Chrystal Bougon knows „Girls Just Wanna Have Fun,“ and that includes women who wear sizes 12 to 6X.
That’s why she chose the title of the Cyndi Lauper hit song as the name for her first Curvy Girl fashion show on Aug. 11.
The founder and proprietor of Curvy Girl, the Willow Glen store specializing in large size lingerie, Bougon is expecting some 125 women to attend the show.
Taking place at the Three Flames, adjacent to Curvy Girl, it will be a combination fashion show, shopping event and party with live music from 1 to 4 p.m.
The formal fashion show, with models drawn from Bougon’s clientele, will be at 2:15 p.m.
In addition to the lingerie she specializes in, there will also be a segment on Halloween costumes–sexy firefighter, sexy cop and naughty nurse, a year-round favorite.
In addition to live Caribbean background music, more than 15 vendors will be on hand with a variety of items, including shoes, large size denim, gift baskets, jewelry, skin care products and Miche Bags, purses with changeable exteriors.
Bougon says hers is just one of two stores in the United States devoted to large size lingerie.
„Lots of stores carry plus size lingerie, but that’s all I do,“ she says.
Since opening in October 2012, Bougon says, „Business is twice as good as I thought it was going to be. Business has been incredible; we’re far exceeding all our financial goals.“
Her dream, she says, is to have a Curvy Girl store in every city.
This initial fashion show is a test of sorts, but Bougon is already anticipating staging two in 2014–one in early spring and another in the early fall for Halloween.
The „Girls Just Wanna Have Fun“ event is just for women; no men will be allowed in.
„We want these curvy girls to be comfortable in their lingerie and provide an environment where they feel relaxed,“ she says. „It’s not every day you model lingerie in front of cameras and we thought it will make them more comfortable if there are no guys.“
Curvy Girl’s „Girls Just Wanna Have Fun“ fashion show and party, Three Flames, 1535 Meridian Ave., Aug. 11 from 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance, $20 at the door. Soft drinks and appetizers are included.