PLEAT CHIC

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When you think of pleats does your schoolgirl uniform in a Black Watch plaid come to mind? Try again.  Wedding dresses have some of the most pleated skirts and bodices you’ll find and it's about time they had a special post of their very own. Lots of A-line and princess styles in heavier fabrics such as satin, taffeta and moiré have deep (sometimes very deep) box or inverted pleats instead of gathers in the skirt.  Okay so . . . . why use a pleat instead of a gather? Pleats are designed to fall flat in folds through the waist and/or hip area (where the skirt is joined) and not bunch up like gathering does. The result is a well-fitting, uninterrupted line up the bodice with a beautiful and even fullness in the skirt. There's more to pleats than the traditional bodice and skirt treatments.  Here are a few  happenings in bridal and gala I'm loving . . .

via pinterest

Claire la Faye

BHLDN

Above: Amsale, a designer known and loved for pockets and pleats on her full skirts

TAFFETA

Did you know most of the great style icons wore taffeta on their wedding day? Grace Kelly did and so did Jackie Bouvier before she became Mrs. Kennedy.  All I can say is the taffeta bridal gown is a great tradition.  Taffeta is still one of the most widely used fabrics for bridal wear. If you've already been doing the salon hop you know its also trendy for bridesmaids and flower girls.  There's no mistaking taffeta:  It has that rustling and screeching sound when it moves and a polished, shiny look and feel.  It's been used for centuries mostly in special occasion wear and is known for its opulant luster.  Trendy once more mostly for full-skirted silhouettes, taffeta is the perfect option if you're wanting to add some elegance and romanticism mixed in with that good old tradition on your wedding day . . . .

Images Atelier Aimee

REAL WEDDINGS: KRISTIAAN AND LIONEL TIE THE KNOT IN ANTIGUA

Destination weddings in magnificent places fascinate me.  Kristaan and Lionel's Antigua wedding really hit home thanks to the way photographers Davina and Daniel captured the rustic facades of this antiquated town.   Add some really great fashion to the mix with a dress by Amsale and you have one beautiful expose.  Here are some words from the bride: "Lionel and I are wedding photographers, so naturally, an incredibly picturesque location was a high priority. We found our “holy grail” in Antigua, Guatemala – a Spanish colonial town filled with brightly painted buildings, cobblestone streets, and remarkable ruins  surrounded by volcanoes. Forty-one guests joined us for the charm, beauty, adventure, love and laughter that was our wedding week. Our wedding ceremony, set in the garden of an old ruined convent, was both breathtaking and meaningful. Afterwards, guests rode a chicken bus (brightly painted school bus) to the ruins of an old church where we celebrated the night away. I 'm a DIY girl, but I had to settle on just a few items to bring and a limited number of craft projects. It was difficult to hand over the reins to a local, but with a destination wedding, I knew I had to. I sent the decorator screenshots to give him a sense of what I wanted — neutral colors (peach, gray, cream, tans, and browns), lots of wood, burlap, rustic elements, vintage items, a hand-crafted look that wasn’t too perfect or matchy. He was brilliant — I was blown away by the results! Everything was even better than I had imagined. One of our most frequently asked questions was, “Who is going to photograph your wedding?!” We found Davina + Daniel, and we are over the moon about our choice. Not only did they rock our portraits – extraordinary pieces of art! – but they also captured the most precious and outrageous moments in a way that brought us to tears and then had us laughing out loud. They managed to create the perfect blend of arty and meaningful imagery that takes us right back to our beautiful day and beyond. To top it off, our families adopted them, they provided invaluable advice and support, and they even completed one of my craft projects for me! Truly outstanding human beings. We could not have imagined or asked for more".

Credits

Photography by Davina and Daniel

Flowers by Escencia

Catering by Hotel El Convento

Event Planning by I Do Guatemala

Gown by Amsale

Tux and Men's Attire by Indochino

Venue: San Jose El Viejo

 

 

Submitted via Two Bright Lights

NEW CONCEPTS IN BRIDAL WEAR: THE PETTICOAT

Stephanie Allin

Petticoats though hardly a new phenomenon on the fashion scene are showing up more and more in bridal wear as both understructure and showpieces--that is, peeking out from underneath skirts sometimes sporting different colors and textures.  A little or a lot of crin peek-a-booing beyond the hemline is sexy and has the element of the unexpected once you make your entrance.  Above is a taffeta Aline flounced below in ivory and black.  Below: An organza lace dress is accented with a Chantilly lace under slip . . . .

Amy-Jo Tatum

NEW TREND: THE SHEER OVER BODICE

Stephanie Allin

Want to really look like a traditional bride? Try the strapless with an over bodice.  This look is a hark back to the the 1950s when sheer organza or lace was worn up top for coverage (in church you couldn't bare anything back then).  Another blast from the past is the return of the removable bodice: A modest look for the ceremony and unbutton the front or back and you have a formal strapless for party time.  These sheer geniuses are from the collections of designers Stephanie Allin and Augusta Jones.  All are breathtakingly classic and the epitome of sheer elegance . . . 

 

Images by Stephanie Allin

Augusta Jones

Augusta Jones

SEASCAPES

Today I'm doing my guest blogging thingy over on One Wed where today we're exploring how to make your dress beachworthy.  Did you know there's been a real surge of beach weddings within the last fifteen years?  Did you also know any style dress can be worked into a beach wedding providing you add or even subtract the right touches that give it that sea chic look? Above and below are some real gems by one of my fave designers Augusta Jones perfect for the destination/beach wedding.    READ MORE . . . .

TREND ALERT: THE GAUNTLET

Diane Hameline

Think of the gauntlet as a hybrid between sleeve and glove. If you're looking for a two way dress, this concept is ideal.  The gauntlet dates back to medieval times.  Originally made out of chain mail or armor, knights used them to protect the hands.  Fast forward a few centuries and the gauntlet has gone through some changes.   Today they are fashion statements, made of fabric and are trendy as we speak partly due to the Goth revival which borrows heavily on Victoriana, a time when gauntlet lace 'mitts' were in vogue.  Defined, a gauntlet glove typically extends from the elbow (sometimes all the way to the shoulder) to the wrist, leaving hand and fingers exposed.  Often brides love this formality for the ceremony--making the ring exchange a cinch.. As you probably guessed, gauntlets can also be removed come reception time . . . .  

Suzanne Ermann

Some designers have a signatures look. One of Parisian designer Suzanne Ermann's  is adding gauntlets to many of her gowns.  So innovative with this one component, I'd call these a combo of costume-inspired and neo-couture . . . .