Podcast Summary: The Who What Wear Podcast

Episode: WWW Weddings: Unpacking The Plus-Size Bridal Dilemma, the “Fat Tax,” and the Designers Getting it Right

Date: August 27, 2025
Host: Lauren Egertson
Guests: Anna Escalante (Associate Features Editor & Bride-to-be), Alicia Cole (Plus Size Bridal Stylist & Content Creator), Designer Alexandra Greco, Designer Jenny Yoo

Overview

This episode focuses on the realities of wedding dress shopping for plus-size brides, centering on Anna Escalante’s personal journey, her reporting for Who What Wear’s wedding issue, and in-depth conversations with plus-size bridal stylist Alicia Cole and designers Alexandra Greco and Jenny Yoo. Together, they explore why the industry has been slow to serve plus-size brides, look at the emotional and financial “fat tax,” and highlight the designers who are getting inclusivity right.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Anna’s Engagement Story and Motivation for the Piece

• [02:32] Anna got engaged during a cherry blossom trip to Japan, sharing, “It was very us. It was very romantic and very low key. And, yeah, dream come true. Really?”
• Anna’s immediate concern: “Literally, within minutes of my fiancé getting down on one knee, I’m like, oh my God, wait, what am I gonna wear?”
• Her disheartening initial experiences in bridal boutiques prompted her to investigate the systemic issues facing plus-size brides.

The Plus-Size Bridal Dilemma

• Anna describes two stark options for plus-size brides:
  1. Mass-market bridal stores with extended sizes but less design variety.
  2. High-end designers or custom gowns, requiring relationships, and often exorbitant costs—missing was the “demi couture” market.
• Quote: “I found myself so frustrated by the lack...the wedding industry, especially if you’re plus sized, has a way of making you feel so small.” — Anna Escalante [03:45]

A History of Bridal Sizing Woes (with Alicia Cole)

• Bridal fashion stayed with outdated sizing, unlike ready-to-wear, and every designer uses a different size chart.
• Quote: “Your bridal size is about two times larger than your regular ready to wear size. It’s not an exact science...it truly is a little bit of a nightmare.” — Alicia Cole [07:00]
• The emotional toll is real—ill-fitting samples undermine confidence.

The “Fat Tax” in Bridal Fashion

• Alicia Cole explains the “fat tax”—a surcharge on dresses above a certain size, justified by extra fabric, yet not applied with similar logic for smaller size differences.
• Quote: “Why aren’t you charging more for a size 6 over a size 0?...You’ve made an arbitrary line. So that’s very frustrating.” — Alicia Cole [09:54]
• The issue is compounded by poorly scaled samples and costly alterations.

Undercover Reporting and Industry Secrecy

• Anna discusses the disparities in how brands responded to her as a regular bride versus as a journalist, noting a lack of transparency around sizing practices.
• Quote: “Bridal industry is just, I feel like shrouded in this sense of secrecy. And no one wants to own up to the fact that a lot of their sizing practices are like in the gutter, for lack of a better term.” — Anna Escalante [13:42]

Unlearning “Flattering” and Embracing Possibility

• Anna shares her personal process of unlearning body-shaping fashion “rules” and allowing herself to try on everything:
• Quote: “I did the complete opposite and felt the most beautiful I had in a long time. It was a very emotional process…” — Anna Escalante [14:46]
• The importance of supportive, affirming stylists is highlighted.

Designers Doing Inclusivity Right

Alexandra Greco: Custom, For-You Approach

• Anna loved the Greco experience: welcoming, no size caps, fully custom, price parity across all sizes.
• Greco’s philosophy:
  • Quote: “I 100% would rather make less profit than make someone feel different or like they need to pay some sort of fee…Is it more costly to invest in having multiple samples in multiple sizes in store? Of course it does. But…that’s number one.” — Alexandra Greco (via Anna) [20:36]
• Designs are intentional, whimsical, built around a size 8/10 “average American woman,” not runway sample sizing.

Jenny Yoo: True Size-Inclusive Accessibility

• Jenny Yoo produces every style in the full size range (00–32), with samples and marketing genuinely reflecting all brides.
• Gowns are approachable in price ($1200–$5000), with genuine inclusivity.
• Quote: “They basically go up to a 32 and then down to a double zero. So there’s really a gown for everyone at every size and every single gown that they make is produced in that entire size range.” — Anna Escalante [22:34]
• Clean, timeless styles—rejecting the over-embellished, “hiding the body” looks foisted on plus-size brides elsewhere.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On Emotion and Visibility:

  • “On the one day that we are supposed to feel the most beautiful, there’s no part of our bodies that we should change.” — Anna Escalante [29:54]

• On Sizing Anxiety:

  • “Don’t look at the tag. Don’t do it. It’s like snooping through your Situationship’s phone…you’re going to feel awful. Don’t do it.” — Anna Escalante [26:17]

• On Support Systems:

  • “It’s really so important to surround yourself with people that make you feel beautiful and confident…Having a support system around you, I think is really, really important.” — Anna Escalante [28:01]

• On Industry Progress:

  • “There’s definitely been a shift, I would say, in the last five years. And the more brands that sort of celebrate in their marketing, the more…other brands sort of want to follow suit. That’s there, but…I think at the end of the day, that’s not enough.”—(via Jenny Yoo) [25:43]

• On Authenticity:

  • “If anything, you should look like your most authentic self on your wedding day.” — Lauren Egertson [28:28]

Practical Advice for Plus-Size Brides

• Don’t let bridal sizes (numbers) define your feelings or experience.
• Be upfront with stylists about your wishes—not to be told your “number.”
• Seek designers and boutiques that prioritize true inclusivity without upcharging.
• Surround yourself with a positive, honest support team.
• Remember the day’s meaning: it’s about your marriage, not the dress or diet culture.

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [02:32] Anna’s Engagement Story
• [03:45] Why Anna Wrote the Plus-Size Bridal Story
• [07:00] Alicia Cole on Bridal Sizing Nightmares
• [09:54] Alicia Cole on the “Fat Tax”
• [13:42] Anna on Industry Secrecy in Sizing
• [14:46] Anna’s Emotional Discovery in Fittings
• [20:36] Alexandra Greco’s Sizing Philosophy
• [22:34] Jenny Yoo’s Approach to Size Inclusivity
• [25:43] Jenny Yoo on Market Shifts
• [26:17] Anna’s No-Tag Advice
• [28:01] On Support Systems in Bridal Shopping
• [29:54] Anna on Beauty, Confidence, and the Plus-Size Market

Tone and Final Thoughts

Anna, Lauren, and their guests strike a candid, emotional, and empowering tone—direct, honest, and with gentle humor. The episode both exposes disappointing industry practices and uplifts listeners with stories of genuine inclusivity and real change.

Last Words of Encouragement

“You genuinely can feel beautiful at any size...We are people worth making feel beautiful.” — Anna Escalante [29:54]

Listeners are left with hope, actionable insights, and a belief that the future of bridal fashion can—and must—be truly inclusive.