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| Belle and Bunty |
The timeless feminine fashions of the last 100 years aren't likely to go out of style anytime soon, especially with all the designers dedicated to vintage-modern designs that are popping up these days. And, who can blame them for incorporating vintage style into their latest runway fashions? How could you not be inspired by the fashions donned by starlet beauties like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe? Will the beauty of those women ever go out of style? We think not.
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| weddingbellsblog.com |
What might go out of style (fingers crossed!) is sickly thin models in skin tight over-the-top, too revealing or totally impractical fashions! We feel hopeful this is true because we see more and more brides wearing a modern interpretation of the best feminine, curvaceous and timeless styles of past eras that are sure to look just as beautiful in the photos 50 years from now as they did on the day of their wedding.
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weddinggownssquare.com
Example of a very modern gown |
Even if you are a total fashion-forward, worshiper of modern, daring trends, we suggest toning it down just a touch for your wedding or opting for two dresses: one timeless and one totally trendy. The last thing you want is to look completely ridiculous in 10-20 years when those fashions are completely out of date. For example, our least favorite fashion era is the 1980s because of the copious amounts of fabric used and the ever so infamous puff sleeves. Though very in at the time, they just don't hold up today. We LOVE Princess Diana and her sense of style was usually fabulously adventurous and elegantly modern for her time. However...and it pains us to say this...her fashion forward, over-the-top wedding dress just doesn't seem to have the timeless elegance that Grace Kelly's did. We are happy that Duchess Katherine chose to follow Grace and not Diana in her dress selection and we wish Diana would have chosen something a bit more flattering to her natural beauty.
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| Princess Diana's Dress, www.weddingwishlanterns.co.uk |
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| Grace Kelly in her dress, www.marriage-new-york.com |
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| Duchess Katherine in her ceremony dress, fashionista.com |
Ok, ok, enough about Princesses -so how do you "marry" (hehe) vintage and modern ? There are many designers out there doing it so well and making it so easy for today's bride!
If you want a vintage inspired wedding dress to compliment your chic modern style on your wedding day, you have an array of designers to choose from:
One collection we love is
Belle and Bunty, a London label known for exclusive, hand illustrated prints, vibrant use of color, and their signature feminine, individual, and elegant designs. Their designs are primarily from the 1930s-1940s era and offer styles with understated details.
Ah, I can't get over the dress above! I think if I ever renew my vows, I am going this route in a super urban setting with luscious roses and jewel tones.
As you probably know because the whole wedding world has been buzzing about it -we also adore Anthropologie's bridal child, BHLDN. They embody the vintage-modern we so love in a totally carefree, liberated modern woman kind of way!
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| BHLDN |
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| BHLDN |
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| BHLDN |
There are also a lot of companies out there that don't advertise themselves openly or obviously as vintage -modern but definitely offer some options in that department. Wedding dress designer,
Cymbeline, is one such company. Straight out of my parent's home of Paris, this chic company offers some stunning dresses that suggest vintage when paired with the right accessories. We occasionally stalk their photo gallery just to get inspired by the beautiful photography around Paris (Tip: It is a great place to get some ideas for fun poses if you are planning a Bridal Portraits Wedding Shoot). Here are a few that we drool over:
Another designer we think has a lovely vintage-modern and ultra feminine vibe is
Victoria Nicole. The dress below is so sleek and soft with a surprisingly modern finish at the bottom. Because the architecture is not too bold and the folds don't end up looking like you threw on a down comforter (hate that!), it is timeless and modern at the same time.
And, if your style is all out vintage diva and you are looking for a truly authentic vintage dress, they are out there! It can be a bit of a challenge though because most stores will only have one size of each dress and you will likely have to order online without ever trying the dress on unless you are lucky enough to live near a great vintage boutique that carries wedding gowns. One online source company for authentic dresses is
http://whirlingturban.com/wedding_boutique/. There are millions and your best bet is to search online for stores in your area so that you at least have a shot at finding something you can try on before you commit.
There are so many choices when it comes to wedding dresses these days and the truth is that as long as you feel beautiful, comfortable and inspired, any dress you pick is perfect! Just consider how your dress might look in 50 years when you share those pictures with your grandchildren. Wouldn't it be lovely to have another woman in your family wear your dress or at least feel inspired by how beautiful and timeless you looked on your wedding day?
Happy Dress Shopping and remember to say to yourself every time you look in that mirror:
" I am beautiful and I am here because I am loved just the way I am! "
Aloha,
Rachael
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