop you from exploring other brands. Le Mystere’s Dream Tisha Bra is all the rave right now and it wouldn’t hurt to try it out. Again, I found sites like laurensilva.com helpful since it carries lots of brands for plus size lingerie. Moreover, the site is especially for the plus size women. You don’t easily find a site that offers plus size bras, shapewear, mastectomy bras and all other kinds of plus size intimate apparel available with just one click of the mouse. Everything is literally at the tip of your finger. I hope this helps all the big beautiful women out there. There are many options available. We don’t have to live the rest of our lives donning a frumpy, ill-fitting bra. There’s a plus size bra for every one of us beautiful ladies!

About the Author

Christie Marie Leighton is a freelance fashion writer. Her topics of interests are women’s fashion, haute couture and lingerie.

Often times, plus size bras give too much coverage but aren’t exactly easy on the eye. We all want to feel sexy under our clothes and bras that give too much coverage feel like an extra layer of clothing.

On the other hand, some bras for plus size women can feel constricting and tend to push the breasts down. This may feel uncomfortable, especially during times when one needs to move a lot.

Where to start searching for bras?

An easy way to start searching for bras is to start looking online. Simply type in your body type and the word bra into any search engine and then click “search”. A list of websites that sell plus size underwear usually comes up.

A good site to visit if you’re a plus size woman is laurensilva.com. It carries a variety of brands to choose from. Gauge the kind of bra you would want from the choices offered on this site.

Glamorise, is one of the popular plus size lingerie brands. This brand not only has funky designs and lots of colors but also has overall support and comfort that customers have been raving about. Moreover, lots of women who bought this brand said that its lacy and racy designs are sexy. Feeling sexy surely boosts your confidence.

Another popular plus size bra brand is Le Mystere. This brand is the maker of the “Oprah bra”. Women from all over the world have been buying the Le Mystere Dream Tisha Bra, and demands for the product aren’t going down. This product has received rave reviews and is worth a try.

Another great plus size bra to try is from Freya. This brand carries a lot of sexy bras that feature the “balcony” style. This style usually have sheer cups and underwire for a sexier take on things.

Go ahead. Make your assets work for you. When you are a plus size, gowns shouldn’t be lumpy or frumpy. You deserve to be fabulous!

Christie Marie Leighton is a freelance fashion writer. Her topics of interests are women’s fashion, haute couture and lingerie.