Two Bridal Designers Are Here and Taking Your Same-Sex Wedding Questions

It’s LGBT Pride Month, and we’re so excited to have wedding dress designer Kpoene’ Kofi-Nicklin, the Creative Director of Mignonette Bridal, back to answer any and all questions you have about same-sex weddings. This time, Kpoene’ has asked her friends and colleagues Cindy Savage and Julia Zayas-Melendez, of Crafty Broads, to join us as well.
Cindy and Julia founded Crafty Broads, a Chicago-based company that offers custom wedding garments, restyles, and alterations for every gender, as well as wedding planning services, in 2010.
Before we turn you loose on them, we had a few questions of our own.
What wedding-wear trends are you seeing among same-sex couples?
Kpoene’: Couples are choosing to wear things that make them happy, rather than going too matchy-matchy. I don’t personally work with any male couples because I specialize in wedding gowns, but we see a lot of ladies rocking amazing style, whether their gown is a bespoke confection from my shop, Mignonette, or a retro style from Modcloth. I am really happy at how far LGBT weddings have come in the last ten years — when I was planning my wedding, it felt like the options were very limited because it wasn’t a guarantee that vendors would even want to work with you. This might sound weird, but I feel like we are finally giving ourselves permission to have celebrations that are as beautiful and special and over-the-top as our straight friends’ weddings.
Cindy & Julia: We’re seeing a lot of couples choose to coordinate, but not match, in color and/or material choices! For example, we made a pair of suits last year with a purple brocade jacket and black pants for one bride, while her wife selected a coordinating purple silk for her blouse to wear with her black suit.
How are the options changing in terms of what a same-sex couple has available to them, sartorially, when it comes to weddings?
Kpoene’: A lot of amazing companies have popped up recently that cater to female-bodied folks who want to wear beautiful suits, like Saint Harridan and the Butch Clothing Co. It is great knowing that you no longer have to buy a boxy men’s suit and try to have it tailored to accommodate hips and boobs, all while worrying that you are going to be humiliated by the sales staff. At the same time, a custom suit does come with a large price tag, but it is so worth it because you can wear it again and again. My wife had an amazing silver jacquard suit made for our wedding and she wears it to formal events all the time.
Cindy & Julia: Well, the sky is the limit when you choose something custom! Our specialty is collaboration with our clients; we work directly with them to turn their inspirations and ideas into the garment they dream up. We don’t really follow fashion trends; rather, we encourage people to wear what suits them best — so the options are essentially unlimited.
In the ready-to-wear sector, we’re seeing a variety of options come into our shop for alteration. The strapless ballgown as a mandate for women is done. Vintage-inspired styles, short dresses, and sleeves are in. We’re also altering many more suits for women to wear instead of a wedding dress, and getting requests for custom dresses for men!
How can a couple avoid looking too matchy-matchy if both women choose to wear suits or both women choose to wear dresses?
Kpoene’: Hopefully individual style will come into play. A lot of couples might want to match, but will also choose to mix it up by wearing different-colored ties or vests, or in the case of two gowns, maybe different-colored accessories. At the same time, two white gowns or two suits next to each other are naturally going to look similar. Just know that you don’t have to wear the same thing as your partner. We actually didn’t book a vendor because she assumed we would be wearing matching dresses. It was such an odd question to have to field.
Cindy & Julia: The key is coordination — choose the same fabric or color (or both), but not the same style. One may wear a short dress with a full skirt while the other wears a long sheath, but they select the same shade of ivory; for suits they might choose an accent color which one wears in a vest or tie and the other in a shirt or blouse.
Do you have any advice for women who feel pressure from their family to wear dresses, when they would prefer to wear pants?
Kpoene’: Ugh, this is the worst. I do know some brides whose families pressured them into wearing gowns, and they were miserable the entire time (plus, they had to spend money on dresses they didn’t want to wear).
Since family is a delicate thing to negotiate, my biggest piece of advice to any bride or groom or broom or gride is to pick your battles. If mom is leaning on you to wear a froofy dress, but isn’t paying for it, try to delicately let her know that since this is coming out of your pocket, you will make the choice about what to wear. Alternately, wear the damn dress for the ceremony and change into something flattering and comfortable for the party. Your fiancé understands and will love you either way. In the end, whatever is going to get you through the day with a minimum of shouting is the right answer.
Cindy & Julia: Time to stand up and speak for themselves! It’s your wedding, you should wear what you want, and the people who love and support you will continue to do so no matter how you’re dressed. As with many wedding-related decisions, everyone — especially family — has opinions, but it is up to the couple to decide what’s most important for their wedding day. (And the old adage applies: It’s better to apologize later than to ask permission now.)
Speaking of pants! Can you recommend designers and stores where women can find formal suits?
Kpoene’: Yes! I adore Saint Harridan! And in Chicago of course we have Crafty Broads!!! I am also a big fan of J Crew’s women’s suits, which my wife looks quite dashing in, and DapperQ has a great style blog for female-bodied people looking for sartorial advice. Bindle and Keep is another good one. So much attention is finally being paid to this segment of the market, it is really awesome to see all the options!
At Bridal Market this year I also noticed that several of the bigger gown companies are now offering beautiful Marlene Dietrich-style women’s tuxedos, which signals a massive shift in the market. It’s really exciting to see what companies are paying attention.
Cindy & Julia: Come to us for a custom suit, of course! =)
For a good made-to-measure option, ladies can check out St. Harridan, but do expect to pay a tailor for minor adjustments and finishing details — as with standard menswear, suits often come with unfinished hems and buttons awaiting exact placement.
Women can also try a traditional menswear store. Shop for a jacket that fits well in the shoulders and pants which fit the hips; again expect to see a tailor for fitting it properly.

7 Ways To Wear Patterns When You're Plus Size And Wanna Spice Up Your Workwear

As a freelance writer and small business owner, I am lucky enough that I can go to my office wearing a 2 Chainz concert t-shirt and on some days, I totally do. But many women who look like me have corporate jobs that require plus size professional wear. And while I definitely got called in by HR at one of my past corporate jobs because I wore too much “loud jewelry,” I love the challenge of maintaining personal style while fitting into company dress standards.
My best friend, Kristen, snagged her first corporate job last year that actually required her to dress up to work. Kristen and I are the kind of co-dependent friends who consult each other before we make any purchase — online or in-store. So when Kristen landed this job, I was already mentally going through her closet in my head and putting together outfits. We made very few new purchases and still managed to put together a month’s worth of outfits that earned her daily compliments from her new co-workers.
In the six months since Kristen started in corporate, I’ve realized how important it is as a plus-size woman to not get stuck in the black blazer, black pencil skirt, black sleeveless shell, and black pants rut. Mixing fun patterns with her go-to basics is one of Kristen’s favorite corporate style hacks.
As a size 18 on a budget, she does a lot of her shopping at JCPenney, Old Navy, Cat’s Closet and, of course, Ready to Stare for her accessories. Even though she really hates having her picture taken, I pulled the best friend card and asked Kristen to let me take her photo in seven of our favorite pattern-mixing professional looks.
These gradient print pants are one of the few purchases Kristen made without my knowledge and when I first saw her in them, I was so impressed! The cut of the Old Navypixie ankle pants is so perfect to wear with heels or flats and all of the fun patterns make it super easy to pair with a plain top like Kristen’s go-to style from JCPenney. These pants only go up to a size 20 at Old Navy but Eloquii offers a similar style up to a size 28.
3. Cheetah Print Pencil Skirt
Kristen grabbed this skirt from indie business, Cat’s Closet, that sells second-hand plus-size garments that are usually all under $20. Kristen has alerts on her phone for when Cat’s Closet posts its new items because there’s always only one of each item available. She paired the look with a single chain belt from my line Ready to Stare for a little gaudy, corporate realness.
4. Tropical Trousers
Kristen and I affectionately call these her “Olivia Pope pants” because they remind us of a silhouette that Kerry Washington might wear on Scandal when she’s being a total boss. Kristen initially didn’t see my vision with these pants when I made her try them on at JCPenney, but paired with a sleek bun and bow blouse, this look is totally chic and professional and a far cry from that suit your mom made you buy when you interviewed for your first internship in college.
5. ’80s Print Peplum
I’m usually anti-peplum but this dress is another one of Kristen’s second-hand finds from Cat’s Closet and it’s pretty much adorable on her. The simplicity of the black and white pattern pairs nicely with a fun coral colored shoe and gold chain necklace. The high-cut neckline makes it work appropriate for someone like Kristen who is bigger-chested.
6. Architecture Tank
This tank was a score from the JCPenney sale rack and the graphic pattern, which reminds me of the Chrysler building, makes a bold statement and pairs easily with black basics. Kristen wears this tank tucked into a high-waisted pencil skirt or underneath a blazer with trousers.
7. Red Polka Dot Pants
Kristen really loves the Old Navy pixie ankle pants so she has a few pairs including this red polka dot pair. The color alone stands out so the polka dot pattern is perfectly subtle. Kristen added her favorite black basic top and a layered chain bracelet from my line.

Spotlight: High Line Car House

Angela Petro had a decision to make. It was January 2013 and, after 16 years in business, her company, Two Caterers, had outgrown its tiny Westerville office. She could keep it simple and just find a larger space with a kitchen and offices. But the historic Brewery District building at 550 S. High St. was calling her name.
“When I walked in and saw this building, it smelled like sewer gas and it was moldy and gross,” Petro says. “But I live in German Village, so I knew of this building. And I was intrigued. I mean, it spoke to me. The bones were good. You could see the brick walls; you could see the exposed ceiling.”
Sure, it needed work—a lot of work. And it would put her over budget. But when Petro stood inside the former trolley barn, she saw the potential to transform it into a stunning venue space on the cusp of Downtown. So she took the plunge. “It was the best decision we could have made,” she says.
Built in 1873, the building first served as a southern stop for horse-drawn trolleys, which were eventually electrified. “When we excavated to put in the new sanitary and water lines, they found all the tracks are still underneath the foundation,” Petro says.
Now, after a complete renovation and a second-floor addition, the building houses Two Caterers’ offices and commercial kitchen in addition to High Line Car House, the venue arm of the business. High Line, which can seat 250 people with a dance floor, hosts all types of events, with weddings being the primary use of the venue.
Custom is king for weddings here. “This is anti-package,” Petro says. “We can help people if they prefer a package-type thing, but really this is a custom experience.” The company provides couples with tables, fruitwood chiavari chairs and tents if they choose to use the patio. From there, it’s a blank slate. “Even though this has a very strong design aesthetic, it is still something that you can make your own,” Petro says. “Any colors work in here; any kinds of decor or florals work in this space. And so I think this is for a couple who really want to express their personal aesthetic.”
That theme carries over to food and beverage, too. Couples who book the venue are required to use Two Caterers, which has a combined food and beverage minimum. “Our belief is food should be simple: few ingredients, big on flavor, with a contemporary, very clean presentation,” Petro says, adding some of their most popular dishes include Asiago chicken, corn salsa (also served at their food truck, Sweet Carrot), seven-onion soup and short ribs.
This marriage of catering and event space is exactly what Petro envisioned when she first toured the historic building. Says Petro, “I started my company 18 years ago, and this [space] was a dream come true.”

Ellen Albertini Dow, Best Known as Rapping Granny in ‘Wedding Singer

Her name was Ellen Albertini Dow. You probably knew her as the rapping granny from 1998’s “The Wedding Singer.”
She died Monday at 101, according to representative Juliet Green, of Juliet Green Management.
“I said a hip hop, Hippie to the hippie. The hip, hip a hop, and you don’t stop, rock it,” Dow jauntily sang in the movie’s version of the hip-hop classic “Rapper’s Delight” by the Sugarhill Gang.
But this woman was so much more than a gag in an Adam Sandler movie.
She appeared in more than two dozen films and nearly 40 television shows, among them many of the biggest series in the last few decades. She appeared on Broadway three times.
Dow began studying dance at the age of 5, according to her Internet Movie Database biography.
She worked with the likes of dancer Martha Graham and French mimes Marcel Marceu and Jaques Lecoq, according to her resume on her own website. She ran a mime troupe for a while, and earned a master’s degree in theater from Cornell University.
She taught drama at two Los Angeles area colleges for nearly three decades. The theater at the second of those schools, Pierce College, was named after her and her late husband, Eugene Dow — who founded the department.
In a Facebook posting, the school’s theater department mourned the loss of what it called “the matriarch of its family.”
“A woman maybe known for a certain movie but she surely leaves behind a greater legacy than that,” Facebook user Stephanie Alvena posted to the department’s Facebook page.
In her late-career movie roles, Dow was best known for playing sweet-looking elderly women with unexpected edges. In addition to playing Rosie the rapping grandmother in “The Wedding Singer,” Dow played raunchy grandma Mary Cleary in “Wedding Crashers.”
“Everyone is talking about her role in The Wedding Singer, I’m over here like: NAH, Wedding CRASHERS for the win!” Facebook user Ashley Gilyard wrote on Pierce’s Facebook page. “Rest in peace, Ellen.”

Blood Wedding at Khaos Company Theatre

I compliment Khaos Company Theatre and director Anthony Nathan for having the originality and courage to choose such a rarely produced piece, but unfortunately, its execution was woefully inadequate.
The set relied on a series of sheets which barely masked the backstage space, and when backlit, provided a bit of a tease as the cast’s silhouettes undressed. There was no lighting except for a single work light and a digital projector, used to clumsily project various images over the cast throughout the performance. These projections were never very effective, ranging from flowers to a bunch of pictures of sad models and skulls which would not be out of place on a thirteen-year-old emo girl’s English Lit. binder.
The scene transitions were awkward to non-existent; the first act ended with the cast standing in tableau looking like deer staring down an oncoming semi then abruptly scattering off stage. What’s more, Frederico Garcia Lorca’s poetry and peasant songs became out of place song breaks, particularly during the wedding party, at which point it started to feel like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers had forced itself upon the play.
The costumes might have been attempts at period clothing, but it was difficult to discern. They also suffered from repeated wing difficulty. First, in an inspired choice, Nathan combined the group of woodcutters commenting on the events of the play into a single mad prophet, but his fairy wings repeatedly poked at the poor woman seated next to his exit. The incarnation of the moon wore a cape she repeatedly held up like Batman wings, which eventually left the gentleman beside me reaching out to politely pull one side so as not to block his view entirely. The incarnation of death completely abandoned the playwright’s original notion of appearing as a morbid beggar, draped instead in black lace from head to toe.
The cast itself could never seem to deliver any plausible performances, but I think Todd Crickmore as the Father of the Bride could have probably offered up a pretty good interpretation had he not been stuck with his Frito Bandito accent and the role of conducting the mid-play hoedown.
Finally, and most importantly, the first murder, as the result of a clunkily choreographed knife fight, was actually shown instead of only heard off stage as originally scripted. The playing space was practically in the laps of the audience, and though the actors doing the stage combat were pretty slow about it, I am still somewhat concerned about the safety of this production.

At The Age of Adaline Premiere, It Was All Eyes on Blake Lively

"Imagine what it must be like if everywhere you went, ever, it was like it was your wedding,” I commented to one of my colleagues last night, at the after-party for the premiere of The Age of Adaline, as we watched Blake Livelypose for a scrum of about 15 photographers at the entrance to the Metropolitan Club. Lively, the film’s star, had just arrived, minutes before 11 P.M. and about an hour and a half after the party had started. Of course, the party hadn’t really started at all, though, as everyone had been, more or less, waiting for Lively’s arrival, gathered in small groups by the front door, pretending to focus on what their friends were saying while regularly glancing up at the door. And when she did finally enter, there was no pretense of “playing it cool,” as men, women, and children—all dressed in wedding-formal attire—craned and reached their phones into the air, gathered to snare a snap of the 27-year-old, who presumably is used to causing this sort of traffic pile-up by her mere presence at this point.
The scene inside the Metropolitan Club—located right off of the southeast corner of Central Park—resembled that of a Disney theme park re-creation of a Gatsby party. A live jazz band performed as teenagers flitted about in tuxes. Champagne flutes were handed out as ushers chastised guests who dared place empty plates on reserved tables. There was a shrine of sorts comprised of framed pictures of Adaline, Lively’s character in the movie, surrounded by candles. Lively was the bride, the birthday girl, the guest of honor. She was at all times surrounded by a mass of at least 10 to 20 people, all clearly waiting for a selfie, a hug, or a conversation. (We watched as two young men gleefully bounced away from Lively post-selfie, as though they had just dismounted from a roller coaster.) When Lively was finally able to sit down at her table, about an hour after arriving, she had the countenance of a middle schooler who had just finished his math homework so he could now play video games.
Lively—who, to the premiere itself, wore a red “leather and lace” Monique Lhuillier dress (which she dubbed “emoji chic” on her Instagram account, in reference to the salsa-dancer emoji) (that salsa-dancer emoji has an excellent publicist, no?)—changed for the after-party, into a ensemble made up of a sheer star-patterned one-piece with a black coat draped over it. She looked like the most glamorous resident from the year 2078, joining us in 2015 for a night. Neither husband Ryan Reynolds nor daughter James were present at the premiere or after-party (though Reynolds chimed in via Twitter, commenting, in the semi-saucy Reynolds social-media tradition, on a picture of Lively and Adaline co-star Michiel Huisman). Lively was joined at the premiere by her mother, Elaine, and brother Eric, as well as by Gossip Girl co-stars Kelly Rutherford (Lily!) and Zuzanna Szadkowski(Dorota!), in addition to Anna Wintour, Lindsey Vonn, Lena Hall, and the Brant brothers. For one brief moment, when I noticed Rutherford clutching her chest, in apparent pride, on her way out of the premiere, it was possible to imagine the whole night was a Gossip Girl epilogue, that Serena van der Woodsen’s fame had only ascended since we had last checked in with her, that Lily was bowled over by the sheer hugeness of her daughter’s life (Anna Wintour at her movie premiere!?) and Blair Waldorf—estranged from Serena for years, at this point—had sent Dorota as a spy of sorts, to keep her abreast of every last hors d’oeuvre, well-wisher, and paparazzo Serena might encounter.

Giuliana Rancic Will Return To 'Fashion Police,' Plus What She Has To Say About Kelly Osbourne

Though things have been a bit rough for the E! star, Giuliana Rancic is returning to Fashion Police. The E! News anchor and red carpet guru spoke with Access Hollywood Live today about the future of the show and her place on it. Not only did the style maven reveal the return, but she also spoke about her private interactions with former co-star Kelly Osbourne.
Earlier this year, Rancic underwent some major criticism after the 2015 Oscars Red Carpet. In a criticism of Zendaya’s look, the anchor and host stated that the star looked as if, “she smells like patchouli oil… or maybe weed.” The comments were definitely insensitive to the women of color with natural hair and showed a true and deep misunderstanding of traditional hairstyles for these women. Since then, Rancic has issued a seemingly heartfelt apology, but it didn’t seem to do her a ton of good with her co-stars. Kelly Osbourne andKathy Griffin both ended up leaving Fashion Police following the incident and had their fair share of criticism for Rancic.
The star, however, doesn’t seem like she’s going to meekly continue her gig on Fashion Police. Of the controversy and her return, Rancic states, “I think more than ever, [Fashion Police] is definitely coming back, because [the controversy] shows that a lot of people were watching the show and enjoyed the show…So yeah, it’s coming back in September, in time for the Emmys.” Though Rancic and Brad Goreski are both set to return, two seats will still need to be filled for Griffin and Osbourne. Osbourne’s departure from the show is notable because of her very public reaction to the controversy and statements about her co-host. Of their relationship, Rancic explains that Kelly reached out to her after the comments as a friend. Later, however, Osbourne spoke with the press, harshly criticizing Rancic and sent out some very vague but harsh tweets. Guiliana, however, had no explanation for Kelly’s statements to the press or comments on twitter.
Regardless of Rancic and Osbourne’s personal relationship and in defiance of the criticism, the show will go on. Whether or not the series will continue to be a success is yet to be seen, but I do applaud Rancic for facing her critics head on.