‘Tis the season to be jolly!

Dec 2008

Christmas again!! Time to spy those summer weddings on beaches and in parks! I must admit to having a big soft spot for the summer wedding as I had a 35-degree temperature for my own big day & loved it. I was always keen on the balmy summer wedding idea. It’s romantic, sensuous, and exotic – that ‘s what I thought anyway. However I was interested to read a fashion piece in the paper recently about how there are those who love summer and those who hate it! Too true! This seems to relate to age and body shape - all very relevant to bridal fashion decisions. The more comfortable one is with one’s body the skimpier the summer wedding frock can be. I think this is because of that age-old adage: “if you have got it flaunt it” and may I add you are quite happy to do so! This goes for bridesmaids and mother of the bride outfits too. A sexy summer look is excellent as long as one is happy to wear it.

However spare a thought for the summer haters – due to the exposure of problem areas such as arms, legs, midriff etc – they need to find a cool and flattering ensemble.
I am adamant that brides really shouldn’t be coerced to wear a style that they are not comfortable in just because they think this is de-rigueur for summer time. Take for instance either the strapless or the slinky look. If you have reservations about whether it suits you – don’t go there! You want to look and feel beautiful not self-conscious.


There are so many other options - cute soft sleeves, floaty fabrics. (See pic here from designer Rose Zurzolo).
The goddess look in summer is divine for brides and attendants eg: empire line so not clingy, usually a nice light natural fabric that will blow in the wind and look rather ethereally pretty. Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean that you can’t be traditional either by wearing a more structured gown to hold everything in and veils are always gorgeous in the summer light.


It’s the mother-of-the-bride that often has a real challenge to find the right outfit for the summer wedding too. Especially if they are a summer hater! (I told you about age being a factor in hating summer and there are exceptions to this rule but my word of mouth research tells me it’s a fact!). Looking and feeling cool and glamorous, dressed up but not too stiff and uncomfy. It’s a challenge no doubt. You may be attracted to a beautiful slip dress but think it’s not flattering but remember you can wear either a beautiful light jacket or a little shrug to cover the arms if that worries you.


Go for amazing fabric that you fall in love with. There are definitely lots of dresses with loose, gorgeous sleeves around this season and the glam caftan look is one of my faves. (see link below Camilla Franks in Sydney is the best!). Great local designers are worth checking out. They design for our climate! I have popped a few pics here from George Gross’ collection and I suggest some of the links below may be a great help to Mum:

http://www.camilla.com.au

http://www.leonaedmiston.com/

http://www.antheacrawford.com.au/

http://www.roseandruby.com/

http://www.agclothing.com

http://www.georgegross.com.au/catalogues/catalogue_gg.asp

Stay cool till next time.
Kirstie

Accessorise!! To veil or not to veil??

It’s a bit like the races, (I’ve kept my fashion eye on all that recently) - on your wedding day you have to something on your head!

That’s not a hard and fast rule but what I mean is that most gals are looking for that perfect bridal touch for their hair. Tiara's used to be the go but I have to be honest and say that I am so over them! They can look a bit “try hard” princess to me – Ok, don’t start emailing me! I apologise to all the girls who wore them on their big day – that includes me!! Mine was a little bizarre as it was made by a sculptor and was gold resin and fake pearl. It was fab at the time but every look has it’s day.

However I do like beautiful hairpieces (maybe some shiny bling) in the side or the back of the hair – that can look stunning with the right hairdo. Make sure though that you try it out with your hair stylist ahead of time and don’t spring it on them on the day. You want to make sure it sits right and won’t fall out.

Fascinators, according to one of my fashion stylists on the magazine, are no longer fascinating! He may have been referring to the races – but I still think they can be cute on the right person with the right style wedding gown. Maybe something a bit 1920’s inspired – slinky and sexy. Too many feathers and fluff though is a bit wrong for a bride in my opinion.
I personally love pretty lace veils (think Spanish senorita) or just fresh flowers in the hair. Both looks to me are classic and romantic and just really perfect with a cream or white gown. The tradition behind them is another reason that they hit the right note.


Unusual and gorgeous headbands and hairpieces are really appealing to me at the moment. Ok they may seem a bit out of fashion one day but I can’t help loving the look for now. A good example of creative genius for the bride - Milliner Richard Nylon in Melbourne is fabulous. (see pics with Gwendolynne gowns on the catwalk). Also check out Culture Shock if you live in Sydney as she has such unusual and divine veils and headpieces designed to go with her very original gown designs.

At the end of the day - It’s all up to your personal style.
Hope you enjoy the search for the perfect finishing touch!
Kirstie

Pretty Maids

Isn’t Spring a great time to shop?!! I can’t help myself when the weather warms up. As soon as there’s a bit of sun – you’re dying to get out of black. (or if you don’t live in Melbourne then the darker heavier colours you have been layering all winter). Suddenly you want a pretty spring frock and they are everywhere this year. It’s a great season for dress shopping. This advice is based on my expert trawling about that has been taking up a lot of my time lately! There are so many gorgeous ladylike floral prints, vintage lace, embroidery and everything from cute “Alice In Wonderland” styles to soft, feminine shift shapes. What a great year for bridesmaid’s frocks!

In my shopping frenzy I have been snapping up pretty prints and lacey detailed pieces and I keep seeing girlie frills, great colours and sweet fabrics that would work brilliantly for the wedding party amongst the racks. There’s some excellent colours around too - vibrant and appealing like turquoise and purple as well as lots of cream & white and those muted tones of antique cream, pink and latte.
Long gone are the pastel full-length sheaths that were ubiquitous once at a wedding. These days the trend is toward great dresses that can be worn again by the bridesmaid – a big bonus if you have to pay for this dress, which is the norm. If it’s a fab frock then it’s perfect for the races or a party or another wedding!! Also even better you can choose a style that suits you. I think it looks great when all the girls wear something that really flatters their body shape even if the outfits are a bit different. If the colours or the fabric matches then it still works for the wedding theme but it’s a more modern look. Very stylish! It’s a win win for bride and maid!

Check these pics of very spunky frocks from designer Jenny Bannister in Melbourne’s current season and a couple from Thurley’s catwalk show. Below are some other links to my very favourite local designers. I LOVE all these labels so check them out for your special bridal attendants as I think they could work. Enjoy your shopping…. I am.

http://www.roseandruby.com/

http://www.mossandspy.com.au

http://www.whitesuede.com

http://www.fleurwood.com/collection/spring08/index.html

Less is more

No matter how simple your tastes may be in everyday life, there seems to be something about choosing a wedding gown that frequently makes a girl crave a small degree of ornamentation. It’s understandable! As even though chic is all about simplicity and those words “less is more” may echo in your head there’s another voice there saying “but it’s my wedding!!!” You can be chic any old time but weddings conjure up dreams of lace, beads, diamante bling, floaty bits of chiffon or georgette.. you get the gist. Maybe not the kind of style you normally go for.
Don’t be perturbed you can still be simply elegant yet satisfy this urge with a tasteful hint of the trimmings you’re dreaming of. There’s so many fabulous ways to get subtle decorative detail. For a few years there’s been quite a trend toward sparkly diamante in either brooches or even in the straps of the gown and is an extravagant touch that lifts a dead simple frock (very Versace 2005!). Another beautiful feminine touch is a layer of gorgeous lace or a touch of appliqué in the bodice - nothing too busy but it lifts the totally plain look to something a little bit more special. Beading can be amazing too – you don’t have to go to “Bollywood” extremes – just a pretty little scatter combined with lace appliqué is divine. Also think sashes and ties (always romantic), chiffon trains, silk flowers (so pretty) or even hand painting fabric. Images here are to give you inspiration. You don’t want to be disappointed later and think I had the chance to look all “bridey” and I blew it! Unless of course seriously simple is totally you in which case follow your style and don’t be swayed! I am only speaking to those who have a hankering for adornment like me.

It’s worth remembering that the less full on you go, the more your pictures will stay unembarrassing for future generations! Another pearl of wisdom is: too much embellishment can ruin a stunning gown. Mind you there’s always the bride who thinks “stuff that” and will go the whole hog. Princess More Is More. That’s ok - It’s a personal thing.

Spring is in the air so enjoy your bridal shopping.

Kirstie

Location! Location!

In the middle of a freezing cold winter I recently escaped up north to paradise where the skies were bright blue and the ocean was sparkling –(well apart from a few overcast days but let’s not spoil the vision!) As I was looking out at the amazing vistas I was thinking about how popular the destination wedding has become as a way of combining wedding and honeymoon and for a sure fire way of amazing wedding photos in exotic locales. That alone is rather appealing.
How do you get the dress sorted out though?

Does your gown become less important than the backdrop??
I think the look has to be soft – not stiff. It’s essential that the fabric isn’t ruined by the travel. Flowing fabrics that catch the wind will look great but are they too delicate? You would need to consider the weight of a huge princess shape and I would suggest it’s not quite practical.

I guess if you wanted to go to some stunning European location you could stop off in Paris or Rome and find something off the rack that fits the bill. Risky though isn’t it? Mostly couples choose the tropical locale where you can look beach chic in a simple slimline or goddess style of dress. Easy to pack and effortlessly glam. Incorporating local customs into the ceremony and the look of the outfit is cute too. Frangipanis in the hair, Hawaiian lays around the neck, Balinese fabrics as a trim – or Cuban cigars. It’s all kind fun isn’t it?

If you are a totally mad Scottish couple who fancy an Australian wedding (and favour the grey jumpsuit as a fashion statement) then how about this?

http://tinyurl.com/5obgjf

Wish I was still in the resort but back to shooting gorgeous gowns for BRIDE. Now I just need a tropical location….

Kirstie

The long and the short of it

Cute short dresses for weddings are actually an option. Have you ever contemplated one for your wedding though?? It seems to be hard for the majority of brides to picture anything but the sweeping full length Hollywood award show style gown or the vision of a full length ball gown turning you into the princess bride you always dreamed of! However there are other options for the brave or expressive! – those who wouldn’t mind showing a bit of leg!

The little cocktail frock was pretty hip in the 60’s and 70’s for a wedding dress. I’ve seen a few lately and I think it’s still very funky. There was a TV actress (sorry can’t remember who!) who recently got hitched in a vintage lace mini with long sleeves! (shock! horror! - I say this as strapless is so ubiquitous these days). It looked so stunningly original that I couldn’t stop looking at the magazine article and checking out every angle. I adored her style. I was in love with this dress and found the whole wedding really refreshing because of it. I also like the ballet length – mid calf – that was favoured in the 50’s. Looks great with full tulle skirt.

Oscar De La Renta spring catwalk had some pretty fab little short numbers amongst the flowing gorgeous full lengths. Check it out…

(Turn the sound off if you find solemn classical music boring !)

Kirstie

Vintage Inspired

I totally loved this piece in the weekend newspaper and am dying to share! It’s a selection of people talking about their Mum’s wedding dress with great images. Whether it was a haunting glamorous gown shot in that beautiful sepia 1940’s style of photography or the more groovy looking 60’s looks – there was something fascinating in theses stories. Stories about what these images meant to the sons and daughters of these once gorgeous brides and the thought of playing dress up in one’s mothers dress made me green with envy!!

I absolutely loved the fact that someone wore their Mum’s wedding dress at their own wedding.

If I could have worn my mum’s dress – even as a dress up - I would have!! Sadly this was not an option. I really can’t believe that my mother’s stunning wool lace full length gown was chopped up and dyed black by my ruthless Mum before she tossed it out!!! (see her and gown in all it’s glory in pics here!) Here’s the thing - she wasn’t sentimental or forward thinking. It didn’t occour to her that I would have considered it for my wedding although I guess it would’ve been a bit hot for my 35 degree wedding day.
I used to pour over the photos of her wedding just like the subjects interviewed here and thought she looked brilliant.

Would you want to wear your Mum’s gown? It’s an option isn’t it??

Something Old - The Age, Saturday 10 May

Colour your world

Just finished doing fashions shoots again for the June issue of BRIDE and I was thrilled with some of the brilliant and unusual colours available in a couture gown these days.

Even though many brides are very wedded to white. (how’s that for a great pun?) there are divine variations to be had. The metallics are really exciting particularly if it’s in a very beautiful luxury fabric like silk. Soft gold and shimmering silver is gorgeous for a bride and looks absolutely stunning with the right flowers. They look great in all seasons too – on a warm day the bride will be dazzling and in winter will glow!

The soft pinks have always enchanted me too. Ice pink that has a really crisp nearly white look and those antique dusty pinks are soft and elegant. Then there are the variations on muted brownish hues such as latte, mushroom and faun and I also love mauve. Those very old fashioned deep creams are another option and can appear almost like a soft yellow or pale gold. Eggshell yellow is often favoured in bridesmaid’s dresses but can look quite amazing in a wedding gown – even with a white veil it looks great and is pretty.

I even came across an incredible rainbow gown made in tulle that was to die for! The creative team here at BRIDE all fell in love with it! Of course if you feel strong and dynamic you could go for the favoured colour for Asian weddings, which is red, or if you are a red head I love emerald green to go with your hair.

You do have to be a brave and innovative bride for the dramatic strong colours though and I know its most girls aim to look pretty and frankly a bit pure on the big day. Well maybe it’s more realistic to flaunt your fashion sense in a wild and wonderful shade of your favourite colour. But only if you want to …..white, cream etc usually wins.

Best I go get some pics to add into this post - back soon with something to show!

Kirstie

One of a kind

Plenty of weddings these days are casual instead of formal affairs and striving for a unique theme. There’s a greater desire to reflect the couple’s personality, incorporating their interests and tastes rather than those of the parent’s. In the past parents had a strong influence on the couple as they were probably paying for the wedding. Old style traditions were strictly adhered to for their sake but now you see more of a party atmosphere. The focus of the celebration is the couple’s union and the formal procedures are often dreamed up by the couple with bits taken from everywhere.

I loved hearing from our Publisher at Bride that she had just attended a pagan wedding. According to a recent news article there’s quite an interest in the whole pagan thing. Not that I am any expert, but the witchcraft in all those TV shows – Charmed, Buffy as well as Harry Potter has apparently sparked an interest in these ancient spiritual ways. Of course the gown at the pagan wedding wasn’t white (rust red actually) and the ceremony unusual – outside in nature was very earthy and a brilliantly fresh experience for the guests. Maybe it sounds silly to some but I love the idea of these unique weddings – especially from a fashion and style point of view. I think this also goes for culturally influenced weddings such as the Indian, Chinese, European or Middle Eastern influences on gowns and ceremonies. This can be really beautiful especially for those couples combining the customs and styles from two different cultures if they inter-marry and adding a contemporary flavour. There is a lot to learn from other parts of the world and other religions - for instance the gorgeous riot of colours from the east – the reds & oranges, the many outfits for ceremony, reception, going away etc. plus some of the profound rituals performed.

With influences from whatever is important to you – whether it be spiritual or cultural - the wedding gown and theme for the day is likely to be truly remarkable and stunning.
What I am a fan of is really standing out from the crowd and the more the day melds old traditions, new inspirations & couples favourite things the better.

Of course at the heart of this is the frock!! Thought should be given to the gown expressing individuality and flair. I believe that clothes are creative so if you are a bride-to-be it’s a perfect time to deshatign a spectacularly special outfit incorporating anything meaningful to you. Making that departure from the fashion flock is a sure way to look distinctive and exceptional!
Star gossip -apparently Ben Lee (musician) is getting married in India due to his spiritual beliefs and there will be elephants – that’s what I’m talking about - how brilliant!!

Kirstie