Let's talk (big) Bridal...

It's been a while since I have posted anything here about our forthcoming Wedding... and it really is forthcoming, now, only 7 weeks away! (yikes, how did THAT happen!)


I have been mulling over whether to blog about this or not, but it's something that I have really come up against when putting together my look for the Wedding, and I'm just going to say it, it's not easy being a plus size bride!!! Sometimes, it just feels like an uphill struggle! 


I am 6ft tall, in my flats, and wear a size 22/24 UK (yes, I said it) and it is impossible to find any inspiring, beautiful images of brides online that I can relate to... plenty that I relate to in terms of their style, absolutely, but not in terms of their shape and size. I found myself scanning pinterest for a 'chunkier' lady to see what I might look like dressed head-to-toe in the kind of pale tones I usually avoid...and when I found someone in the sea of size 6's, they were probably a 12/14 MAX, and that scared me a little... if they looked 'chunky' in their bridal whites, am I going to look like moby-dick?! I did a fair bit of internal crying at this stage...


I would love, love, to be like these uber-fashion bloggers who are part of the 'fat-acceptance movement' (where basically, they dress as if they weren't bigger, and have no issue wearing raised hemlines, exposing their skin etc and areas that would normally be expected to be covered up if you're bigger) but I'm not... I like to dress to really flatter my body shape, and like to dress to make myself look smaller (if possible). There are parts I like to draw attention away from, and parts I would NEVER expose.


To this end, I am designing my own wedding dress and having Ryan's talented aunt, Lynne, make it for me -- but, this lack of beautiful larger, taller, curvier, chunkier brides is so missing for me online it did make me quake in my size 9's a little... oh yeah, I have massive feet too, so this makes bridal shoe shopping equally gruelling!


I just thought I would throw this out there - there is SUCH a lack of appropriate, inspiring, beautiful dresses and shoes for someone my size and height, it just rather takes the fun out of that side of things. I'll never have that moment in a bridal shop, or quirky vintage boutique, of finding 'the dress' because I frankly don't want a sleeveless, backless, corseted job and can't fit in to a size 6 dress for someone who is 5ft1" tall... granted, the road I am on may end up more fun in the end, and indeed give better results, but it's a difficult one no less and one that has made me wish for a magic lamp to rub to shrink myself a good half foot on more than one occasion! ;))


Does anyone else out there relate?!
Abigail xo!

Details, details...

After booking our ceremony date a few months ago, we happened to cut through Marks and Spencer straight afterwards, and while their spring sale was on. There we found a beautiful hand woven tweed blazer that we both fell in love with, and it fitted Ryan like a dream, the last one left in his size! It seemed a little like fate, so we bought it and knew this would be what he wore for our Wedding day. When we got home, we found beautiful bridesmaids dresses in a perfectly toning pale blue-grey on Asos, and spotted some gorgeous hand-made navy leather brogues with red soles (the tweed has a hint of rusty red through it) on TK Maxx (our shoe bargain heaven of choice!) - before we knew it we had our colour-scheme, all centered around this jacket, and a big chunk of our to-do list ticked off... everything came together so quickly, it all felt just right, and, well, awesome!

Since then, we have been keeping our eyes out for the right shirt/tie/trousers to complete Ryan's look and yesterday we hit the jackpot. Anyone who has been following my wedding Pinterest board might realise I am a little obsessed with blue hydrangea (thank goodness we are getting married in season!) so when we found this shirt with BLUE HYDRANGEA on it we knew fate had dealt us another good hand...

Really enjoying having the details for our Wedding come together so naturally, and serendipitously. We are intent on keeping to a very strict budget for our big day (and are big bargain hunters at the best of times, anyway) so it's really nice to know that you don't have to spend a fortune, or go the utterly traditional route, to get something extra special and a little different.

Having a really strong idea of your theme, colour palette and aesthetic means you can take the time to shop the sales, take advantage of discount days online and take your time piecing your looks together... we're so happy we're doing this, and know it will lead to a beautiful day that won't leave us in a huge amount of debt when starting our married life! Yet another thing to look forward to!

A@a*r

Homes and Interiors...

Us designer types (*giggle*) need to keep an eye on things out there in the big, bad world, so we've been pretty much glued to the coverage of this years London Fashion Week.

One collection, in particular, has completely blown us away, that of, relatively new designer, Mary Kantrantzou.

While reminiscent of the work McQueen was so celebrated for in, sadly, his last few collections, here, digital printing has been taken to a whole new level of innovation and ingenuity.

The central conceit and influences and much more artfully described in this article on Style.com, but, even without the accompanying commentary, the clothes themselves are stunning and probably speak more than loudly enough.

Enjoy :)

ryan@abigail*ryan

(images: style.com)

Trippin' over these shoes!

I have a deeply secret shame...I LOVE shoes. Not in a manly, cool, distanced fashionista kind of way, but a full on girly, squealy, giggly love for them. For the longest time, I even considered becoming a shoe designer (a milliner, too...I was/am rather indecisive!).

Anyway, pottering about online today, I found this shoe collection and gasped...I may even have wee'd a tiny bit.

So...for all you fellow shoe lovers, make yourself a nice cup of tea, get some biscuits, maybe even light a scented candle- get yourself in the zone for some shoefull bliss.

Click here, and enjoy. The samples above are just a tiny taster of what's to come!

ryan@abigail*ryan