The Multi-Cultural Bride
by Chamein Canton

“Everything old is new again.” Today more than ever people are celebrating history and old fashioned things; it’s just a part of the circle of life.  Memories and past traditions serve as the ties that bind us to our families.

 As a wedding planner I have seen the number of weddings with multicultural themes double in the last ten years.  Many brides (and grooms) feel it’s important to pay homage to their heritage. Here’s a little background information on different bridal traditions.

 African- Traditional African attire is loose fitting. An example of this would be a buba (loose fitting blouse) a wrap skirt and a head wrap. However many designers tailor their designs to be modern with ethnic accents. Gowns using African fabrics are adorned with cowrie shells, embroidery or beads. Traditional African fabrics include dupioni, peau de soie, satin, and jacquard. Cassandra Broomfield and Therez Fleetwood are two designers who have successfully and beautifully combined rich Afrocentric accents to modern wedding gowns. 

  Asian- Red is the traditional wedding color in Japan and China as it represents love and prosperity. However in Japan the bride wears a white Kimono for the ceremony.  Silk and satin are the most commonly used fabrics for the wedding dress and Kimono. Saeyoung of Saeyoung Vu Couture designs modern and traditional (red) bridal wear for her bride’s needs.

 Indian- India has many different beliefs and culture. Still the Sari is foundation of the bride?s wedding attire. Made of raw silk or cotton this highly colorful Sari is worn in layers and is traditionally adorned with gold accents.  Millionaire Bombay India offers traditional Indian wedding attire in different styles.

 Latino- Is well known for beautiful lace gowns. However it’s the Mantilla that garners the most attention. Made to cover the face and shoulders, this veil is as beautiful as it is dramatic. There are many facets to Latino culture depending upon the region. Brides in many Latin-American countries wear a light blue petticoat or slip beneath their gown.  In Mexico brides may wear a Quinceanera Dress.  Quinceanera is traditionally the celebration of a Mexican girl’s 15^th birthday. However the style of gown (princess) is highly favored among brides. These dresses can be found at David’s Bridal and Sydney’s Closet.

 There are numerous cultural and ethnic traditions to explore and I’ve just covered a few.  Explore your heritage to see what traditions have been handed down through time. So if you want to show off your Fighting Irish spirit, maybe you can add a four-leaf clover appliqué to your gown. If your family has a crest; integrate it onto the train or on the bodice.

If you don’t have a family crest that’s fine. Go with something that’s unique to your family. Every family is unique so ask about your grandparents wedding or look at photos from other wedding celebrations to get some ideas.  Most of all don’t forget his family traditions.

 A wedding is more than just a ceremony and a reception it’s a celebration of love and commitment. Moreover it also represents the coming together of two families as one.

 For full-figured brides finding a gown that incorporates multicultural themes may seem like a daunting task as most designers cater to smaller figures. But take heart after a lot of research I found some designers that are really worth looking into.

Additional Resources

• Artsy & World Style Plus-Size Apparel Directory

• Recommended Wedding Guides

 Chamein Canton is the ground-breaking author of the plus-size wedding guide, You Go Down That Aisle in Style!

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Community Events: The Vegas BBW Bash - Tenth Anniversary, 2006

Let’s Get the Party Started

This past July 25 through July 30th  was Las Vegas Nevada’s BBW Bash hosted annually at the Stardust Hotel by the BBW Network.  Over a thousand people from the plus-size community gathered from all over the country and around the world for a full  week of socializing. Everyone had a common interest…. being plus sized themselves or being an admirer of voluptuous beauty. People plan up to a year ahead to attend this fun filled party that continues day and night for six days straight in Vegas, a city that never sleeps. They can attend dance lessons, pool exercises and relationship tips if they choose; or they can just gamble, eat, relax and make new friends on a daily basis. The night is where the big parties begin. After the pool get together each night  which lasted until midnight, BBW nightclubs from other states sponsored club parties. Tuesday evening Club Envy from Texas hosted a pool dance party. The party featured a show from “Big Bottom Girls” doing a Moulin Rouge review.  It was a sassy performance that made the crowd go wild.

On Wednesday events during the day included a seminar for men on “How to Meet and Talk to a Lady” and a rollicking Vegas Dice tournament.  That evening  was a pajama party hosted by Big Connections in Connecticut  which had the guest DJ “Fat Man”.Thursday early evening was karaoke with some fantastic singers, followed by  a fashion show by the vendors who showed a taste of their goods. All the models were bashers, some who never walked the catwalk before.  This was a great, ego boosting experience for them! Thursday night’s party was sponsored by BBW Radio out of Las Vegas with the theme of “schoolgirl”.  Many dressed up for the occasion. “Tofu” was spinning  some great dance tunes all night.  Bash goers got to practice the moves they had learned earlier in the day from regular basher, Michael, had given dance lessons on the Electric Slide and Cha Cha slide. Singer, Kim Yarbrough, entertains guests at the Saturday evening formal ball of the 2006 Vegas BBW Bash

Friday was the Vendors Fair where shops from all over came to sell their clothes, jewelry, art and crafts …. all geared for the plus size community. A size acceptance and self-esteem seminar was available during the day.  Friday evening began with a fabulous masquerade ball featuring  fun, sexy costumes that showed the flirtatious personality of each guest. Then the partying started with Club Bounce from Long Beach, California who brought their own Dj Skelly  to spin hip hop and old school. Bounce had an awesome show with the “Plumpa Humpa Allstars” and the new fantastic emcee “Tree” who took over the stage and made the crowd go wild with his new song “Fat Girl”. Saturday was another chance to see the vendors and then begin putting on your best outfit for the dinner dance. Joann and Darwin Bellemore, the creators of the Vegas BBW Bash, wanted to make the bashers feel special at this event; and they succeeded. There was a real red carpet with photographer, interviewers and  stunning formal attire to make you feel like a celebrity. After the red carpet affair guests entered a huge ballroom with gorgeous decorations, food and great entertainment. The ultimate desert topped the menu, a decadent creation of three chocolate fountains of dark, white and milk chocolate for dipping fruit, marshmallows and cake. The ball was the highlight of the week. Attendees surprised the bash organizers, Darwin and Joann Bellemore, with a special presentation of thanks for all their hard work and gifted them with a cruise. Entertainment was BBW singing diva Kim Yarbrough who had the whole room mesmerized by her spectacular voice. Then there was dancing, and off to the last club party held by Club Fulfilled from Phoenix, Arizona. All the bashers had a blast, to say the least, and danced until dawn.  I have never seen so many wonderful people feeling comfortable, alive and having a blast being completely themselves with such a huge group of like-minded people. There were about 1,200 attendees by the weekend. It is so heartwarming to see everyone making new friends, greeting old ones and finding common ground to let loose and have fun. The Bash was covered by NBC Travel which followed several bashers to learn what the event was all about. An independent documentary film-maker, Kira, a BBW herself, was also on-hand filming footage for her project “The BBW World: Under the Fat” which she is planning to submit to Sun Dance upon completion. This is an experience many will never forget …. fun friends, and total acceptance of who you are. Everyone should have such a great experience and they can next year! About the Vegas BBW Bash Hosts Ten years ago Joann Bellemore had a dream. She wanted to get a group of BBW’s together in a fun, relaxed and supportive social environment where networking, acceptance and new friends were the highlights. The first bash had fifty attendees. This year they welcomed over 1300 BBW’s and their admirers to Vegas to celebrate the tenth anniversary!Joann, along with her husband Darwin begin planning for these popular events almost as soon as the most recent bash is finished. Today, many people appreciate their hard work and attention to all the little details that make such a large event a success year after year, making the Vegas Bash their annual vacation destination.  Las Vegas BBW Bash founder Joann Bellemore and her husband, Darwin © Cher Rue 2006 Many of the photos pictured below were taken by the official event photographer, Rob Saunders, who will have a CD of the event available for purchase. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Breast Cancer. Two Vegas Bash 2006 attendees enjoying the pool. Kim Yarbrough singing at the Saturday evening Gala Ball. Club Bounce party sponsors, Lisa Marie and Cher Rue flanking DJ Skelly at the Saturday evening Red Carpet event. BBW Basher strutting her stuff down the catwalk to applause at the Fashion Show. Singing and dancing the night away at Karaoke Night. All dressed up for School Girl Night. Voluptuous bathing beauties relaxing in the pool. In the spotlight, diva Kim Yarbrough entertaining in style.

Popularity: 46% [?]

Money Talk for Women

Achieve Your Dreams…. Start with a Budget!

by Monica Rasso, Regularly Contributing Author at Elegant Plus Magazine

Both large and small dreams begin with budgeting. Whether you are looking for some great new fall accessories or need to save for your dream house, a budget is a great place to start.

People often shy away from the term “budget.” That simple word can evoke a feeling of fear in many people. Why? For the same reason most diets do not work: sacrifice. If you have to save now, you can’t have what you want right now. However, budgeting can be done without pain. You may not have to sacrifice now. There is no need to feel the hunger pangs of going without the things you want.

A budget is simply a plan for your money. Just like the care you put into planning your wardrobe the night before work, here are a few steps in planning your money with just as much attention to detail.

1. Find your “why.” Why do you want to save? Are you saving for a particular event or purchase? What does that event or item mean to you? 

2. Discover where your money is going currently. First, figure out how much you have to spend on the fixed expenses such as rent/mortgage, car payment or any other expense that requires a fixed dollar amount each month. These payments are not flexible. Most advisors would then say to figure out where you are spending the rest of your money. I say go to step two.

3. Plan where you want to spend your variable money. If you would have looked at where your extra money is going now, you’d probably start kicking yourself for spending $4 on a smoothie at Dunkin Donuts everyday (ok, so maybe that’s just me). I say, plan where you want to spend your money and stick with it. With the money you have left after fixed expenses, you plan for what are called the variable expenses. These type of expenses will change from month to month. Variable expenses are what you spend all the rest of your money on after the fixed payments are paid.

4. Organize your money. How do you keep from overspending? If you are computer savvy, the best tool that I have seen to help stick to your plan is a program called Microsoft Money. You can set up the amount you would like to spend in each variable category per month. Every night (or week), enter your receipts into the program and select the proper budgeting category. You can quickly see if you have gone over your predetermined allowance.

5. Create separate accounts. Open a checking account for use on your regular expenditures. Open a savings account that is to be rarely, if ever, touched.

6. Use direct deposit. If your company offers direct deposit, use it. You can usually allocate how much money you would like to go into each of your accounts. A smart plan includes selecting a certain dollar amount or percentage of your paycheck to go directly into savings. This should be in addition to any retirement accounts to which you already contribute. Since the money is taken out of your check before you see it, you probably won’t miss it. If you don’t have direct deposit, when you go to the bank to cash your check, put a certain amount into savings each month.

7. Re-evaluate every six months. Can you start putting more into savings without feeling like you are painfully sacrificing? You may start looking at investments that pay better interest than a simple savings account, such as a CD or mutual fund.

After you have created your budget and successfully saved, you should take a moment to celebrate your success. Take time to reflect on the reason that you developed your budget. What was your “why”? When you see the money piling up in your savings account each month, you will be sure to smile. Take time to reflect on your success and be proud that you set a goal and were able to stick to it.

Popularity: 13% [?]

Parenting…. Plus Style
 Guiding Your Child’s Wardrobe

As the new school year approaches, I project that there will be at least 15 million arguments each day between parents and their children on what they should wear.  How do I figure that?  Well, according to the US Census bureau in 2004, there are 293.5 million people in America.  About 60 million of those are children under age 14.   As I recall the many “discussions” my mom had with my brother and I on our wardrobe selections, I really think 15 million is being generous!   How many of you would like to avoid some arguments this year?  Read on and work your magic!

 Clothes have always been a means for expression.  Toddlers (and some husband) try to run naked whenever possible.  Preschoolers enjoying wearing pajamas all day, while many elementary students desire comfort over fashion.  The really fun youngsters like to wear Princess or Superman costumes the entire day… including class picture day!  From what I have read, we should encourage our children’s creativity and allow them to express themselves with their clothing (obviously, as long as the private parts are covered).  But what do we do when today is our family reunion, or even more practically, if it is December and your child wants to wear a swimsuit and flippers to go to grandma’s house?!?!

 In the same way that we teach our children manners, we must show them that certain things are acceptable in the comforts of your home, while other rules apply to what is acceptable in public.  You must set guidelines and lead by example.  Here are some general examples to consider:

1. Clothes must be weather appropriate.  No swimwear in December or winter coats in August. 
2. Clothes and accessories must not endanger the child or others.  No spikes on the school bus!
3. Clothes (and makeup) must be age-appropriate.  I will not even list all the dangers involved when children misrepresent their age or maturity level.

We must encourage our children to make acceptable choices by providing options that fit within the guidelines.  If it is acceptable for girls to wear Capri pants to school, then allow your daughter to select which color and, if it is in your budget, possibly the brand name.  If your child has a favorite t-shirt that is getting tattered and torn, suggest buying a similar one to replace the old one. 

How do we change habits that have already been set?  Repetition becomes a habit in as little as three months time.  For example, if it is in your routine to dress up for church on Sunday, generally your kids will not fight you much on this.  You have to make it a habit to differentiate between “types” of clothing, such as “school clothes” or “play clothes.”  Make up your own category as needed.  Help your child to establish a habit of wearing certain clothes only at the appropriate times. 

There are many esteem issues that are reflected in your child’s clothing selection.  If your child selects an image that you do not understand or agree with, you may want to spend some time getting to know why this image is important to them or what attracts them to a certain look.  Try not to stereotype.  If you son goes Goth and wears all black, listen to why he prefers that look.  You may choose to explain that unfortunately our society views and judges people on their appearance.  I do not have a PhD in child psychology, but I do know that you can either accept that the clothes do not make the person or you can accept that children need our guidance and are sometimes not mature enough to make certain selections themselves. 

 We love our children above all.  In loving them, we must set rules to protect them.  We want our rules to be decent, fair, and so acceptable that do not seem like “rules” but rather “guideline” whereby children feel that they are expressing themselves as they wish. 

Elegant Plus Shopping Resources

• Children’s Apparel Directory

• Young & Trendy Teen and Tween Plus-Size Clothing Directory

Monica Rasso © 2006

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