Hi.
Lets hope this works. I am totally baffled by all the tech stuff I am finding myself surrounded with lately so I fiquired I will take a leap and see where I land and hopefully be able to master blogging as I go.
A bit about me. In a nutshell, I am a thirty something mother of 2 and wife of a very understanding, patient husband. Almost 2 years ago I came to the conclusion that I was never going to lose my childhood puppy fat unless I did something about it. I got a trainer and went on diet and shed 36kg. Not until I was smaller and lighter than I had ever been in my life since I was a 12 year old did I realise that size did make a difference for me.
This realisation however made me more determined to follow my dreams.
As an 18 year old , I had a flare for design and a talent that was passed on through the family of being able to make my own clothes. I would love seeing what was out there to wear, but not dare bother about trying it on as it would never be big enough. Then head home and whip up the same but in my size and wear it out with my friends. I never really had an opportunity for the same retail therapy rush as my smaller friends but I got the compliments at the end of the day on the way I looked and that made up for it.
For over a decade now I have driven my husband mad by pointing out the styles, colours, prints etc that a bigger woman should be able to buy. But no one dares to go bigger in the middle market.
Why!!!!!! There are so many beautiful women out there bigger than a 14. I am talking about the women that have boobs, that have curves, that have gorgeous proportions that drive men insane. Gorgeous hair, eyes, sense of style, skin and just beautiful but not little. They might be tall, they might be heavy set, muscular whatever. Usually they are bright, outgoing, successful and want to enjoy life.
and they want to go shopping and wear the latest trends as seen in vogue etc.
So this is where my dream comes into it. I finally got the self confidence to realise that I have done the homework. I went through design school, got the bottom of the food chain job in a fashion company and worked my way up to head designer. Dabbled in babies wear as all new mums do. Designed and made couture gowns for clients in bridal for the last 7 years.
Then I woke up one day and said I knew what the 1st step to my big picture was and 3 months later I had a clothing boutique of my own.
I opened Miss Carla (http://www.misscarla.com.au/) in Aug 2010. My biggest mission has been finding the right stock. No one sells it as no one makes it! January I moved my cutting table and patternmaking equipment into the store and started getting creative. I am loving it.
But.....
I have learnt so much about size and shopping. Women are crazy! Somehow society has messed self image up so completly.
I have not labelled my boutique as plus size. Why should it be anything different? I don't want it to be seen as somewhere for special people. I started stocking size 12 up and soon realised that smaller ladies were offended. So I started from size 8-22. Then I found women would not want to shop where bigger women were shopping. Oh please!!!!! I have bustierres, strappy cocktail dresses, latest designer denim, asymetric neckline tops, minis etc......it is not a tent shop.
So now with a handful of my own designs I am finally getting the on trend styles across all sizes. I am sold out on the small and med. I have a mission on getting the women I want in here and buying. I hate labeling like this but if a size 10 and 16 walk through the door. The 10 will buy something, the 16 will look at hanbags and once they see there are bigger sizes will move on to look at jewellery. Why?
Anyway I am going to publish this and see what happens....... thanks for readingxxxxxxx
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