Plus Size Bridal just got a TV show makeover…
Girl, we have you covered for your long-weekend binge watching, because who doesn’t love looking at extraordinary gowns, happy women and having a feel-good body-confident moment, all from the comfort of your couch?
This week PeopleTV launched the first 3 episodes of The Perfect Fit, a 6-part series focused on curvy brides. We got a chance to catch up with the host Shannelle Armstrong-Fowler about what audiences can expect from The Perfect Fit. It is a show filmed in her plus size bridal boutique in Chicago, Haute & Co, where she and her all-female staff provide a fat-shame-free environment for women size 14 to 32 and help each find the couture stylings they’ve been hoping for.
“4 years ago the producer from Authentic Entertainment reached out because they were looking for concepts around bridal and they found an article about me through refinery29, I think. Over the course of 4 years we developed ideas, that would honor a woman’s journey… and also showed a very body positive message.”
If you think this is just another Say Yes to The Dress guilty pleasure, you would be wrong. The Perfect Fit is different. It is slated to be uplifting and educational as women learn to explore fashion and how they view themselves.
Shannelle explains, “We are about re-languaging the way she speaks about her body, like getting rid of the word flattering, which suggests there are flaws that are being covered. There is so much more in the vast English language to describe women, their bodies and their gowns. The conversation has to be more about the gown and not her body. The gown didn’t work? OK, let’s try another gown… it shouldn’t be about that her body didn’t body gown.”
Her motto is “Style, Snatch and Slay”:
Style: Find each bride her perfect wedding gown.
Snatch: Alter each dress to hug and accentuate all the right curves.
Slay: Ensure each bride looks as fierce as possible on her wedding day and is ready to make the aisle her own personal runway.”
The Perfect Fit is a story about women trying to learn to love their bodies and express themselves with the all the fashions available. At every size, there is a pressure to get the perfect dress for your dream wedding and The Perfect Fit will show us how each of these women on the show is a real client – “member of her tribe”- and walk us through the diverse styles her store carries that sets them apart from the others. “The fashions are stunning. If you want to accentuate your hips and waist with a form fitting (dress), we got you. If you want to be princess for a day, we have that. If you are more boho chic, we have that too. We have styles that are contemporary and now.”
Some of the labels they carry include, WToo by Watters, Essense of Australia, Amare Couture, and Casablanca. Their bridesmaid collections come in Sizes 8 to 30 in store. (Sizes 2 to size 36 can be ordered).
Beyond the body positive message the show hopes to bring to audiences, the women of Haute & Co are trailblazers in the fashion world to push brands to accommodate the needs of their curvy clients. “We advocate with designers and retailers to let them know what the styles and sizes their clients are asking for.”
We know that after you binge the first 3 episodes you will be looking for more. Lucky for us, second half of the series will be available for streaming Tuesday, January 16th. If you find yourself in the market for a gown of your own, Ms. Armstrong-Fowler proclaims that they are always welcoming new brides and to just call and make an appointment with one of her ‘fairy godmothers!”
#ThePerfectFit @PeopleTV
The first three are up now. Then the first 3 next tuesday.
Words: Renee Cafaro