what to expect when shopping at rare
rare is built on a foundation of inclusivity and we are committed to making it a safe environment for all. we are a judgement free store and only body positivity is welcome here! we have curated a collection of over 200 wedding dresses specifically designed with the plus size bride in mind. our samples range from bridal size 18-36 with a vast majority of dressing having an unlimited size chart.
we will never ask you to hold a dress up and imagine how it’s going to look in your size. no mannequins will be wheeled into your room to show you how a dress is “supposed” to fit. it was our goal to have dresses that an 18 or a 28 could actually put on their body and see every amazing detail.
everyone and every’body’ is welcome at rare! you will not be turned away or treated any different because of your size or who you love! when it comes to sizing, we believe the number inside a dress is just that, a number. it does not determine your worth whatsoever. bridal sizing is dumb and completely different depending on the designer. when ordering a dress our job is to get as close of a fit as possible. we will never be judging you based on where you fall on a designers size chart. with all that being said, if the number is something that is giving you too much negative energy, cut it out of your dress, get rid of it, even burn the tag if you want! just make sure to remember to tell yourself that you are a gorgeous badass who found the love of their life!
we know that not every bride is the same. some brides want to feel like a princess on their big day while others want to live out their boho fantasy. at the same time there are brides who just do not care what they wear, but know they want some kind of dress. we also know that throughout the years, bridal fashion has not been kind to plus size brides. most plus size gowns are outdated and designers assume that every bride wants to completely cover up. we know this isn’t the case and made that a point when hand picking our dresses! we wanted to carry a wide variety of styles to give our brides more than three options to choose from!
here’s a quick rundown of how an appointment at rare bridal bar works…
when you walk into rare you will be greeted by your stylist and the rare team, and will be shown to your own private wedding suite. from there you will have one on one time with your stylist looking through our entire selection of gowns. you’ll be able to share your likes and dislikes of dresses and get to know your stylist before trying anything on. if you have absolutely no idea what you’re looking for, no worries! that’s what we’re here for!
from there, your stylist will bring dresses into the wedding suite for you to try on. your stylist will be in the room with you to help you into the dresses, so make sure you are wearing undergarments you feel comfortable and confident in. some dresses are a little complicated to get into, some will be too big, and some may be smaller which is why your stylist is there to help zip and clip you into them. if you would feel more comfortable having your stylist wait outside of the room while you get into the dress, we can make that happen as well. we want you to feel comfortable throughout your entire dress shopping experience and are here to help you in whatever way we can.
don’t be surprised if the first dress you try on at rare ends up being THE dress! there’s a little first dress magic that happens here, but whether you find it on the first dress or the 5th, a celebration will be taking place! we will bring a round of our rare signature drink for you and your group to cheers and celebrate this magical moment! before leaving you can’t forget to pop confetti! we love to end the celebration with a bang!
