For a long time, I’ve wanted a way for full-busted women to be able to share their dress finds for brides, bridesmaids and wedding guests so that when it’s time to find that special dress, we don’t have to start at zero.  When I discovered Pinterest a few weeks ago, it seemed like the perfect platform, and last weekend I received this email from a reader that kicked me into action:

I’ve suddenly stumbled across your blog and others who have big busts and it’s such a relief. I feel like a freak of nature sometimes, but I’ve slowly come to terms with my H cups.

Do you have any advice or suggestions for fancy [special occasion] dress shopping?  I would love a custom made wedding dress, but I’m on a budget and New York is a tough city to find affordable dressmakers. I could be happy even finding a gorgeous non wedding dress, but evening gowns are just as problematic.

Both trips to David’s Bridal resulted in weird looks from the saleslady when I told her my bra size. I had a strapless bra with me, but they looked like the programming in their brains was about to break.

Although large dresses do zip up, it’s always clear that the cups in them are too small. One dress was lovely, but the seam for under the bust was directly through the middle of my chest.

This reader has budgeted $750 for her wedding dress, but she’s willing to go up to $1000 for “something really worth it”. I’ve already emailed her some suggestions, but I know there’s strength in numbers. Help her out!

Also help out anyone who has bridesmaid duty coming up this summer and anyone else who’s going as a guest.  Even though I’ve asked you to help this particular reader, I’d also appreciate your coming up with dresses for multiple budgets and venues. And to give you an incentive, each contribution that you make counts as an entry for the Va Bien giveaway I announced yesterday.

You will be able to see your and other dress contributions on the Say Yes to Dresses for D Cups and Up board on Pinterest.

Here are the rules:

  1. Contribute one wedding dress, one bridesmaid dress and one guest dress for a maximum of 3 extra entries to the Va Bien giveaway.
  2. Make you contributions by either (a) linking to them in the comments to this post or (b) emailing me a photo of you actually wearing one of the dresses at Darlene [at] hourglassy [dot] com. (We would love to see the dresses in action on truly D+ women . . . let me know if you want me to crop out your face for privacy.)
  3. The deadline for contributions is midnight, Pacific time, on April 17, 2012.

Please remember that to be eligible, you must also “Like” the Va Bien Facebook page, and then comment on Hourglassy that you’ve liked their page and under what name.

Let me know if you have any questions!

P.S. You’re also welcome to pin your contributions directly to the Say Yes to Dresses board by letting me know how to follow you on Pinterest so that I can add you to the contributor list.

P.P.S. You’re welcome to pin more than three dresses to the board. Three is simply the maximum for giveaway entries.