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Opening up a plus size store may be tricky. If you were open a bridal store that carried two sizes of every dress, then you can have a larger clientele base, and it wouldnt' seem like you are a going to the "fat" bridal store.
My cousins and I were all "plus-sized" and we had lots of issues dress shopping two of us bought our dresses at the Pronovias Flagship store in NYC because they carried two dress sizes of most of their dress. Usually a 6 or 8, and then a 14 or 16. This allowed us to actually try on our dresses and see what will actually work out.
Now let me answer your questions:
1. Yes, I would go. My only option before Pronovias was David's Bridal. I went there to see what silhouette I would want, since I could actually zip up those dresses!
2. If you are only doing plus size dresses than yes you should allude or outright state "plus-size". You can also say something to the effect of We carry sample sizes to fit most women up to size (XX)
3. Depends on your area and what the average is. You should remember that your largest competitor would be D/B so maybe you would want to have some dresses at a higher price point.
4. Visit some local places and see what you like and what you don't like.
1. Not sure on this one. If I wasn't finding anything I loved any where and someone told me about this one magic store - that would definitely influence my decision.
2. Yes, definitely advertise as such. This is your niche market, after all and you need to be clear on why you stand out (it's your specialty!!)
3. I would have a diverse selection available - as you will have brides with all sorts of budgets. Don't limit yourself to cheaper dresses, but certainly don't eliminate them either.
4. I haven't gone dress shopping yet, so I'm already wishing your dress store was open!! :) (I'm street size 12-14). I think you have an excellent idea on your hands and the concept has a lot of potential (just look at how far plus-sized stores have come in the last decade).
Best of luck to you!
There is actually a plus size dress store nearby: http://www.rubenesquebridalgowns.com/index.html
I didn't go there because their dresses were all out of my price range (budget $500)
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1. The store is an 1.5 away and I was ready to go until I got the email about their price points. I would probably be willing to drive 3 hours for dress shopping
2. Definitely advertise as plus size. I did many google searches "plus size wedding dress minneapolis"
3. I would have a wide range of price points. Nicer bridesmaid dresses to $2000? Maybe do some research and see what the average person in your area pays for a dress.
4. Market yourself well. Have an easy to navigate, pleasant looking website.
1. I would definetly go to the store, It is hard to try on dresses and see what they will look like when they don't even zip. I am also street size 16. Plus be nice to go into a store not standing next to the size 2 brides and make me cry. I would go probably even 8 hour drive away
2. I would find a way to yes label it a plus size store, but maybe not those words. I don't know.
3. I would definetly have a very wide variety of prices. For me I have a low budget, but there is always people out there that have higher budgets. Depends on where you are opening the store also.
4. Just remember customer service is key. Davids bridal sucks at that. Someone will buy from someone they like and trust. Just really make the women feel special and gorgeous when they are in there:) I think you should have an online store also.:) That way you would have a bigger audience if you could handle both. Just keep quality merchandise and great customer service and you will be in:)
1. Yes, I would go to one! There is such a limited selection at the other stores; I would love to be able to actually try on more than 3 dresses. I would be willing to travel up to about 5 hours for one. If it was further away than that in a cool city, I might plan a getaway there.
2. Yes, definitely advertise as plus size, so your clientele can find you.
3. A range of prices would be great. I'm certainly willing to pay more for quality, but a $1500 dress is just not in my budget. If you carry bridesmaid dresses too, it'd be great if they had a wider range as well - most of the places I looked at were $275+.
4. Definitely market yourself well and make sure people know you exist! Establish a web presence and have your satisfied customers spread the word.
I agree with Chela429 - I am not plus size, but even I would appreciate a store with two sample sizes of each dress rather than the one. I suggest not necessarily opening a "plus size" store, but an "all size" store. You could have 2 (or even 3?) sizes of each dress - one plus size, and one a normal sample size.
Oh gosh I wish one of these existed. I went to the "largest Bridal Salon in Austin" last week and there was not one dress that I could zip up. NOT ONE. Their largest bridal size was a 20, and I wear a street size 16 and I couldn't zip it! It sucked! I felt like I was asking them to accomodate me and it was a big deal for them to do so. I wished I had been able to try on the dresses I loved and actually see what they looked like on. There were probably only 10 or so I could even get over my head.... keep me posted if you decide to do this!
Silver Lining in Atlanta is a pretty successful plus size bridal store. They also have a lingerie boutique. They have fashion shows and post pictures of the women in their gowns, and apparently it's a good thing for the community there.
To answer your questions:
1. YES, I would go. I live in a major city so I wouldn't travel quite so far (like from Dallas to Atlanta) but I'd drive up to 5 hours, which is the distance between me and the next major city in my state.
If the customer service was good, not only would I purchase a dress there but I'd probably feel more loyal to the shop and thus purchase other accessories there as well.
2. Advertised as plus size? Maybe not... that way if you needed to expand your clientele, you could.
However, there are too many stores that carry dress lines that go up to size 24, and they advertise this way, but when you get there all the samples are size 10 like everyone else. This is NO HELP.
So, maybe some subtle advertising letting people know that we can actually try on dresses closer to our size. Maybe in your advertising, include pictures of happy plus size brides shopping in the store.
3. Personally, I feel that there are lots of dresses available to plus sizes in the sub-$1000 range, and that's great! But in my case, I'm looking for "mid range couture" and it's next to impossible to find in my size.
The type of dresses I'm interested in are from companies that are more likely to staff snobbish salespeople in their salons, or ship their samples in a size 4. It would be great to see high quality, plus sized wedding dresses.
This is a great idea, I hope it works out! :)
I wear a street size 14 and it was a PAIN to truly get an idea of how a dress would truly look on me, I got most dresses on, but it would be all bunched up and couldn't pull the dress over my behind and hips. I heard that most stores carry like a 14 (which I know bridal 14 is like a 10 in real life) but I found that most places I went to carried mostly 10s (which is like me trying to squeeze into a size 6 or 7, when Im a 14/12!)
Its one of those things that when it comes to bridal and you wear a size 14 you end up getting a dress thats an 18 or a 20, which is considered "plus size" most girls know not to really look into the size, so I don't think "plus size" bridal would turn anybody away. Although I don't consider myself "plus size" I would go anywhere that I can try on dresses without being stuffed like a sausage :)
Before you proceed further, I would look into whether you will actually be able to obtain larger size samples of current styles. I don't know how the industry works, but if the manufacturers only make one sample size, you may be out of luck. You might be limited to past season dresses, where you could actually order a larger size to use as a sample, and that could be a difficulty for brides who are looking for a dress they saw in a current magazine.
You ladies are AWESOME. Thanks for all of the great feedback!!! I've been in touch with the owner of Silver Lining in Atlanta, and she's been so sweet and patient, answering all of my questions.
Keep it coming!
ac
I think that is a great ideah and make sure you put plus size bm dresses too lol
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1. If there was a "plus size" (street size 12 and up, so wedding dress sizes 14 - 32) salon in your area, would you go to it? Absolutely!! I would travel by car a few hours!
2. Would you want it advertised as plus size? This is a tricky one - Sometimes I hate carrying a torrid bag or lane bryant because it points out the obvious fact that I can't fit into normal stores, but at the same time, your clientele needs to know. Maybe something more generic like "Women's sized" bridal dresses or "curvy gals welcome". You know, something a little more cute and sassy!
3. What pricepoint would you buy in? Should I be looking at dresses under $1000? Or would you pay more if you couldn't find it anywhere else and were blown away by the outstanding customer service? I would stock mostly under 1k but have a few stunners above that. Some ladies with the money to spend would appreciate the options!
4. Anything else I should consider? I always feel more comfortable when the staff at plus stores are actually plus gals themselves. Not to be biased, but I don't feel as uncomfortable saying I need a certain size, or how do this look, etc.
When I was looking for a dress, I would have flown to a store like yours! I ended up finding a lot of plus sized options at Alfred Angelos and David Bridal but I've heard so many horror stories about it that I wished desperately for a plus sized bridal store like what you get with street clothes stores like Lane Bryant and Avenue. I think its a fantastic idea to have a store like yours.
To answer your questions:
1. If there was a "plus size" (street size 12 and up, so wedding dress sizes 14 - 32) salon in your area, would you go to it? If it was a distance, how far would you travel (across town, a 5 hr drive or short plane ride, or doesn't matter, I'd cross the US)?
If it had a great reputation, a great website with a lot of options to view the dresses on actual plus-size models (very important), I would fly across the US.
2. Would you want it advertised as plus size? I don't wear plus size, so I'm not sure if that would be a turnoff to others, or just me.
As someone who works in marketing, you should absolutely advertise the store as specializing in "plus size" wedding gowns. That's how your customers are going to find you.
3. What pricepoint would you buy in? Should I be looking at dresses under $1000? Or would you pay more if you couldn't find it anywhere else and were blown away by the outstanding customer service? I like mid-range couture, but I don't know if, again, I'm the only one that likes a dress that's a bit "different".
My budget was $1000 for the dress before alterations but I was hoping for anywhere from $500-$800, which I found at Alfred Angelo ($649 on sale). I would have a wide range because there are women who are plus sized that also have higher budgets. However I would imagine most plus sized women are going to want something less expensive, otherwise they could afford a custom dress and wouldn't need to go to a plus-sized bridal boutique.
There was a store back in Rhode Island that was geared towards the plus size 16W-28W- brides as well as formal occasions when I use to live there. So I went and looked it up for you and its still around - From some reviews - Apparently the place is thriving and is doing pretty well. Im sure if you called they would be willing to chat.
Boticelli
http://www.botticelliri.com/about.html
Here is a snippet from her website.
"The last year for us has been exciting and more that we ever anticipated. The response from our local area has been overwhelming, and we too had not expected how much the demand actually was. Our customers now range from 15- 95 year old women & they hail from New Hampshire to New York. We thank all of you who have helped make our first year so wonderful and for making us a Best Of Rhode Island award winner for 2004. One of the most rewarding aspects of Botticelli has the been the hugs and kisses from new customers who love how they look and how they feel about themselves. Our number one goal at Botticelli is help women break some of the negative cycles in their lives & to give them the customer service that has been reserved for their size 8 counter parts."
Your lips to God's ears!!!!!
I would definitely go there! I would think of it like shopping at Catherine's-a store specifically designed for plus sized women. Large fitting rooms with STURDY furniture in them, not some little prissy bench that gives when I sit on it! It could be bridal and special occassion-prom also maybe? Evening wear? An entire section of undergarments-not just the regular sizes. I'm a 48DDD-was a 46D before nursing twins and that changed with pregnancy and a change in my lifestyle. Doesn't matter how I got plus sized, the point is, that I AM plus sized and would be willing to (just like with regular clothes) to pay the decent money to get a decent garment that fit me well.
I hate taking off my clothes in front of sales girls and having them "help me into" something who are itty bitty skinny things-REALLY. Having to go all over the internet to find an all in one to fit my bust, a strapless bra or semi-strapless to accomodate a low back and contemplate getting one made...UGH. Pretty lingerie that my bust isn't falling out of...it could be a full service salon.
A catchy name might help. I'm so OVER caring whether anyone knows I shop at a plus-size store. I want quality clothes that fit me well and I can try on-I want pretty lingerie for my honeymoon, panties, racy things, naughty things, dainty things...that I don't have to order thru a catalogue and wonder what they will look like on! I've been all over the internet and have pieced together my trousseau (is that how you spell it?!), but it's been a bit on the frustrating side. Yes...my butt is big...yes, I need panties that will fit my hips...not roll down the minute I move, leaving my tummy all hanging out! Good Lord!
I give this idea a double thumbs UP!!!!!
Edit post...I also think you need to consider budget brides up to higher end brides. I agree also with the poster that said plus sized BM dresses. I ended up with a BM dress that we got from Kiyonna (my spelling is the pits at this time of night) in a lovely fall color called Pomegranate (a cross between burgundy, wine, plum, and a very dark pink) Finding a BM dress that would fit my busty MOH who is street size about a 14-18 depending on the cut, and my other BM who is pear shaped-about a 14 on top and a 22 on the bottom...tough stuff right there.
I found my dress at a local salon, didn't even try it on bc I knew it was exactly what I wanted-very simple chiffon over satin. The choices for second weddings are slim pickings if you don't want to wear a suit or a full fledged wedding gown (NOTE: I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with either of those choices, don't want to offend anyone-encore brides should wear what they like, but I didn't want a full fledged gown & I didn't want a suit either...hard to find simple, classic, AND....)
My big beef here-plus sized ladies, help me out. My biggest issue with the bridal industry is that it was VERY difficult to find a dress that wasn't A. long sleeved B. strapless C. spagetti strap D. halter top E. sleeveless. I don't understand why dressmakers feel that plus sized brides either want to show their upper arms (which I don't!) or completely cover up (which I didn't want to do either!) There were VERY few choices in short sleeve styles. I don't want my wiggle showing, but I also didn't want to be totally covered up. I was very lucky to find a dress with short sleeves that are a sort of sheer flutter sleeve. SAME PROBLEM with BM dresses! They are all sleeveless, strapless, spagetti strap or halter style. It was a real challenge to find something affordable in a short sleeve (my BM dresses are also a sort of a flutter sleeve, slightly sheer short sleeve that comes down to the mid upper arm almost to the elbow, but not quite).
I would be so tickled to go into a full service "bridal" salon that specialized in plus size bridal and formal wear, lingerie and with the connections if you don't carry it, you know who does!
I think a bridal salon that caters to both slim and plus sized is a great idea. i have found a salon that has plus sample gowns that I will be goint o next week and is about an hr from me. I would travel 3 hrs if it meant I could try something on and really see how it fit.
Think about it many women travel to kleinfelds and even come from over seas to do so. A salon that caters to all women no matter the size or price point would be just as attractive.
1. I would travel up to 3 hrs. if I had a larger budget and could fly to another state to do so I would.
2. I wouls advertise by saying that each dress has 2 sample sizes to cater to everyone.
3. In this economy I would definately have dresses under $1000 but a few popular dresses in a higher price point would be good too.
4. Is there a big market for this in your area? This is the place you will be starting so you need to appeal to your local market.
I am not a plus size, but I think this is a fantastic idea! I am lucky enough to be pretty much the sample size, so I was able to try on most wedding dresses I looked at. I can't imagine being ultra petite or plus size and not being able to get a real LOOK at how a dress looked on me! That would royally suck.
I am not going to answer your specific questions, because they don't apply to me so I feel I wouldn't be able to give you good responses, but I will say that I think you should definitely do more than just bridal gowns. Mother of the Bride and Groom, plus Bridesmaids, would be really helpful to alot of people. My mother wants to wear something nice to my wedding, but she is plus size and can't find anything nice to even try on! She'd love a chance to go to a store like this.
Also, I think if you came up with a clever name to indicate that you are a niche store intended for plus size, that would be best. I think girls in the "sample size" range have plenty of places to try on gowns. You should definitely cater exclusively to your market, and advertise as such! Something like "More to Love Bridal" would get the message across well, I think!
Ladies, a few of you mentioned lingerie/foundation garments. I have NOT been able to find a lace up corset in my size. So are you looking for bras in larger sizes? Spanx-like gear for the bottom? If a store carried these pretty/functional garments in larger sizes, would you come back to shop after your wedding?
Do you want a salon that carries everything you need--veils/headpieces, foundation, shoes--in one place? What WOULD you buy there, and what would you prefer to buy on your own? And do you want major labels or more handmade (and probably less expensive stuff) you find on Etsy, for example?
My last question is, how many dresses would you expect a salon to carry in your size? So for example, if you wear a wedding dress size 24, do you expect 10, 20, 30 dresses in your size? And if size 22 and 26 dresses were totally different from 24, would that help? it would triple options around your size.
thanks, ladies! you've been so helpful!
ac
I'm on the line between PS and normal size. So I have a few items from Lane Bryant and can fit into a lot of stuff where I work (NY&Co) as well.
I just went to a bridal place and tried on what I could. I actually didn't try on my dress until I got it since the sample size was like a 12 and I'm around a 16!!!
Had I heard about it, I'm not sure that I'd go. I tend to not fit some plus size clothes- like if I buy a 16 at a plus size store, the thighs are too wide- or a shirt, the sleeves are too big. I am bigger around the waist and hips but I'm not as full elsewhere. So I would look online first (websites are a must!!!) to see if the styles looked like they could fit my body shape. I did this with the salon I went to, too.
I agree with a few previous posters who said that a wide selection of sizes and prices would be best. I would most like a store that offered ALL sizes since I'm at the top of normal and bottom of plus size- I so often fall in between!! And since you're already in a niche, keeping price very varied would help, I think.
Glad you asked for our opinions and good luck!
Oh yea and I drove 4 hours for my dress- hearing a dress place is AMAZING convinced me. So I would drive probably up to 5 or farther if I had a place to stay... I can honestly say it was 100% worth it.
1. Absolutely I'd go if there was one in my area. I live within driving distance of one of the largest bridal salons in the country (Low's Bridal) and one of the most frustrating things about it was being, like you, a street size 16, which immediately put me into wedding dress size 4123! That KILLED my confidence almost immediately because all the gorgeous dresses weren't available anywhere near my size to be tried on. I'd have travelled within an hour or two but not much further than that, because after finding nothing 'hip and butt area friendly" I was just ready to get the shopping over with!
2. Yes, agreed. You have to state that it's plus size. Girls aren't stupid. We know when we fall into that category and I'd have to say with as many plus sized women as there are in the Memphis area, it probably would be a welcome change not to feel so self conscious when trying them on.
3. I think mid-range is good. Davids does a good job for the bride on a budget. (they have gorgeous stuff too) but when it comes down to it, the smaller shop owner can't compete with that kind of price/selection. Instead you have to pick a niche - in your case, that could be stocking the larger sizes of the designers that tend to only send a normal shop size 6 or 8.
1. If there was a "plus size" (street size 12 and up, so wedding dress sizes 14 - 32) salon in your area, would you go to it? If it was a distance, how far would you travel (across town, a 5 hr drive or short plane ride, or doesn't matter, I'd cross the US)?
I would travel to it! Most definitely, 2 -3 hours, but it would be better if it was in a major city so that there is public transportation access.
2. Would you want it advertised as plus size? I don't wear plus size, so I'm not sure if that would be a turnoff to others, or just me.
I would want it to be advertised to me, seeing a plus sized model would say it all, in a gorgeous dress looking fabulous... a real woman would even be better...
3. What pricepoint would you buy in? Should I be looking at dresses under $1000? Or would you pay more if you couldn't find it anywhere else and were blown away by the outstanding customer service? I like mid-range couture, but I don't know if, again, I'm the only one that likes a dress that's a bit "different".
I would want to try all ranges on, being the princess bride is something that all of either dread or look forward to, finding the dress should be within a reasonable range, but having payment options will also help to alliviate the stress...
4. Anything else I should consider?
As far as bridal lingerie goes all of the basics should be available but, you should refer women to get professionally fitted prior to trying on dresses...
In my line of work its not uncommon for a bride to be looking for her foundations even the weekend before her big day! This is something that should happen way before the fitting process even starts!
www.myintimacy.com is a great reference, and has a shop list that's shows local shops who have similar collections and size ranges...
Also having destination wedding attire and even swimwear may be great too!
GOOD LUCK!
I agree 100% with liztwintz............
I haven't even started dress shopping yet and I already know I am going to be discouraged. A store like you're talking about would be a blessing.
Oh goodness I see this is an old topic but let me just say... I got my dress when a plus size place in ATL was closing. And it was REALLY NICE in there, nicer than the normal bridal salons I'd been to! So if you build it, make it nice and worth the trip... they will come :D
A few tips from a plus sized girl who used to work in bridal:
A plus-sized shop should have comfortably sized dressing rooms and good mirrors, larger sized foundation undergarments, and a stylish vibe.
Also essential are staff that are not size 2. Now I have many friends who are slim, but when I was working in bridal, I was paired with a lot of the larger clients because they knew I'd understand their problems.
Also, MoriLee has a new plus-size line, Disney also does (but they have production issues). Any company that you carry, it would be good to have 2 dresses, normally I'd say one in an 8 and a 20, but if you want to cater to larger sizes, still have two, but make them an 18 and a 28. In larger sizes, the inch difference between sizes is dramatically different than the difference in small sizes. A 10 might be 1 1/2 inch bigger than an 8, but a 28 may be 4 inches bigger than a 26. It's weird, but whatever.
So often society makes larger women (myself included) feel like we have something to be ashamed of, but we don't. I'd love to find a store that had lingerie and beautiful things for my size (20) but all I get is Fredericks, which has some but still doesn't have a lot.
Good luck!
This is a fantastic idea. I've been stalling on the dress shopping because I'm also plus sized, and terrified of snarky saleswomen. To answer your questions...
1. I would travel several hours or even make a weekend of it. I remember how peeved I was when I found out there was this store called "Torrid" that carried fashionable plus sizes for young women, and the whole time I'd been suffering needlessly with Lane Bryant Syndrome. :P It was only 3 hours from me the whole time! Now I live about 50 minutes from them, and happily drive there all the time.
2. Call it plus sized, call Big N Sassy Bride if you wanna! I actually LIKE when a store does that. It's a clear signal to your target audience. We're used to digging for our size at the wayyy back of the rack, so I like the direct approach better.
3. Keep your pricepoints varied like any other store. One of my biggest complaints with the fashion industry is that they don't see the wide open market they are missing out on. I have a good job and a bank account just like skinny girls! For whatever reason, designers just don't want my money. So YOU should take it instead. :)
4. Please consider doing the WHOLE shebang, if possible. Lingerie, shoes, bridesmaids, the works! Those are all just more PIA issues for the plus sized woman. I want cute strappy shoes, lace up corsets, thigh highs, etc. I know they exist, because there are tons of websites for them. So why shouldn't a retail store carry them too?
I know your're in AZ, and I'm in GA... but maybe if your store got the ball rolling, other women would take the leap too. Good luck!!
Okay, so I guess I have some different ideas but take or leave what you will :)
I wear a size 14/16 depending where I shop. I have purchased much of my clothing from Lane Bryant although I generally feel the store is hit and miss for what looks good on me. Although most of my favorite things come from Lane Bryant I hate being asked "Oh, where did you get that?" because most of the people who ask are too thin to shop at that store! That being said I really hate the idea of going to a plus-size bridal salon. I hate the idea that my size is somehow so abnormal that I need my own shoping places just to find something that works for me. Perhaps I'm senstive, I don't know. I have not (and perhaps refuse to) look at myself as a "plus-size bride" because I hate the label. I can not imagine going to a place for a gown that is known for dressing large women. I would not fly there, I would not drive there, I may shop there if it's close to me but I'm just as likely to avoid it altogether if I could.
All that being said I do think you have a lovely idea, and I think it's a great niche for a business. Here's my suggestion...be a supplier of plus size dresses that can ship samples to other stores who have plus size brides wanting to purchase dresses. I think you could still have a flagship store that carries all sizes with a large selection of plus size dresses. Just an idea. I would love to show a store what I like and come back later when they get those sizes in for me to try on... I think it would provide excellent customer service and I bet you could get many stores to sign up because it would be cheaper than ordering 2 sizes of every dress and could take up less of their sales floor. Perhaps there could be an on-line location of your business and a bride could look at dresses on plus size model and select several to be shiped to a participating store in their city for their appointments at the store.
That's just an idea...maybe something to consider if you get to a place where you can do something on that scale.
Just seeing this now. Wanted to let you know that Providence, RI has an all plus size store for Brides, Bridesmaids and Mom's. They participate in fashion shows and advertise as 100% plus size with sample sizes you can fit into. When it comes time for me to go shopping, this is undoubtedly the place I am going.
If there would have been some sort of store like this when I was shopping that would have been awesome! unfortunately there's not. The sample of my dress that i tried on almost didn't go on, as it was a size 10, and i'm a sz 16, so 3 sizes too small, thank god for the corset back...
I live in Australia so as for specifics i am not much help but...
If a store existed that I knew either by name (eg curvybride), subtle advertising (a nice spread in bridal magazine with PS models), not-so-subtle advertising (a big sign saying we cater for 20-26) or by reputation I would most certainly go out of my way to go there. If I had gone out of my way I would be more likley to buy everything I need rather than waste extra time on a second trip or hours searching 'normal' shops so I think having PS lingere (and not the ugly granny bras) would be a wise thing to do.
As for price range I abhor the idea that because I am one or two sizes above the norm I should pay 50% markups on clothes all the larger girl stores in Aus do this and it pisses me off and I wont step foot in thier doors. A reasonable price for the product is only fair some brides want top of the range some brides want cheap as long as its fair for the quality/design of the item thats all I would want, a mark-up just because I'm fat is unacceptable there is no difference in price between a 6 & 16 so why between a 16 & 26.
As for service it's a given that I will not buy a thing if ppl r rude to me but the difference between ok service and great service is goo service= I will buy my dress be pleased and go back if it's not too far or expensive, great service=I will find everything in the store that I want/need and buy it just because I liked them, I would go back even at a great distance for other purchases and I would rave to everyone i knew about it.
A few points from a shoppers point of view I know it's kind of discrimination but when ur half naked u don't want some size eight girl trying to lace you into a dress so avoid tiny shopkeepers. Also women who are borderline eg street size 14-16 would not like to consider themselves a plus size bride and shop in the fat peoples shop hell even size 22's hate shopping in the fat peoples shop so I would avoid plus size and use "we stock real sizes for real women" kind of wording. Again with the self conciousness larger changing rooms with mirrors inside them is a must I dont shop anywhere that I have to step outside before I can tell if I look ok to be seen in public.
As for range It wouldnt be worth going out of my way unless I could try on any dress that took my fancy maybe if every sample you got was a lace up you could limit the amount of samples needed cos if Im going to be clipped into a dress in a larger woman store I am going to feel very very sh*tty about myself.
Well hope I helped a little and goodluck with your store
ps plus size tends to run in the family.....plus size women sometime have plus size friends and partners.....so bridesmaids, MOB's and grooms could also be catered for...what bride wouldnt love that
OK to answer all the questions... Im a street size 20-22 wedding dress 26... i would loveto be able to go o a bridal shop that has only plus size dresses... that's how we shop anyway plussize stores...
As far as travel i would be willing tot ravel as far as i needed if you had a good selection...
Pricing... it would be good to carry dresses at varying price points... many times DB sells dresses at a higher price then the designer dresses... perfect example i tried a dress at DB priced at $600 it was cute but discontinued so the dress i would be purchasing was off the rack itook a pic of myself in the dress to a bridal hop ad was sold a jasmine for $575 that looked a million times better...
in talking with manufacturers let them know your shop caters to larger brides because guess what they do too and thy would be willing to send samples in larger sizes if they were sure your clientel would be larger brides
sadly larger brides many times are afraid to go to bridal shops scared that they won't have a wide selection... so they turn to DB who actually sells replicas of the designers at dsigner prices...
You girls rock. Thanks for all the feedback. We actually opened the store on March 9th in the PHX area and are doing well. Brides come in and are amazed to have OPTIONS--many didn't think they'd have the difficult decision of having to choose between dresses. I've had ladies come in off the street just to hug me and say thanks for doing this.
Our long term goal is to provide lingerie (the sexy stuff!), because I can't find it to fit me, either! And, ladies, I'm NOT a size 8, and neither is my staff :)
I just wanted to say thanks for the kind words. Your encouragement really helped give me the confidence to do this. And if any of you need help/advice on dress shopping, I'd love to be able to give back to you all in some small way.
Best,
Ann
Strut
1. I would definitely go to a store that actually carried gowns I could try on although traveling more than 2 hours would be a turn off. As nice as it would be to be able to try on dresses I'm not really willing to go super far. Basically it would be the average distance I traveled in high school to go school clothes shopping.
2. I wouldn't advertise it as plus sized, because honestly I don't think I would want to shop there even when I was a size 18, because I didn't feel plus sized, I mean I had wide shoulders and hips, but I was rather fit.
3. I'm not interested in couture gowns all that much (mostly it's the feathers), but most gals have a price point between $600 and $2500 from what I've seen. Of course, some will buy higher and some lower, but that seems to be average, at least for my area. As long as you have a nice selection, then you'll get foot traffic.
4. As for sizes of the gowns, if you're not exclusively plus sized, then I would suggest size 6 or so samples and a larger size such as size 16 bridal gowns and possibly a third sample at the higher end. You don't have to carry it in every dress, but if you carry at least one of each sample size in each style of dress and/or designer you carry, then you'll make a lot of brides happy.
Ann, I'm in OC Ca and considering making the trek to Strut this summer. My question goes along with one of your own that you threw out to the group. If I were to come tomorrow (which I'm not), how many sizes 24 and 26 would you have for me to try on?
I like the idea of an "all size" shop instead. It makes such a difference to be able to zip the dress to see what it will really look like on you.
AMEN to the Plus Size BM dresses too. All of my bridesmaids are voluptious babes! I had to buy my dress on Ebay (I'm a street size 16-18)....
I'm also a plus size bride. I was fortunate enough to have a place in town that carried gowns in lots of different sizes, so I could try some on that were my size (I'm a street size 20-22).
I manage a bank and the majority of my day is working with business customers. I'm sure you have done a lot of research already, but I would make sure that you look at other "plus size" bridal stores and maybe contact them to see the pros/cons...really do a lot of research.
Right now is a really hard time to get lending for a start-up business so you want to make sure you really know what you are getting into and that you have your projections for the next 3 years figured out. Make sure to find a bank that deals with SBA loans and that they will look at financing a start-up business (if that is what you are needing). Not all banks will lend for start-ups.
Best of luck!
~Amber
I would travel 3-4 hours, but a lot of that depends on your website, dress availability, etc (as in, if there is a dress on your website I love, make sure you have 1 in store to try on - apparently that's not standard).
I would have "plus size" be a tag/key word as far as internet searches go, but as far as marketing materials/store name, I would choose better phrasing "real sizes" , someone above mentioned for curvy women, etc. I've lost some weight, but at one time wore sizes 10-12 and would not have appreciated being called "plus size" as a street size 12. You definitely want to sell the fact that you are offering larger sizes than most stores, but finding an appealing way to say that is key.
Like others have said, I think having a wide range of prices would be best for your store...if you want to emphasize the mid level couture you love, you could always section off part of the store as a boutique area to emphasize that you have high quality designers, but still offering affordable options for everyone. (All of the dress I've seriously considered have been under $400 and I think I have decided on one for $88, so I'm a little biased for bargain shopping!)
Offering the proper types of slips/undergarments seems great - that way a bride can see the entire look and wont have to wonder if she'll find a properly supportive bra or whether she might love a specific dress if only she had a good pair of spanx to try it on with.
As you get to know other wedding vendors, you might consider advertising together/cross promotion or at least offering referrals to help brides locate other quality wedding services/products. It seems like a cost effective way to publicize your store and I'm sure many brides would like the help (maybe offer a mailing list for those interested, that way brides who don't want referrals to other vendors have the option not to sign up).
As others have pointed out...customer service seems to be optional in many dress stores - make sure you offer great, supportive help and I'm sure you'll get a lot of customers referred from friends/family who have shopped with you. The day a bride comes in to try on and order dresses is important from a customer service standpoint, but make sure you follow through with great service, especially if a mistake was made on an order. (I understand that mistakes can and do happen, but one of my best friends ordered her dress & 3 bm dresses at a particular store, the store ordered 1 dress in the wrong style, but then hung up on the bride and was very rude to the bride's sister as well.)
You might consider taking walk-ins, not just appointments - sometimes it's a hassle, especially if a bride wants to check out multiple stores in one day and wont necessarily know what time she'll be at your store. (this would require an extra staff person or two, but I think it would pay off.)
Dressing Rooms & Mirrors: Have lots of them & make em big! Dresses with big skirts are a huge hassle in small fitting rooms & the more mirrors and angles, the better a bride will know if this is THE DRESS.
If you don't have an in-house tailor, you might be able to check with local shops - maybe they could give you coupons or a deal like 10% off to offer brides for referring them. While this would greatly help the tailor shop, I feel like it would help brides to feel even more satisfied with their purchase (a dress that I could get with discounted tailoring is better than considering another store or shopping online, after trying them on at your store & would set you apart from so many other bridal stores that charge more for their in-house tailor.
Another thing to look into as you are in the planning stages are whether there are any local grants for small businesses, new business owners or female business owners - there are several in my area so it might be a good idea to look online, check with your chamber of commerce and any local business associations.
Hopefully that was helpful - Good luck - You'll have to update all of us at weddingbee when your store opens!
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Ladies,
When I went dress shopping this spring I was appalled at the lack of dress options for someone my size (street size 16). So it got me thinking... what if I opened a plus size bridal salon? I'm in the final stages of writing my business plan but would LOVE your input.
1. If there was a "plus size" (street size 12 and up, so wedding dress sizes 14 - 32) salon in your area, would you go to it? If it was a distance, how far would you travel (across town, a 5 hr drive or short plane ride, or doesn't matter, I'd cross the US)?
2. Would you want it advertised as plus size? I don't wear plus size, so I'm not sure if that would be a turnoff to others, or just me.
3. What pricepoint would you buy in? Should I be looking at dresses under $1000? Or would you pay more if you couldn't find it anywhere else and were blown away by the outstanding customer service? I like mid-range couture, but I don't know if, again, I'm the only one that likes a dress that's a bit "different".
4. Anything else I should consider?
Thanks so much--I really appreciate the input!!
ac