Out with the new, in with old...

Pinch me! I'm back in my very own heaven. Writing again about brides, vintage goodies and a fun announcement to share is too good to be true!

On this last day of 2013 I would be remiss not to thank you from the bottom of my heart for lending you eyes to my blog. I sorely missed being away from my keyboard all these months, but I'm bursting at the seams excited to resume my posts, retool my blog page a bit and.....

I'll be launching a tiny, but mighty little biz I'm calling "Brooch vintage Accessories".  It will comprise of fabulous vintage jewelry, head pieces, and handbags I've curated this year and years' past. It will be a wonderful collection for any bride or her favorite ladies to choose a perfect accent piece for the wedding ensemble. I'm still adding some final details, but when it's ready for the world to see I'll certainly share!

Mesmerizing! Exquisite enamel brooch..1920s.

I'll end this post on this final evening of the year with this last notion. Ironically this year I've gravitated toward contemporary, modern lines in Spring 2014 wedding gowns. But it really isn't ironic at all.

I can have my cake and eat it too and so can you! Modern can meet vintage and they are quite a suitable pair! This gown encompasses this concept well. A ball gown silhouette of the 1950s with tulle, honeycomb detail worthy of today's couture taste. Old is new and new is old. The past is just a recycled part of today. Look ahead to all the wonderful creations we have yet to see and wear in 2014 with a wink to a past just a whisper away!
Happy New Year!!

The Modern Maid

I don't normally encourage the bride to match her maids and vice versa. The bride's look should be the focal visual of the day. However, when a bride asks my thoughts for attendants I always give a match, but don't match reply. The word "match" conjures 1980s prom when the date wore a light blue vest and tie to match the light blue dress equipped with a light blue corsage. 

The wedding party should look like they're attending the same wedding, but that's where it ends. As long as the color story of the wedding is reflected somehow in the attendants' garments it's current, fresh and very sophisticated. I love how some of these ensemble looks are put together. The primary colors pop with the fun, blush tulle gown. The muted blushes and tropical prints work beautifully. I also like the tonal looks as well where one color of different variations is used. The bridal party should frame the bride and groom not to overwhelm and distract, but augment and soften. All of these are textbook.

 

 Of course my vintage spin I always weave in my posts must be mentioned. You could say very early vintage, in the times of the Roman Empire, the function of the bridesmaid and groomsman were to shun evil spirits away from the couple. Thus why they dressed like the couple to confuse those unwanted wedding guests/spirits. Later the girls' function were to protect the bride from being kidnapped, again by dressing in decoy fashion, so she could safely arrive to the groom's village and be wed uneventfully.

That tradition continued for centuries all the way until relatively modern times. Though I don't love the over coordinated matching as mentioned, these maiden garments are exquisite. I especially gush over the colored veils/hats each bridesmaid wore in those years.

One last morsel of knowledge I will disclose is this. Don't purchase your attendants' attire before the gown is chosen. You need to fall in love with your gown and all its splendor. Once you do, let it take you away in your creativity. It will not only guide you down the aisle feeling your best, but it will unleash your style unique only to you. The gorgeous frame will be complete and the spirits gone!

Fashion Novelty

Fall 2013 Matthew Christopher 

It's so many things. Fashion is art, it's expression, it's breathtaking, it's life's reflection and it's green. It recycles. It takes ideas and recreates, reuses and collides them with new, talent. The result a new trend that may last a season or several. The essence of this recycling is what I love about retro looks of today. That delicate balance of vintage tailoring combined with a modern silhouette (photo above) makes me swoon. For the bride this translates to an important trend or dare I say novelty this season.. the sleeve.

I can call it a novelty, because two years ago I would rarely have a bride ask to see a wedding gown with sleeves. It was clear designers had something up their sleeve (pun intended) slightly before HRH Catherine took the aisle in her Alexander McQueen full sleeved, gown. There were hints of such shoulder coverings, but until I saw the runway last Fall even I was pleasantly surprised the time had come in full force. Sleeves that I haven't seen since the late 1990s have returned to offer brides a plethora of necklines to choose from. In fact, brides shopping for gowns today have the most choice available to them in years. Strapless fans shouldn't balk, because that neckline is still very, popular, but the infusion of sleeves this season, will be the talk of stylists everywhere who can offer this beautiful, option to their clients.

Valentino

If you are torn about sleeves and not quite sure you want fully constructed arm wear, I adore the illusion neckline as an alternative. So feminine and soft the illusion offers the hint of skin covered with a sheer fabric. It's perfect for a petite or broad frame because it doesn't overwhelm but delivers a bold look. The gold Elie Saab gown above would be extremely heavy and too overdone without the exquisite illusion neckline it features. The dress is magical floating on the body flawlessly.

Other necklines shown above in this group of masterpieces by Marchesa show a multitude of sleeve renditions that leave me speechless. The necklines and sleeves drape the shoulders so artfully they create a delicate frame for the face. A higher neckline forces the admirer's eye to the face, which is very important for a bride and her many photographs.

It may not be the newest trend to hit the block, but the sleeve's revival this year makes it fun for a bride to explore and enjoy. Until seasons pass and designer's move on to their next princess muse, it's a fashion novelty we'll happily indulge!

Your trellis

My grandmother lived in a city with its generous share of asphalt, but she did have beautiful backyard albeit what some might say a "postage stamp" size. I always loved her lush, green yard that was tucked between mature oak trees and a cement block garage. The view above was dotted with porches from two decked, family homes. Amidst these urban reminders was an old, painted trellis in her yard with climbing rose vines. The light, pink roses bloomed in late June with gradual petal drop throughout the summer. The end result was a carpet of rose petals beneath the trellis. That image lead my imagination to believe there was a wedding in her backyard. The bride and groom took their vows under the trellis and walked over the rose petals as husband and wife. The bride wore an exquisite gown that floated over the blush petals upon her exit. That trellis became so much more than a pretty accent to a yard. Though I may have been unaware, my future wedding planning had commenced.

Strapless ball gown by Enzoani

As a stylist whose charge is to find the perfect wedding gown for brides, I always consider the "trellis" that is unique to each client. Perhaps a bride didn't have the actual trellis experience I did, but wedding imagery and inspiration is most definitely stored in the mind of every bride. The challenge is to elicit and combine those dreamy thoughts with a flattering, dynamic gown. When the wedding gown nods to the dream and makes you feel spectacular, that is the dress for you!

Illusion neck column gown by Rosa Clara

It is very common to be completely unaware of your "trellis" thoughts and/or equally common to choose a gown that is not what you initially planned. You go to a bridal boutique with a notion of ballerina tulle on a dramatic ball gown skirt as pictured above, but you choose a gown like the exquisite Rosa Clara soft column silhouette. The whisper of tulle is still present and should be, but the shape and fit of the gown enhance the body more so than the ball gown.

Allow your stylist to guide you toward the gown that works for you, but in doing so don't surrender your "trellis" that has been with you all your life. Being a bride gives you the opportunity to wear a garment that shows who you are as an individual today, with a glimpse of your dreams too. Don't ignore the voice that says "I've always wanted...", because you're not dreaming anymore.