Has the Tradition Always Been White?

Vera Wang

The wedding dress has inspired women for generations…most assuredly what it will look like but most definitely white.

The thing is…white is a recent phenomenon! With the advent of Queen Victoria’s marriage to Prince Albert in 1840 one of the greatest love stories of all time took the imaginations of women by storm, and the Queen wore white thus setting the fashion for years to come.

It used to be that women would wear their best dress to wed in – no matter the colour. In the 1400’s blue was considered to be the colour of purity.

Today we see a happy mix of styles, colours and textures to choose from for our wedding day. Many women are choosing dresses that are versatile enough to be worn again for other occasions.

Here is a small sample of what you can find out there for yourself from vintage to rock star to simple beauty…

Romantic Threads



Isadora Clothing


RoselaniJasmin



Vicious Threads


Vintage Frocks of Fancy

by Stephanie Farley
La Coco Rouge, LLC
www.lacocorouge.com

Eco Love - Think Vintage

So, you’re engaged. Congrats. You and your partner have decided to have an eco friendly wedding without sacrificing your offbeat style. Think vintage, the ultimate recycling. I know you’re thinking that you don’t want to look old fashioned but modern hip and dripping with stylish originality. And why not!

If you are lucky enough to find a garment that fits and is not damaged then you have scored. Most likely it will need something. Maybe something needs to be removed or added or maybe it is damaged. Perhaps it just doesn’t fit. My advice is to re fashion.

In the hands of a skilled artisan magic can happen. When looking for a seamstress be sure and leave yourself some time to interview prospects. You will be working closely with this person and the chemistry needs to be right. On your first meeting bring all the pictures and pieces of things that you have collected. My favorite clients are the ones who show up with truckloads of stuff. They know what they want and my job is to help them get there. Don’t worry that there seems to be no unifying concept, bring it all.

AllThingsPretty

You are probably wondering how to find this person. Word of mouth is usually your best bet. Ask at local vintage shops since they often have access to people who do repair work for them.

There are many wonderful designer/makers online that may have a style that meshes with your own.Often they are available for custom work or just tweaking a design they are already offering.

SWANclothing

Make sure you ask or read about their policies. You will probably be required to make a non-refundable down payment to start work. I know this can feel a little scary. Do your research. There are many sites with good resource info. Here is a good starting place

Eco Vintage Weddings

The Dress Edition - Unconventional Custom Wedding Gown Tips

If you are the sort of person that follows the Off beaten path, than you probably already possess a distinctive sense of fashion and personal style.

Your choice of wedding gown and accessories will also celebrate your sense of uniqueness. If you decide to have your gown custom made, it is always a good rule of thumb to speak with the designer at least 9 -12 months before the wedding date - particularly if you have distinct and unusual elements incorporated into your gown.

If you are using expensive material to have your gown custom made, it is important that you seek the advice of a professional who will first design the dress from a toile or mock-up (a muslin template of your dress pattern, used for fittings before the expensive material is cut and sewn into a dress). The importance of this process is to ensure a proper fit before your gown is finalized.

Collect fabric samples, colour swatches, design ideas clipped from bridal magazines and be sure to save them before approaching your wedding dress designer. You will have visual examples to show your dress designer, enabling them to better customize your dream offbeat wedding gown!