OOOF I know, what a title, but we actually do still need to talk about this. Recently, I was styling a shoot with a UK size 26 model. Absolutely 10/10 stunner of a babe. The shoot was incredible (quick phone snap preview above!!) and you’ll see the rest of the photos in the magazine soon. BUT LET ME TELL YOU, it was so hard to find designers who actually had size 26 samples available to loan or try on.
Sure, plenty will say, “Oh, we can make our dresses in any size…” But you only get to see yourself in a dress that fits after you’ve picked your design, have it made and, oh yeah, pay thousands of pounds for it.
Believe me, I understand the limitations designers and boutiques face when stocking samples in different sizes. Dresses samples cost money, space costs money and small businesses have tiny margins as it is. But as long as the industry keeps burying its head in the sand and pointing the blame towards other people, nothing is going to change.
Things have got better in recent years. More boutiques now have samples up to a size 18 or 20, but what do you do if you’re bigger than that? With our size 26 model, a lot of the usual brands I work with just couldn’t deliver. “If she was a size 20, we’d love to work with you,” they’d say. OK, great. But not at all helpful in this instance.
So I’ve done the legwork for you and here’s a list of some designers and boutiques who have sample sizes above a UK size 20 ready to try on in their shops or studios. Please note, the sample ranges describe the collection as a whole, so not every design will be available in every size. Bridal sizing also varies between designers, so before visiting, don’t be afraid to share your measurements and ask which styles you can try before travelling.
Rosie Red Corsetry & Couture, Oxfordshire
Rosie Red Corsetry & Couture creates bespoke bridalwear for all body types, with corsetry, interchangeable pieces and personalised details. She uses more supportive corsets and shapes developed with fuller figures in mind. The bespoke process includes a cotton toile fitting to work out the fit before the final garment is made.
“As a bespoke designer, I work a little bit differently”, she says, “because all of my samples are samples I’ve created for photo shoots, rather than samples I’ve bought in for brides to try on. That means I don’t have rails and rails of samples, but I do make sure that I cover a really broad spectrum so that all of my brides can try on and feel what a real corset feels like. Before a meeting I always ask for a rough size of my bride so that I am able to choose our samples that will work for them. Honestly, if I didn’t have something that would fit, I would whip something up especially. That’s how strong my views are on this.”
Sample sizes available to try on: UK 10-38
Rebel Wedding Emporium, Birmingham
Rebel Wedding Emporium opens next month in Digbeth, Birmingham as the new home of designers The Couture Company and Scarlet Tayla. The boutique has been created for those who want to break away from tradition and express their own unique style. Whether your vision is gothic and dramatic, colourful and flamboyant, effortlessly cool, vintage-inspired, beautifully rebellious or completely your own. They will here to help you design and create an outfit that feels unmistakably you.
Sample sizes available to try on: UK 10-28
Lucy Can’t Dance, Essex
Dip dye, colour, lace overlays and separates give Lucy Can’t Dance brides plenty to play with. Its dedicated sample-size page lists the actual pieces available in the studio, including several size 30 dresses and size 26 options. Everything is handmade, with made-to-measure and customisation options available, and they always make the bigger sample sizes with each new collection launch.
Sample sizes available to try on: UK 8–30
Coven & Court, Greater Manchester
Another new boutique on the block, Coven & Court’s alternative collection includes black dresses, jumpsuits and separates, with designers including Sydney’s Closet Bridal and Bête Noire. They open their doors in Stalybridge later this month.
Sample sizes available to try on: UK 8-32
Lush Curve Bridal, Surrey
Lush Curve specialises in plus size bridal, with over 40 dresses available to try in UK sizes 18–32. Its Studio Levana collection includes fitted dresses, black options and detachable sleeves, with support built into the designs. Best of all, the website lists individual sample sizes, so you can see which dresses are available in what sizes before booking.
Sample sizes available to try on: UK 16–30
Velvet Queen, Portsmouth
Velvet Queen explicitly makes stocking samples brides can actually try one of its priorities. There are over 100 wedding dresses in the boutique’s collection, with ready-to-wear and made-to-order options.
Sample sizes available to try on: UK 6–28
Angelica Bridal Curve, London
Angelica Bridal has a dedicated Curve boutique on Liverpool Road in Islington, with designer samples in UK sizes 16–28. Their separate Camden Passage boutique carries smaller samples, so choosing the right location matters. The Curve store also has a mid-size range. They showcase international bridal designers with a modern and feminine twist in mind.
Sample sizes available to try on: UK 16–28
Rebecca James Bridal, Belfast
Formerly Curvy Chic Bridal, Rebecca James Bridal began after its founder’s own experience of limited choice as a curvy bride. They carry one of the widest size ranges we found! All of their collections are inclusive sizing collections, not ‘up-sized’ and created with every size women in mind.
Sample sizes available to try on: UK 14–46
The Sentimentalist, Atlanta
The Sentimentalist is a family-owned shop which is both inclusive and a little alternative, a safe space safe for all bodies that wanna rock a cool frock. Their collection features mostly independent American designers and focuses on customisable dresses, unusual silhouettes and alternative bridal style.
Sample sizes available to try on: US 2–24
Kate’s Bridal Room, Lancashire
Kate’s Bridal Room specialises in curvy brides, with more than 70 dresses available to try. While their styles are more on the traditional end, they focus on having a range of different shapes in curve-friendly samples.
Sample sizes available to try on: UK 14-36
Distinctive Bridal, Shrewsbury
Distinctive Bridal specialises exclusively in curvy brides, with traditional and alternative dresses, including colour, prints and black options. Much of its stock is sold off the rail, so you can try the actual dress you’re buying. Its orderable Curvaceous collection offers changes to colours and designs, plus corset-back or zip-back options on most gowns.
Sample sizes available to try on: UK 16–30
wed2b, UK-wide
wed2b stocks dresses to try and buy off the rail, so you can see the actual dress on your body and take it home that day. Not every design is available in every size and their designs are mostly on the classic/ timeless bridal edge of the design scale, but their plus size collection does run from UK 18–30. Availability varies by branch and style, so check with the team about options in your size before travelling.
Sample sizes available to try on: UK 6-30
The Silver Sixpence, Saltburn-by-the-Sea
Run by mother-and-daughter team Wendy and Ellie, The Silver Sixpence has over 150 wedding dresses, with samples in sizes 12–40 and every size in between. The collection is chosen by curvy women, for curvy women, with attention paid to structure, support and having an actual choice of styles. There are no extra charges for ordering a bigger size, and many designs can be customised, including split sizing if your bust, waist and hips need different sizes. Appointments are private, giving you the changing room and your stylist’s attention to yourself.
Sample sizes available to try on: UK 12–40
Della Curva, Los Angeles
Located in Tarzana, California, a Los Angeles suburb, Della Curva is proud to be Southern California’s only plus-size and mid-size bridal salon exclusively catering to full-figured, curvy brides. They take great pride in creating the very best shopping experience and stock designers such as Essense of Australia, Madi Lane and Stella York.
Sample sizes available to try on: US 16-34
Bombshell Bridal Boutique, Michigan
Bombshell opened as a plus size bridal boutique in 2011 after founder Amanda’s own disappointing experience shopping for her wedding dress. Their team understands fit, support and dressing bigger bodies. They hand-select the best designer styles from around the world so whether your style is classic and timeless, bold and sexy, or something in between, you should be able to find a gown that speaks to you.
Sample sizes available to try on: US 14-40