Girls In White Dresses

    It's First Communion time at our church.  Boys in vests, shirts and ties -- save one who showed up in his best blue & red plaid flannel shirt -- and girls in white dresses.  No veils, though. Either they are out of vogue in general or just not worn here in OZ. You'll notice a few faux fur capes, though.  It's winter here.  The daytime temp was 62F.  Brrrrrrrrrrr. I like the sight of it all. 

Weddings 2 Love

   Walking home from church there are more white dresses for girls displayed prominently in the window facing the main street. Drool, drool, drool.  It is a new wedding dress shop. Wedding dresses for women "of size".  And this specialty makes it unusual indeed. Weddings 2 Love starts where most bridal shops leave off.  Yes, leave off.  Most bridal shops here in Western Australia refuse to stock dresses larger than a size 12 - which in North American sizes is a 10.  Even stores run by plus-sized women unapologetically refuse to carry or order larger sizes.    Unbelievable.    In a land where the public health sirens shriek "We're one Big Mac away from looking like Americans" , merchants are in complete denial about their customer base.  Weddings 2 Love starts at size 14 and goes to 34.  I like the way many of the styles proprietor Donna picks have lots of detailing at the top part of the dress instead of the bottom.  Why draw everyone's attention to the bride's knees when her glowing face is above her neck? And most of the dresses have a thin chiffon ethereal look without adding weight to the overall appearance.  Alas, to my tastes at least, there are too many strapless gowns.  Brides love them but I think too few are done real justice by them. Oh well.  It is a treat to walk and gawk past these ever-changing windows.


   This brings up the question of fashion for the Reubenesque figure.  I've heard women comment (and sometimes noticed myself) that whatever is in style this year in Europe and the US will take about a year or so to make to Australia.  Make that two decades for larger sized clothing.   Just as larger women (and pregnant ones, also) used to complain that the only clothing available seemed to be shapeless polyester with entirely too much wide elastic banding, Australian women are left wanting also.  Where was the sharp business wear?  The hot evening wear? The I-still-have-some-self-respect wear?  The  US garment industry got the message and responded. Larger Australian women wear clothing made of uneven patchwork squares (supposed to fool the eye this is)  and ghastly clingy thin polyester (count my rolls of flesh, please.)  I believe that online shopping from foreign companies that understand this need will shorten the fashion learning curve here in OZ.  
   I hope so, anyway.