Happy Wednesday everyone, I hope you are all having a great week! I have to say that this week is much better than the last one and my energy is renewed. I cannot thank you enough for all of your messages and words of support, it truly means a lot.
Today’s collaboration is the result of the universe bringing people together at the right time and taking a chance. I had come across the Instagram account for Kurves by Kimi earlier this year and fell in love with their collection of gorgeous gowns. Then when I was in LA in August, their team reached out to me and asked if I was interested in working with them. Since they are based in LA and I was in town, I asked if they wanted to have a meeting and they said yes!
I had the pleasure of sitting down with their CEO and Founder Kimi Verma and her energy and positive attitude was infectious as soon as she entered the room. We had some coffee and a chat and hit it off immediately. Kimi has made thousands of gowns and she has an appreciation for the fact that the plus size market is definitely underserved. I was like a kid in a candy store being in their show room with all the glamourous beautiful gowns on display and the racks of choices. They were so elegant and sparkly and would make any girl feel like a queen.
During our chat I asked Kimi why she decided to start a plus size line and it was such a heart warming story, if you read her About Us page on her website you will see just how much. It was based on “Empathy”. She had seen too many girls come into her show room or store and be heart broken when they found a dress they loved but it didn’t fit. It would often be for a special occasion in their life and the emotion of not being able to find anything that fit would often take its toll and they would end up in tears. As Kimi so eloquently states:
“I’ve always admired those who have the courage to act on their convictions. I decided that I needed to do my part by following my own heart. I believe that every woman, young or old, curvy or not deserves to feel beautiful everyday and above all at the major milestones in their lives. It didn’t feel fair that curvy or plus sized girls and women didn’t have the same options others do.”
And if that’s not enough their mission is a powerful one:
- We want the 67% of women who are considered plus-sized or curvy to feel like front row citizens. We want them to feel empowered and valued.
- We want real girls and real curves to be a part of our story. We want you to model our dresses.
- We want you to tell us your story. We want you to help other girls feel more confident about themselves irrespective of their size
So of course I couldn’t sit in a showroom of beautiful dresses without getting to play dress up. Kurves by Kimi carries sizes 16W to 26W so as always I was a little nervous as to whether a 26 would fit me, particularly because it was evening wear. But I have to say I was presently surprised with the generous fit. And if you need a larger size? Don’t worry because they also offer a custom measurements option where you can have any dress made to fit your exact measurements. If you have a unique shape or are in between sizes this is a great option. Or if you want your gown to fit perfectly then you have the opportunity to enjoy that experience instead of ordering off the rack, maybe in a larger size and then paying for what can often be expensive alterations. And the best part is that it is only an additional $40 to have it custom fit.
One of the things that Kimi asked me when we were chatting was what is your dream dress that you haven’t been able to find because I want to make it for you. This took me by surprise at first because as a plus size women I have felt the need to settle so many times over the years as there were limited options available. And when I was in my twenties and needed a lot of formal gowns I would take to choosing patterns at the fabric store and having a seamstress make my dresses.
My immediate response was a form fitting mermaid style gown. It’s pretty easy for me to find a fit and flare dress that fits me but anything that truly hugs my curves has always been a challenge. And I had happened to eye one on one of the racks when I was looking that I immediately fell in love with. The Embellished V Neck Gown is an absolute stunner from head to toe and is definitely a WOW dress. If you are wearing this, you will be sure to turn heads.
This dress is available in several different colour options. I am wearing the rose gold which is currently not shown on the site but if you contact customer service they will be able to take great care of you and let you know what colours they have available. I love this dress because it gave me Old Hollywood red carpet vibes. I love a good combination of sophistication, elegance and sexy and this has it.
I also have a great appreciation for the design elements that are complimentary to a curvy shape. It’s bra friendly, the v neck is super flattering and so is the slight plunge in the back. The mesh detail in the neckline shows some extra skin but also provides a bit of mystery. And the pouf in the mermaid part of the gown isn’t too overwhelming but provides a nice balance. The placement of the beading is also very unique with it being heavily beaded in the bodice and slowly tapering off below the hips which emphasizes and celebrates your shape. And they use curve friendly fabrics with elements like a stretch lining. And who doesn’t love a little extra drama that this train provides?
Since my measurements don’t align with the size chart and I am a pear shape, my dress was custom made to my measurements. When I took it out of the box I was so excited I almost cried but when I slipped it on and it fit every inch of my body perfectly I cried and then I did a little happy dance and strutted myself up and down the hallway in my house and in front of the mirror. Because that is the experience we DESERVE to have. And recognizing that we deserve it is half the battle.
When I styled this gown I really wanted to play off of the Old Hollywood vibe so I stuck to a monochromatic colour palette by adding rose gold accessories. These shoes are from Hush Puppies and I loved the slight hint of rose gold sheen in them and the reasonable block heel that was less than 2 inches. Sadly they are sold out or this colour is discontinued so I provided you with a link to another option. I then found these amazing statement earrings and clutch from Aldo (I swear I need to own stock in that place!) and this set of bangles from Torrid.
Kimi, I can’t thank you enough for making me my dream gown. I am so glad that the stars aligned and we got the chance to meet and spend time together. I look forward to seeing what other dream gowns we can create. So tell me ladies, what is your dream gown? Please share in the comments, I would love to hear from you!
A special thank you to Hacienda Sarria, a beautiful wedding and special event space located in Kitchener, Ontario for allowing us to shoot this on location. If you are looking for an amazing event space, I highly recommend them.
This post was sponsored by Kurves by Kimi but all opinions are my own.
Thanks to Katie of Katiuska Idrovo Photography for collaborating with me on this project and surpassing all of my expectations.
Gown by KURVES BY KIMI | Shoes by HUSH PUPPIES (alternative here) | Clutch by ALDO | Earrings by ALDO | Bangles by TORRID |
