Bridal Attire

The Tradition of the Bridal Gown

 The history of the white wedding gown dates back to the late 1400’s, made popular by Anne of Brittany. The colour white was worn as sign of purity, and therefore symbolised the virginity of the bride. Before this time, the colour blue was worn (symbolising purity) by both the bride and groom by way of a band around the bottom of their wedding attire.

Queen Victoria also made popular the white wedding gown during her reign in the 1800’s, however it was worn more as a social standing. In the Victorian era, any woman whom was able to afford an expensive white gown was regarded very highly among social circles. White fabric was very costly and without modern day dry cleaners, was almost impossible to keep clean, therefore making it a rare item, created for one-off occasions.

As time went on, and modern technology evolved, white fabric became more popular and less expensive. The white wedding gown re-emerged once again symbolising the purity of the bride and has continued to be popular among modern day brides. Despite it’s popularity today, coloured wedding gowns including pastel shades and bold colours are making their way into wedding ceremonies as a fashionable and stylish accessory for modern brides.

A-Line Wedding Gown

Ball Gown / Cinderella Gown

Empire Gown

FishTail Gown

Mermaid Gown

Sheath Gown

Your wedding gown will possibly be the most important aspect of your wedding. It therefore makes sense that it should be given great consideration when choosing its design, colour and overall style.
Many brides discover the task of finding their perfect dress a daunting one, and this is understandably so.

There are many factors that should be considered when choosing your wedding gown in order to ensure that it an appropriate choice in relation to both the bride wearing it, and their style of wedding. Although there are endless considerations when deciding upon the perfect gown, the most important elements that you should consider are:

• Your budget
• Your personal style
• Your body shape
• The style or theme of your wedding
• Your colourings and the colourings of your wedding
• The season in which you are getting married
• Whether your ceremony location (indoors or outdoors)
• Family traditions or expectations
• Religion

The first thing to consider when searching for your wedding gown is your budget. The is no point shopping around town, finding the perfect gown, only to discover that it’s price tag isn’t within your budget.
You need to be realistic when setting your budget for a wedding gown. If you are under the impression that wedding dresses are a low cost item, think again. Unless you are buying second hand, or know someone who is able to design and make your dress for you, even an off the shelf gown can cost from $600 upwards.

If your budget allows for a $4000-$5000+ gown, then you will be able to afford a couture gown. Boutique bridal coutures are the ultimate when it comes to custom designed bridal attire. Every gown produced by a couturier is a unique design made exclusively for the individual purchasing it. Couture allows for a perfect fit, with a gown designed to mould to the shape of your body. It also gives the bride the opportunity to select fabrics, colours and accessories of her choice. The quality and workmanship of couture gowns are also significantly superior to those purchased off the rack. Couturier’s are qualified in fashion and gown design and spend a great deal of time perfecting their skills and, of course, the ultimate wedding gown for brides to be.

If couture is not within your budget however you have allocated around the $3000 price range for your gown, then a dressmaker or couturier (not in an exclusive boutique) would be your next best option. These designers will offer a similar service to couture, however generally have fewer overheads than those working in exclusive boutiques. You may not think that this option is a great deal less expensive than couture, however when you consider the stages of wedding dress design, you may understand why.

On average, a wedding dress will take anywhere from 40-60 hours to produce, some may take even longer where intricate embellishments or decorative detailing is required. If the designer is working on your gown for an average of $30-45 and you then add the cost of the material and embellishments to the price, you can see where things add up. It would therefore not be uncommon to expect your wedding gown to cost around the $3000 mark (depending upon the gown’s design) for this option.

If neither of these options are possible, you will need to consider buying off the rack. Don’t be misled into thinking that you won’t be able to find a beautiful gown when purchasing ‘ready made’. Many brides to be have been known to walk into a bridal store, and find their perfect dress in no time at all. A good bridal boutique, with a good reputation will be up to date with the latest designs to ensure that you’ll be making a fashionable and stylish statement on your wedding day.

As mentioned, the majority of off the shelf wedding gowns are priced from around the $600 mark and head upwards from there. Most gowns will be marked within standard sizes and will fit the average person quite well. Generally speaking ‘what you see is what you get’ when purchasing off the rack, however many boutiques offer an alteration service which may be required to ensure a better fit. It may also be possible for them to add decorative beading or other embellishments to your gown. If these services are not available, you may wish to employ the services of a good dressmaker to ensure that your needs are met.

The overall style or design of your gown should reflect that of your overall style or personality. This is especially important to brides who are not usually the ‘dress wearing type’.

Whether you’re a modern hip chick, or a traditional old-fashioned girl, choose something that reflects this style and the overall style of your wedding. The most important thing to remember is that you want to feel comfortable in what you are wearing on your wedding day. Avoid designs that are just ‘not you’, or make you feel that you are over or under dressed.

If you are someone who regularly visits the stores for the latest fashions, then choosing a style that suits probably won’t be an issue. You’ll most likely be aware of what generally looks best and what to avoid, making wedding gown selection an enjoyable and exciting experience.

If, on the other hand, you are not someone who wears dresses regularly you may need some direction when it comes to selecting your perfect wedding gown. Try to avoid frilly or heavily decorated gowns, as you are likely to feel uncomfortable, which may reflect upon your mood on the day.

Seek advice from your couturier, dressmaker or store assistant. These people should be trained to give you advice on a style that you will feel comfortable wearing.

Despite the fact that you may have the wedding gown of your dreams in mind, it is possible that when you actually try it on, it may not be what you had hoped for. While it may look great in a magazine or designer’s window, it may not necessarily be suited to your body shape.
Understanding your body shape is an important part in choosing your wedding gown. By determining your overall shape you will be able to identify the perfect wedding gown for you.

Hourglass Figure

Best Choices:

Dress style/silhouette:

• A-line, one piece gown

Neckline:

• Off the shoulder
• Queen Anne
• Scoop
• Strapless or off the shoulder styles work best with the hourglass figure
• Sweetheart
• V-neck

Best to Avoid:

Dress style/silhouette:

• Two piece gowns. They tend to cut this body shape in half, emphasising the hourglass shape.
• Empire style gowns. Due to the high waistline, it creates an unproportional appearance.
• Mermaid or sheath style gowns. These gowns are body contouring an emphasise areas that you may need to minimise.
• Bias cut and straight styled gowns. They tend to draw attention to the areas that you may need to minimise.
• Heavily decorated gowns. They may give the appearance of the bride being heavier than she actually is.

Full Figure

Best Choices:

Dress style/silhouette:

• A-line
• Ball gown
• Basque waistline

Neckline:

• Bateau
• Jewel
• Queen Anne
• Scoop
• V-neck

Best to Avoid:

Dress style/silhouette:

• Empire style gowns. Due to the high waistline, it creates an unproportional appearance.
• Mermaid or sheath style gowns. These gowns are body contouring an emphasise areas that you may need to minimise.

Neckline:

• Off the shoulder
• Spaghetti straps
• Strapless

Pear Shape

Best Choices:

Dress style/silhouette:

• A-line
• Ball gown
• Two piece gown
• Detailing to the bodice (this creates a balancing effect to the upper and lower halves of the body)
• Diagonal draping and ruching

Neckline:

• Off the shoulder
• Scoop
• Strapless
• V-neck

Best to Avoid:

Dress style/silhouette:

• Empire style gowns. Due to the high waistline, it creates an unproportional appearance.
• Mermaid or sheath style gowns. These gowns are body contouring and emphasise your hips.
• Bias cut and straight styled gowns. They will draw attention to your hips.

Neckline:

• Whilst a V-neck may look great on a pear shaped figure, be mindful that it can also draw attention to your bust and hips. It will be dependent upon the overall design of your gown.

Short and Petite

Best Choices:

Dress style/silhouette:

• A-line
• Cinderella gown (on some brides this will create a lovely romantic and elegant look)
• Empire gown. This can give the illusion of increased height.
• Padded gowns. This creates shape and a sense of ‘fullness’ to the petite bride.
• Mermaid style gown.
• Sheath style gown (this must be accompanied by a long cathedral veil to avoid the dress from looking ‘under done’).

Neckline:

• Off the shoulder
• Scoop
• Spaghetti straps

Best to Avoid:

Dress style/silhouette:

• Full skirts. The petite figure will look lost.
• Sheath gowns (without an accessory such as a long veil).
• Straight, or bias cut skirts with no shape.

Neckline:

• Halter
• Portrait neckline
• Strapless (unless the gown is very padded)
• Sweetheart (in some cases)
• V-Neck

Your wedding gown should be in keeping with the overall theme and style of your wedding. By maintaining a simple theme that flows through each aspect of your ceremony and reception, your wedding is sure to be a visual delight for all. When choosing the overall style of your gown, remember that careful consideration and expert advice is required. Selecting the wrong style of gown may change the overall theme and style of your wedding, creating a look that you may not have initially desired.

Generally, a traditional style wedding calls for a traditional style gown, including styles such as the ball gown or Cinderella gown, which are full and often heavily decorated. Modern wedding gowns, on the contrary, are most effective when kept simple and sleek. Consider your theme and the advice given by your couturier or dressmaker along with the ideas below.

Traditional

An A-Line gown may also be worn for a traditional wedding. If you’re not so keen on the heavily beaded look, then the A-Line is a great choice, and may be dressed down a little (in comparison to the ball gown or Cinderella gown).

A cathedral length veil will usually suit a formal wedding, as well as gloves and tiaras. Just be careful not to overdo it!

Sophisticated and Elegant

Romantic 

Modern

When it comes to your wedding dress, colour may be equally as important as the style itself. Just as a particular style of dress may look absolutely amazing on one bride, yet be completely unflattering on the next, this is also the case with colour.

Generally speaking, your skin tone and complexion will determine the colour that looks best on you. You may be surprised that the colour that you thought would look great, just doesn’t give you that special ‘glow’ when placed against your skin.

You may be overwhelmed when you commence the search for your perfect gown, at how many colours are actually available. The colour white alone has many various tones from crisp, stark and icy whites, through to dull grey whites, creamy whites and beiges. The only trouble is deciding upon which one best complements your skin tone.

Cool or Warm?

People with cool toned complexions have pink, violet or blue undertones, and those with warm tones have golden or yellow undertones. These two types of skin tone are further broken down into four categories of colourings – summer, autumn, winter and spring tones.

Summer and winter are both examples of cool tones. As mentioned above, cool skin tones have pink, violet or blue undertones. Although they are both examples of cool tones, there are some subtle differences between the two.

Summer

Best Colour Choices:

• Soft neutral colours or whites
• Soft pastels (especially dusky pinks, mauves, and pale blues)

Best To Avoid:

• Intense colours
• Bright or stark whites
• Earth tones
• Ivory, beige

Winter

Like those with a summer complexion, winters have blue or pink/rosy undertones. Unlike summer complexions however, winters may be pale or porcelain white, olive or dark in tone. Winter complexions have great contrast between their hair, skin and eye colour and have depth to their skin colour. People with winter complexions are usually brunettes with dark eyes, however natural blondes may fall into this category.

Best Colour Choices:

• Intense, rich colours
• Stark, bright whites
• Icy pastels

Best to Avoid:

• Earth tones
• Ivory, beige, or cream tones
• Orange or gold tones

Spring and autumn are examples of warm tones. People with these complexions have golden undertones.

Spring

People with spring complexions are usually golden or strawberry blondes, redheads or those with auburn hair colour. Their skin is usually a pale peach; ivory or creamy white tone with subtle golden undertones. Their eyes are pale in colour, usually blue or green.

Best Colour Choices:

• Ivory
• Cream, beige tones
• Golden, yellow tones
• Earth tones
• Greens, aqua’s and clear blues

Best To Avoid:

• Bright or stark whites
• Dark or dull colours

Autumn

People with autumn complexions are usually, redheads or brunettes with dark eyes and their complexions have golden undertones.
Autumn complexions have depth and colour to their skin tone.

Best Colour Choices:

• Ivory
• Cream, beige tones
• Rich browns
• Golden tones
• Earth tones

Best To Avoid:

• Bright or stark whites
• Bright colours
• Pastels
• Blue tones

By taking into account your complexion and skin tone, you will be sure to find a colour that is perfect for your wedding gown.