The Dynamic Canvas

I must confess when it was my time to choose a wedding dress it didn't go well.  I won't deceive you, nothing tragic occurred. I was a bride years before I joined the wedding industry so my knowledge was nil. As we all learn from our mistakes and yes after my 3rd gown purchase (two were from a certain "basement" sale that no longer exists) I realized I wanted all my ideas in one dress. That was unrealistic and lead to frustration and disappointment. I found a beautiful dress I still love to this day almost 20 years later, but I had to bend and accept my dream dress wouldn't have all the elements I desired.  

Fast forward to 2014 as I stylist I never use the words compromise and bend. Today's bride doesn't need to do either. The wedding industry has exploded with designers who offer a massive, price point spectrum and clamor for your business. The internet and sites such as Etsy,  Pinterest, The Knot, Pink French Bride to name a few have augmented the planning process for a bride in ways I would never have imagined 20 years ago. Not only do brides have choice, but the sharing of ideas and inspiration is enormous via social media. The 21st century bride has everything at her fingertips literally, which is amazing and perhaps some what daunting.  One suggestion I always make is let the wedding be as unique as you are as a bride and and as a couple. Things will fall into place accordingly, because it will be a personal, reflection of you. Your dress is the canvas. What will you paint for your groom and your guests? How will you express yourself as a bride?

Some of my favorite ways to project your unique style are changing your look either boldly or ever so subtly throughout your wedding day. You might choose to cocoon yourself in veiling to add tradition to your ceremony and then reappear to your guests donning a fabulous headpiece or a heirloom colored, jewel in your hair. You could add an ornate belt around the waist of your simple, gown. 

Headpiece found on Etsy

I have a huge crush on caplets and shrugs. Maybe walk down the aisle with one draped over your shoulders and then remove it later for the party. Or slip on a shrug later in the evening when the temperature drops at your chilly,  fall or winter venue.

BHLDN

If you're going for the comfort of all out party wear and an entire second look, I cannot say enough about the haute piece by Pronovias (right). A chic, encore that will dazzle your guests as you and your groom dance the night away. The Hailey Paige option (left) is incredible as well as the skirt is removed to reveal a great, cocktail length little, white dress.

The twists and turns of your canvas are endless! There are so many options that you can personalize. I revel the opportunity to assist a bride with her ideas to express herself fully. Your wedding day is truly your day to allow a glimpse into your soul and paint a masterpiece as unique as you are.

Your moment

The bride is you.

She is you. The woman in the gown staring back at you is you. One in the same. You're the bride.
Relief, calm, clarity.

Tears. Heart pounding. Dull voices of joy circumvent the room as if they're miles away.
You have it on. You turn around and stare at your reflection.

You see her on-line. You pin your favorites. You admire. You gush. You dream...

He asks. You say yes! The ring slides on your finger.




When you accept the proposal you can certainly call yourself the bride. However, the moment you realize you are a bride is another story. When does it hit you? I'd like to say it's that brief space in time you choose your gown!

I've worked with many brides over the years who do act, look, and speak the part of bride upon our meeting. They believe when they walk in the boutique they are the bride. Why wouldn't they? That is their label. That is the generic name vendors in the wedding industry use: "my bride...".

There is nothing wrong with stepping into that role. You must, but have you had your moment? Have you reconciled the person wearing the wedding gown in the mirror is really you?  Until that moment occurs, you are the bride in name only.

Acceptance and elation intertwined is a clear indicator you found your gown! Acceptance because you know in your heart you feel incredible, beautiful and that you, yes, you are going to be a bride who confidently walks down the aisle in that stupendous frock! Elation is what comes before, during and after the gown serves its purpose on your wedding day.

In the grand length of a lifetime a woman can only call herself a bride for a relatively short time. Enjoy it in all its facets, but especially the day it becomes clear you truly are the beautiful, bride.

A Poetic Palette

I was one of those kids who loved boxes of crayons. The larger the box, the better. So many color options for my masterpiece. Within that sumptuous box of crayons was a certain hue I could never ignore. It was the pastels. The baby pinks, light greens and sky blues were worn to nubs in my crayon box. I reveled in those soft colors that quite simply were happy to me. 

Ian Stewart Fall 2014

Rosa Clara 2014

Oscar de la Renta 2014

Stella de Libero

Vera Wang Fall 2014

The definition of pastel as an adjective is soft, pure, delicate, "light in prose or poetic." Since 1662 the French word has been in the dictionary and through the centuries has evoked the simple, stillness that is gentle. The classic colors to describe new babies-light pink and light blue. New life and beginnings, the color represents for Spring and the Easter season.

Designers have used this lady like palette over the years in beautiful ways. However, there was also a time bridesmaids dreaded the typical pastel frock they were coerced to don. Bride's in the 1960s and 1970s frequently chose pastels for their maids.  The never wear again bridesmaid gown was born and pastels unfairly equated to silly fluff tucked far away in a closet after the wedding.

To my delight, designers have revisited the French Meringue hues again and the splendor of pastels have emerged in ready to wear, evening and bridal ensembles. The styles pictured are a brief depiction of this alluring brilliance. Some subtle and others as bold as a pastel will allow to secure a fresh, modern look for the bride who opts for a non traditional shade. I've always been a proponent of color somewhere on the bride, but this season takes the radiance of color to a another level of chic.

These gowns are editorial and not for everyone, but they inspire alone in their beauty. If pastels conjure delicate softness, a new beginning, Spring flowers, a childhood memory, neutrality, then a wedding can't be far from one's mind. Or maybe they don't have anything at all to do with a wedding. They are just pretty to look at. After all these years as an admirer, I'd agree.

The Unsung Hero

There are so many heroes out there in the world, which is heartening to know. Perhaps you've never met an actual hero yet in your lifetime? Or on the contrary you've known several. Either way you're about to be in the presence of one after you choose your wedding gown! That person is your seamstress or tailor. A skilled, knowledgeable person who will guide you through your final few months and transform your already amazing gown into something unique only to you...your custom fit wedding gown! These wonderful people are often overlooked and hardly ever get the glory the sales consultant enjoys. They are usually the last a bride meets as she inches closer to her wedding day. With all the excitement building in her mind, she doesn't have the time or mental stamina to form a relationship with the person who pins her gown. But it is the fingertips of these people who guide your gown through a sewing machine and reconstruct it to fitted perfection.

The alteration process can be daunting to many brides. They are usually very, nervous when they try on a wedding gown they selected months prior. Because gowns take several months to arrive, I've actually heard brides say they forgot many details about the gown. Seeing the gown again usually is a joyous time as it reminds the bride of her excellent choice and that her wedding day is approaching. Anxiety is also present in the fitting room as the seamstress zips the gown and attempts to place pins where the alterations are needed. It is these heroes who quietly calm the bride with their confident prudence and assure her they will take every step to care for her precious garment.

Not only does the bride have to trust her wedding gown will be altered flawlessly, the boutique and its staff need to trust as well. The reputation of the boutique is closely intertwined with its alteration staff as the two are synergistic partners. You cannot have one with out the other in a custom order environment. It is imperative for a boutique to have an impeccable, alterations department devoted only to the wedding ensemble. This is why purchasing a wedding gown online is extremely risky.

In this global economy, sadly the couturier is a dying breed. Almost gone are the days when a bride visited a dress shop and a couturier designed and produced a wedding gown in house unique to only her measurements. Many wedding gowns in affordable price points are manufactured according to  general size scales the company dictates. The result an ill fitting wedding gown that arrives at the boutique despite the correct size ordered. Your gown then falls literally in the hands of the person who greets you with a pin cushion. He or she is charged with the crucial task to carve the gown shell into a brilliant, cameo.

It is not my intention to make the bride feel guilt for not recognizing this hero. The humility of their workmanship is why I see them as heroes and maybe you will see it too. They send brides down the the aisle with a smile all in a days work.

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!