Our Recent Trip With ABLE to Nashville
I’m excited to share more about my recent trip to Nashville with the ABLE team with you today! This trip was about a year in the making so let’s take it back to where it all began... A little over a year ago, I connected with the ABLE team and they reached out with a potential gifting opportunity. I had briefly heard about the brand from a few other creators that I follow so I was excited to click through their website but was disappointed to see their limited sizing offerings. I responded saying I LOVED their designs but had hoped they would consider extending their sizes, as their sizing only went up to the average size woman in the US (a 14, which is what I am). They kindly replied saying they were working on it and sent me a few pieces of their jewelry. This is usually the point where I never hear from the brand again.
I was flabbergasted when a few months later they asked if I’d be interested in flying down to their headquarters to give them feedback on their extended sizing initiatives that had been planning for the fall and Spring 2022. I didn’t know much about the brand until I got there so in case you’re new too, here’s what they’re about:
ABLE is a women-run fashion brand dedicated to moving fashion forward by being as transparent as possible in our mission to be ethical, sustainable, and to empower and invest in the women who make up 75% of the manufacturing workforce. We’re deeply devoted to quality – both in the products we make and the quality of life we aim to provide. We invest in, train, and educate women so they can earn a living, break the cycle of poverty, and thrive.
You can read more about their mission and vision here, their commitment to empowering women, being transparent about their wages and ethical manufacturing partners is beyond impressive. Once we arrived at their ABLE HQ in Nashville, TN I was immediately blown away. Everyone we met exuded friendliness and passion for the brand, you could really see and feel the excitement that everyone shared. Brian and I received a tour of their office, storefront and jewelry making and we were able to get a preview of what’s coming in extended sizing.
This is where I was able to share some of my expertise and feedback! As someone who has worked in the plus size fashion industry for over a decade, it was really fun to be on this side of the process, giving feedback on how things should fit and what curvy women want. For example, I tried on the Amelia Button Front Dress in an XL which fit me like a glove but I wish the sleeve length would hit me higher (shown below). As a curvy woman, I felt like the longer sleeve made my bust area look wider and my waist didn’t look as defined. A simple change like this could completely change the look of the dress.
I was so grateful to the ABLE team for being so open and willing to hear my feedback, it was really refreshing. I’m excited to see the changes that they’re already acting on and continue to share more. I then had the opportunity to try on a few more styles and give feedback on the sizing, feel of the fabrics and fit. Here are a few of my favorite looks that I tried on in store in an XL… You can use CARALYN25 for 25% off your full price order.
In case you missed my previous try on shared on Instagram, here are a few more of the looks I featured below. All of these items are now available up to XXL, I’m wearing XL in all.
Their leather goods are amazing as well. They are made by manufacturing partners in Ethiopia, Mexico, Brazil, and India. Around the world, we work with entrepreneurs who share their values. ABLE has found that partnering with local community leaders results in a more powerful economic transformation rather than trying to command change from the U.S. These were a few of my favorites that I was able to touch and feel in the store…
ABLE is committed and working hard to be a more inclusive shopping experience for women of all shapes and sizes. We talked about jewelry and footwear (larger and wide widths) as well. This spring, ABLE will have a large assortment up to 3X. I couldn’t share the pieces with you yet but they are GOOD, already looking forward to it. This is only the beginning for them and I was truly honored to be a small part of it! The trip wasn’t all work, we did have a little fun as well. Here’s what we did beyond hanging at ABLE HQ and where we stayed.
where we stayed:
JW MARRIOTT - fabulous location, walking distance to a lot! Great views of the city as well.
what we ate:
Dinner at The Optimist Nashville
Breakfast at Frothy Monkey in The Nations
Lunch out at Penne Pazze
Happy Hour at LA Jackson
We had the best time and cannot wait to come back soon! As a friendly reminder, be sure to use CARALYN25 towards your ABLE purchase.
Thanks to the ABLE team for sponsoring this post, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Photos by Shannon McLaughlin Photo