CUTTING EDGE BRIDESMAIDS

Pronovias
Post wedding, styling is everything!  Check out how these bridesmaid dresses with a just a tuck here and belt there can go just about anywhere after the wedding. If you happen to love rainbow colors and the whimsicality of these dresses, all three gems could easily be worked into a spring wardrobe and strutted out and about. .

 Kelsey Rose

David Fielden

CHAPEAU CHIC

POWDER PUFF

I want to share two great pieces of news with you today.

1.) Check out way down my sidebar. I’m finally adding articles all about bridal fashion. Once they are all listed, you'll find loads of topics. In addition, they'll be more in depth than the day to day posts I usually turn out.
2.) In compiling photos for my, ‘Chapeau Chic’ article, I ran across Suzanne Couture Millinery, a New York City hat designer doing some real chi chi work. If you're going with la chapeau for yourself or bridesmaids, do check out these beauties and visit her website . . . .

Monte Carlo


Fireworks

RECREATING VINTAGE

Jenny Packham

Going vintage and wearing a real retro gown that’s actually survived the ages can be challenging. Fabric disintegrates, it tears and typically old fabrics are permanently soiled. If you love the vintage look consider recreating that gown from your favorite era. A recreation of an age-old gown can be custom designed to fit your needs, even have those modern touches included wherever you want them. While this Jenny Packham gown creates an early 1930s feeling, the silhouette is definitely cutting-edge-contemporary. And doesn’t the dress below look like something Marilyn Monroe or Kim Novak would have worn?

Above: Jenny Packham

Below right Justine Mireil




Robinson Valentine

Below: Jenny Packham

Right: Y&Kei

COUTURE REPORT: PARIS FASHION WEEK

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These gowns are spring personified. For me Giambattista Valli's Spring/Summer 2009 collection harks back to the later part of the Dior era when haute couture was all about femininity. The festooned gown above is a couture tour de force. Rows and rows of tiny organza ruffles shape the entire piece--just one of many of Valli's finale pieces.

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The perfect hourglass is back. I'm hoping this silhouette will stick around awhile . . .not only for bridal wear but pretty summer dresses.

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RENAISSANCE CHIC ON ETSY

Check out this noble eye candy! It's by ETSY seller/ designer, Tracy Robertson of Azrael's Accomplice. Featured on the cover of Renaissance Magazine, this is the only piece in her store I’d term bridal (the rest of Tracey's shop has designs in the black lace and Gothic style). But OMG what a gown! For the bride with a sense of history, this dress will make her wedding the drama of her life. It's made of silk dupioni with intricate bead work all over the front bodice. For me the craft work in the sleeves give the dress its character. Do visit Azrael’s Accomplice. There you can check out more details on this spectacular gown close up.

FROM MOON LANDINGS TO WEDDINGS

Remember the 1960s? Well, this photo style is one way magazines and newspapers used to report everything from moon landings to fashion layouts. Add in the sepia tones and you have a sense of timelessness ideal for wedding photos.

All these images are from a recent photo shoot I did with Berkeley photographer Bill Smoot. While we used a few different methods to photograph seven gowns in the collection, I particularly love this documentary style. If you do too consider incorporating a few shots done in this technique into your wedding portfolio. Best results for this kind of work are finding a photographer like Bill who still works with film. I'm finding some still use film as well as digital.

All photos by Bill Smoot Photo
Gown by Amy-Jo Tatum Bridal Couture

SHABBY CHIC BRIDES

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I’m getting this kind of client more and more these days. The one who wants a bridal look that’s a cross between punk and Victoriana. The corset is fast becoming an essential in bridal wear collections either as a separate or part of the gown. We’ll borrow a phrase from the world of interior design and call it, 'Shabby Chic'. Here are a couple creations by designer Terry Fox based on corset dressing.

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