Plus Size Evening Dresses and Gowns
26 Aug 2008 • Singapore - North, Singapore - South, Where To Shop
I had received quite a few enquiries on where to get pretty evening dresses, gowns, etc. Well, this post was actually long overdue. Let me share with you where you can get some nice decent gowns.
Being plus sized doesn’t mean that you are unable to get evening dresses or gowns for your important occassions, that party dress. No. No. No. There are always options available. If you are thinking of getting nice dresses off the shelf, you can consider Dorothy Perkins, they don’t have many but selected few.
Otherwise, I will recommend tailors!!! I swear by tailors! They are great! Everything made to fit you perfectly. If you got it, flaunt it! I have now, 5 evening dress, all tailor-made, 1 from a seamtress in Chinatown, the other 4 all from Artiris. Let me share with you some of my insights…
Click on the thumbnails for a bigger image.
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Black Long Tail Gown with Silver Beadings
Cost approx $300
I had this tailor made at Artiris in Year 2004, when I had a business gala dinner. I wanted something really formal and I always wanted a long tail (those that drag the floor kind). Can’t fit into this now but I still love it. |
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If you are having a long tail, do choose fabric that are not so heavy so it doesn’t weigh you down. In this case, the 1st layer of this dress cuts up to give it more flow and lightness. |
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If choosing an all-black ensemble, do ensure that you accessorize appropriately. In this case, this dress has a section of silver beads after the waist. |
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Don’t go for pure solid black. Go for layers – translucency for that allure. |
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If you have big arms, a matching shawl will do good. |
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If you have a big tummy or small bust, have your dress as empire cut (high waist, slightly after the under-bust), it really flatters |
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“Marilyn Monroe” Bare-Back Halter Neck Evening Dress
Cost approx $250
I had this tailor made at a seamstress in Chinatown in Year 2006 for a themed party – Superstars Nite. I had always loved that Marilyn Monroe dress and this was tailored similar to it. The seamstress was great. She had it done for my 1st fitting in 2 days. The only drawback was that I had to get my own fabric. The 2 layers of fabric that I got from Chinatown Market, however, only cost me less than $30. I have worn this on a couple of occassions -wedding, as an emcee, dinners, etc. It has a dangerously low cut front and a bare back. |
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If you have got what it takes, flaunt it! Go for a deep V if you wanna show that cleavage. |
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When wearing an all-white to a wedding, remember to do a courtesy check to see if the bride minds, otherwise, just don’t wear an all-white to the wedding, you ain’t the bride. |
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Remember to do a body scrub 1 day before you wear any skin revealing clothes, especially a bare back. You wanna look and feel good! |
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For a dress of such nature, go for soft and light fabric for its bounciness and flow. You want your skirt to blow in the wind. |
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Do not wear a bra in such dangerously low cut front. Go for nipple tapes and body tapes which are widely available in Watsons, Marks & Spencers, Guardian, etc. |
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Green Dress with Beadings
Cost approx $300
I had this tailor made at Artiris in Year 2004 for a themed party – Prom Nite. I was the chairman and also the emcee, so something pretty is nice. This dress has a slim A-line cut which brings out the curves of the hips. Its long length gives me that extra height (provided you wear heels). Sadly, I can’t fit into this anymore but still love it, of course. |
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When going for colours, do choose one that suits your skin colour. Otherwise, it may turn up disastrous. Choosing the right colour will bring up the “luminosity” of your skin. |
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When choosing tricky colours such as green, go for a bit of fabric effects – such as glitter, textured, etc so that the colour does not look so stark. |
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If you are going for a more structured look, choose fabric of medium texture. You may couple it with a soft flowy shawl to balance it out. |
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If you have narrow shoulders, a “deep inward” shoulder strap will enhance your shoulder width and also increase the comfort leve. |
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Blue Casual Evening Knee-Length Dress with Beadings and Painting
Cost approx $250
I had this tailor made at Artiris in Year 2007 for a friend’s wedding – supposed to wear all blue as sisters. The translucent fabric on top of the white cotton base makes me feel all princessy again. The only drawback with this dress is that it has a bust support which, if not tailored properly, may not look good. However, I really love the blue. |
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A knee-length dress or shorter, will give a more casual look and feel to any dress. |
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If you have small bust, do not opt for bust support, it will normally not look as great as with you wearing a bra. |
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If you have a big tummy or small bust, have your dress as empire cut (high waist, slightly after the under-bust), it really flatters |
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If you have big arms and would like to have some sleeves without looking out of date, go for translucent cap sleeves. They look great. Just make sure the cap sleeves is long enough. If the cap sleeves are too short, it will have an adverse effect of making your arms look bigger visually. |
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Where Can You Tailor Made Your Dress?
- Artiris – AMK Hub #02-11 Tel: 6484 0543 ROM PACKAGES AVAILABLE!
- Chinatown Seamstress – May Hp: 97424934 (located somewhere at Trengganu Street)
Or if time or budget is the constraint, and you are ok UK18-22, you can give me a buzz and I will be glad to lend you my dresses at no charges but you must take extra care of them, of course. 
We are having a FLEA MARKET on 11/12 Sep!!! Both homeshop and online shopping closed till 14 Sep. Do come down to the FLEA MARKET to shop with us! All prices slashed with lots of $5, $10, $15 SALE ITEMS!
July 8th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
recommends May call her mobile when you’re in singapore
July 25th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
May does real good made-to-measure for plus sizes.
Always does mine with her when i goes to Singapore.
May – hp: 97424934
August 25th, 2009 at 11:44 am
I had a dress made for my cousin’s wedding, and I had it made in Bangkok, Thailand. If you girls are planning a trip to bangkok, be sure to get a tailor-made dress for special occasions, it cost me about S$60 only! It can be done in a couple of days, so go and get measured on the first day of your trip, and collect it just before you leave, there’s a whole stretch of cheap and good tailors on a street there you just need to ask the hotel.
Also, you can get great tailor-made shirts for work there too, about S$15 to S$20 per shirt, very cheap and well-made! You get to choose your own material and designs, and service is quite good too!
August 25th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Hi, Vivian…thanks for your contribution! your comments have been most helpful!!!
January 21st, 2010 at 12:44 am
hi i need to attend a church wedding and need to find dress by this friday because the wedding is on sat so if possible can i borrow from you because of budget and time constraint thats why did not purchase pls reply asap the best e-mail me asap can thanks
January 21st, 2010 at 7:48 am
Karen, sorry, may I know what’s your size? I do have some dinner dresses (fits 3X – 4X) for rent. Sorry, dresses on sale are not for rental.
June 23rd, 2010 at 10:49 am
prom dresses from JC Penney are great looking and cheap too.’.,