I was recently asked to write a blog about my passion for photographing curvy and confident women wearing Lingerie. So I started thinking of all the fabulous things I could say and the experiences I've had in my studio. Even though I could sit here and tell you how gorgeous my clients are inside and out, I thought it would be so much more fun asking a few women who consider themselves "plus size" why they love wearing lingerie.
Stop the Chaos
In the world of chaos, high demands, screaming kids, whiny partners, messy rooms, dirty toilets, overflowing trash cans, 5 different meals for 5 different family members, and loads of laundry, it is so easy to forget about ourselves. When we finally find time to take a moment, to sit down, to breathe, we slip on something sexy and suddenly all of our troubles float away. Instead of covering up our "imperfections", we should be celebrating and learning to love our stretch marks and scars. As they are the true road map to where we have been.
Real Talk!
"Let's be honest. We've all tried to squeeze into a too-tight lingerie set because we thought that's all we had to pick from, we've all been there. I always thought Plus size women were just SOL on lingerie. That was until my photoshoot with Tennille! She had a huge selection of PLUS SIZE lingerie from Yandy! When I put on a set and it fit perfectly, I was so shocked! Since then I've been shopping and they have so many options! Lingerie is so important for a woman to have to help her truly feel sexy and feel confident in her own skin!"
- Ashley- TN Size 14/16 38B
"In lingerie, I love the way I feel, I love the way I look. Since 16 I have been into BDSM and other things of that nature. I feel I love being sexy for the person I was serving. Being plus size you have to hunt and hunt but finding that one piece is a diamond in the rough. Finding your favorite sexy piece is key. I love full-body suits or just tight form-fitting lace. They photograph well and both work well under what I'm into as a person."
- Haley - TN Size 14/16 36DDD
"I'm active duty military forward deployed to Japan. Finding lingerie in Japan is nearly impossible for me. I've shopped at Yandy for quite some time now and I've never had a bad experience. Being in Japan, most of my clothes shopping is done online to the. vastly different sizes between me and the (average) Japanese woman. I've done a few boudoir shoots while stateside. I took a huge hit to me self esteem as this is the heaviest I've ever been. It's also the healthiest I've ever looked. The boudoir shoots showed my curves in a way I hadn't viewed them before. Beautiful. After my boudoir shoot last year I quit crazy diet fads and embraced my curves. My self esteem and my happiness have sky rocketed since"
- Samantha - Japan - Size 14/16 36DD
"Lingerie to me is EMPOWERMENT! Especially as a curvy woman. Society doesn't want us to love our bodies. Society wants us to fit into a cookie-cutter mold. Lingerie helps me embrace my body. It decorates my curves, bumps, and edges. It helps me love ALL of it. It makes me feel sexy. It makes me feel courageous. Like I could conquer the world in pretty lace. Lingerie isn't just about sex appeal. It's about embracing you. No matter what"
- Shelby - Utah - Size 12/14 36DD
"Hello! I've always been fascinated with beautiful underwear and lingerie, my mom had satin bikini panties in all these beautiful patterns. I love putting on some silky lingerie even if no one but myself ends up seeing it, there's nothing more comforting than feeling a smooth silky panty or camisole brush your skin. I love to wear corsets and themed sets for my husband also, it helps us keep things interesting and exciting in the bedroom! (We've been married 10 years)
I've done a boudoir shoot also. It was incredibly nerve-wracking at first, but once I let my guard down I felt super sexy in my lingerie! I also love the way there is something for everyone, something to flatter you, and or hide problem areas"
- Katrina - Germany - Size 14/16 and 38DD
"As plus-sized women, and really just women in general, we spend so much time trying to cover up our bodies, masking the parts we don't like. What we don't realize is there is so much freedom in embracing your body, and all it takes is a little lace. I have always believed in the power of lingerie. It's almost impossible to feel ugly in a sexy bra and matching panties. I swear, it works every time. Put me in a potato sack with a pair of black cheeky panties and a lacy black bra and I could conquer the world. Sure, the seductive value is there, but let's be real, lingerie has so much more to do with being a confident woman than impressing any man"
- Melanie - Virginia - Size 18 42C
"I love the feel of wearing lingerie. As a woman, I love to feel sexy. I appreciate that lingerie has grown (figuratively and literally) for plus-size women. We all deserve to feel sexy and nothing hotter than the anticipation of having that beautiful packaging to unwrap. As a plus-size woman, I don't see lingerie as a cover-up…I see it as enhancing all the voluptuous beauty I have to offer. It adds an element of excitement…that stop-and-smell-the-roses kind of moment. Feeling sexy and in tune with your body is empowering and I love the confidence I feel when having the right piece on."
- Gisela - Florida Size 18/20 38DD
"Tennille is amazing at what she does! She is such a fun person to be around and will make you feel beautiful during the whole shoot. It's such a great experience with her and definitely a confidence boost! Being a curvier girl can be disheartening sometimes when it comes to the way things fit but she has amazing variety of pieces to wear from Yandy and they look so good !! You will not be disappointed with work from her!"
- Emily - TN - Size 16 38D
Tennille Melcher
Photographer & CEO