The Pretty Pear

For the blushing bride

This isn't a post about wedding dresses. In fact, this is a post about everything but wedding dresses. I assume that if you're getting married this spring/summer, you already have your perfect dress all ready to go, so let's look at some plus size bridal items that put a little fun into your nuptials.

Kiyonna's Bridal Boutique has adorable bride-themed tank tops and undies that can be worn as comfy pajamas before or after your big day. You could also wear one of the sparkly tank tops under a jacket for your bachelorette party or bridal shower. I especially like the ones that say "Wifey" and "The Mrs."

Torrid also has a special bridal section with a small selection of dresses for the bride and bridesmaids, accessories and white lingerie. I especially like this embroidered bustier and cheeky short set.

Hips and Curves has a section of plus size bridal lingerie that ranges from very naughty g-strings to nice foundation pieces to wear under your dress.

Avenue has a nicely varied selection of sweet and sexy plus size lingerie, including white lingerie for the bride.

If you're headed for a tropical honeymoon, be sure to check out Old Navy Women's Plus summer vacation checklist for swimwear, coverups, sundresses and comfy warm weather separates. I also like Old Navy for feminine but non-fussy pajamas.

Big Memorial Day savings!

So many sales, so little time. Here are my picks of some great savings to enjoy this holiday weekend.

Kiyonna: 20% off orders of $150 or more with the code CLOSED08, through May 27th.

Old Navy: Save up to 40% on women's plus items during the Memorial Day Weekend event.

Lane Bryant: Shop the biggest sale of the year and buy one, get one free through the 26th. Also receive free shipping on orders over $75.

Torrid: 50% off clearance and don't forget to check the "Torrid on Sale" section!

Shop the Macy's Memorial Day sale, plus free shipping on orders over $100.

Save up to 80% on sexy plus size lingerie during the Hips & Curves semi-annual sale.

Open thread while I'm out of town

I'll be out of town for the next few days on a work trip. Did you know that I work for Six Apart? Yup, I'm on the support team for TypePad. Now you know!

Anyway, while I'm gone, feel free to leave a comment on this post about whatever you want (as long as it's, you know, not mean). Is there a question you want me to answer? Something bugging you? Something you want to rave about? Have at it! I'll still be watching comments so again, no meanies.

Head to Toe: Little Brown Dress

Target can be pretty hit or miss with their selection of plus size clothing. On any given day, you can find several pieces that are super cute or you'll find practically nothing. Right now, it seems like the selection of plus sizes at my local store is even smaller than usual. I do wish they'd stock more plus sizes because when they get it right, they get it really right. I did find a couple of items on my last trip that I like a lot, after trying on about twelve different things. Hopefully, someday Target will expand their plus size line. I know I'm not the only one who would snap it all up.

After the cut, I put together an outfit entirely from Target based on a brown dress that I picked up for myself.

Alright, I'm nosey.

With summer coming up, shorts are popping up at a lot of the plus size retailers, especially linen shorts. Personally, I haven't worn a pair of shorts since maybe middle school. I'd rather go for capris or a skirt. How about you?

Special coupon from Kiyonna

I've been super busy lately, in a really boring way, so I apologize for not posting more. To make it up for you, here's a coupon for $30 off orders of $175 at Kiyonna.com. Use the code MOMSRULE before May 14. Kiyonna also offers $6 shipping on all orders.

Wow... ten dollars?

I bookmarked this leopard print trench by Jones New York from Macy's awhile back, meaning to include it in a post about spring jackets. And hey, guess what? It's marked down from $250 to $10. Ten dollars. It's only available in size 3X and I'm sure there are only a few left. Seriously, ten bucks.There are tons more great deals in Macy's clearance section.

If I ever become very, very rich...

I'd just order one of everything in every color from Kiyonna from now until eternity. First, check out what's coming up for May. The Manhattan dress makes me wish I had an office job just so I could wear it. Those items are all on pre-order so you'll have to wait a bit.

If you're itching for something new right this second, the Madison Avenue dress might be your new favorite. It has a beautifully sexy twisted keyhole detail that emphasizes the waist and bust but the overall cut is modest enough for any occasion. This is a seasonless dress, so you could wear it now with heels or in the fall or winter with tights and boots. This would be a good dress to have on hand because you could wear it just about anywhere. It's available in red or basic black for $132.

New sandals from Avenue

Avenue has several new sandals for spring and these Irene wedges are my favorite. They're available in black and white but I think the pink is adorable and way more exciting. The color and shine reminds me of fabulous pink lipstick. If you're not a fan of heels but still want some height and sexiness, a wedge is a great alternative. They're available in sizes 8 - 13 wide for $39.95.

Avenue has many more new items for spring and I'll be posting about those soon.

Flirty skirts from Lane Bryant

I'm seeing so many cute skirts popping up right now and Lane Bryant has several that I really like. All of these are made from crisp cotton and can be dressed up for work with heels or dressed down with casual flats or sandals for the weekend. I'd wear any of these with a simple top to let the pattern on the skirt be the focal point.

Multi dot seamed skirt
I read somewhere that dot prints are "out" this spring but screw that, this is a cute print! The seaming creates a flouncy look that can balance out your top half if you're busty and skim over your hips and emphasize the waist. If you're trying to create an hourglass shape, look for a skirt that draws the eye out a little at the hem.

Floral print yoke skirt
What's springier than flowers? I'm generally not into frou frou floral but I like the bold colors in this print. It's pretty and feminine without being too over the top. The ivory background is fresh and flattering on more skin tones than stark white. The cut is very similar to the previous skirt above.

Jacquard floral print skirt
This one is my favorite because I'm in love with the print. If you click through and view the close up, the black floral is layered over a subtle white on gray dot print. This skirt also has the seaming for flair and the solid hem will balance out your waist and hips even more. I think this would be adorable with a simple, rosy pink top and silver sandals.

Lane Bryant has many more skirts here. Don't forget to use a coupon!

Finally! Spring!

The weather is just lovely today here in Chicago, sunny and warm but not too warm. Spring officially began a month ago but because the midwest has really unpredictable weather, I haven't been feeling springy yet. But we've waited long enough and I've decided that today is the first day of Spring here at the Pretty Pear. To celebrate, I'll be sharing some of my picks of the latest and cutest from various retailers.

To start, check out this dress by Mossimo from Target. It's made of 100% linen, which is light and breathable for warm weather and the color combination and print are adorable. The cut is very similar to a dress I picked up at Target last year, which I love and works well if you're smaller on top with fuller hips. I know some of you are wary of showing your arms, so you could layer a light, short sleeved, cropped cardigan like this one on top. The dress is $30 and available in sizes 16/18 through 28/30.

Yay for sales!

Dresses at Torrid are on sale for up to $20 off. I'm feeling more than a little tempted by this green number, especially because it's marked down from $64 to $44. Mostly I just love that shade of green, and the style is really cute.

Shop Avenue's Spring Sale and save up to 40% off on items to perk up your spring wardrobe.

You can save 20% off your order of $100 or more at Silhouettes with the code AFF8PC11. This coupon expires on April 30th. Be sure to check the outlet store for really big savings on last season's items.

Avenue at One Stop Plus

Avenue now has their clothing, shoes, and intimates available on One Stop Plus, which also features brands like Jessica London, Woman Within and Roaman's. I think it's pretty safe to say that One Stop Plus easily has the largest selection of plus size clothing online. I love that they allow customers to post product reviews, which can be extremely helpful when shopping online.

And I have coupons!

• $20 off orders of $80 or more with code WW18674
• 30% off one item with code WW18682
• Free Express Shipping with code WW20464

Coupons and Spring savings from Lane Bryant

Lane Bryant's online customer appreciation 30% off sale runs through April 15th so start stocking up for warmer weather! And you can use these new coupons to save big bucks on your online purchase.

$50 off a $150 purchase with code 025003864.

$25 off a purchase of $75 or more with code 025003819.

20% off any order with code 000203838.

Free shipping on any order of $75 or more with code 006953829.

T-shirt giveaway update

Thanks everyone for entering the giveaway! The contest is over and the winner has been notified. I love doing these so I'm sure I'll be giving something else away soon. If you'd like to buy a t-shirt yourself, you can do so on Heidi's LJ here. And if anyone out there has a prize they'd like to offer up, feel free to use the contact form and let me know. Yay!