So I’ve decided to make my own dress, but have come across so many amazing options online as well. The handful of wedding magazines I’ve flipped through, I’m shocked at how similar all the dresses are. There’s a world of possibilities, ladies! Shake it up!
I do have some limitations: I’m definitely not a strapless girl, plus I want to hide my tattoos. I want to look timeless, not all crazy rock&roll arms! So, no strapless, high back, long gloves. Either way, the giant cupcake mermaid long train wedding dresses are so not me, so not forest-friendly and so all-looking-the-same. Plus, I’m 5’4", big dresses swamp me.
I think it’s pretty excellent that our generation & beyond will make their own ideas about wedding dresses, traditions, and style. Short, long, vintage, handmade. As “indie” or “trendy” or whatever that is, I say it’s a good deal whenever anyone starts thinking about why we do what we do, especially since marriage has such crazy foundations. My dad joked with me that when I was small I’d say “No man will ever give ME away!” but now, with everything we’ve gone through this last year, it’s super important for him to be by my side. I also never thought I’d get married, for political reasons, but that’s another story.
Digression! On to the pretty.
Vivienne Westwood
DVF, Phillip Lim
Camilla & Marc
Fendi, Antik Batik
What do you think of short dresses? Would you go traditional, or carry your style through? Are you so sick of me mentioning weddings that you want to sock me in the eyes? Shhhhhhh, there there. It beats me whining about not knowing what to do next in life. Except WEAR DRESSES. I promise I won’t mention weddings again on here for WEEKS. Weeks.
i love the vivienne westwood dress on the right! it is so classic & glamorous. your splendid green shoes will show if you wear a short dress instead of hiding waya under tulle and lace. i am curious about how the gloves will work – how do you put on yr ring then? do you get the kind of gloves that button at the wrist? you will have to unveil your hand 😉
i want to make a wedding dress, too – but i only started sewing last summer so nothing too elaborate. my mom made her own wedding dress from a vogue pattern; it was white eyelet. maybe a silk bias cut 30s style dress! i need to practice sewing with that kind of fabric tho.
I’m doing a silk bias cut dress now on a commission and i’m nervous! you’ll look amazing in anything, you’re tall and thin! us wee roundy shorties have to worry and fret about what to wear.
Ooh, my. I just saw that lace shift over at lagarconne today and quite fell in love with it – an enchanting choice, yes! How wonderful that you are going to make your own dress, I can’t even imagine that. Sewing machines terrify me! It’s odd, I can knit a vastly intricate shawl…but I cannot even sew a button 😉
I don’t plan on getting married, but if IF I did, I’ve already purchased the dress – a lovely Gunne Sax (size small, whoops) from the lovely Amber over at violetfolklore.
I do actually have -3- gunne sax wedding dresses, but while the waists and hips always fit, apparently ms mclintock did not factor in women ever having bustlines. Yikes! I need to get them cleaned and etsy them. Someday.
…whereas i prefer the vivienne westwood on the left. such a lovely neckline.
roxi: instead of gloves, perhaps lace gauntlets? http://www.costumegoddess.com/tips/gauntlet_lace.jpg
I lost an ebay auction on the most amazing 1936 fingerless lace long long gloves. Alas! My mama just called and said she found kid ones for me at an estate sale. Yay!
We already know that you look great in the DVF and I’m pretty sure that something like the Camilla’s would look fab on you ! I’d drop one of the frills on the chest, tho … (the second, I think … Or maybe both ?)
I would carry my own style, as I always did. It’s your day, the most important thing is that YOU have to feel pretty. And at ease, yourself, confident.
Amen to black tights & black shoes ! Black ribbon looks good, too.
I would stay far from the first two (V.W) as they would look terrible on me : it’s the kind of shape that makes my hips and bum look terribly fat …
But maybe it would look great on you !
… Keep us posted !
x x x
___m___
PS : And I have to answer your email properly, too
___m___
I don’t think anything could make you look fat! Though Ms Oola did mention on flickr that the back of that first dress is absolutely hideous.
Definitely no chest frills. When I tried the DVF one on they STUCK STRAIGHT OUT. How mortifying.
the first phillip lim dress is gorgeous!
i think you’d look great in a shorter dress. it seems like it would be very much YOU.
The one I’ve designed has a lot of draping, but a simple and fitted under-structure, so I think it’ll seem formal enough but still short and pretty and flappery. I do NOT want the wedding to feel ‘costume party’ at all. Nods to the past.
ooh, i love both vivenne westwood dresses! the second one seems very beautiful in a more opulent way. the first one makes me think of forests…it is equally as beautiful as the second, but in a different way. lovely choices!!
I really like the Phillip Lim. There’s something 1930s and 1960s about it. I like the simple cut, but the lace gives texture.
However, I’m sure whatever you eventually design and create will look simply wonderful on you!
I really like it to! I should at least track it down to try it on.
Oh please don’t feel that you need to stop writing about wedding things! As it is *your* wedding and very much unconventional and your own, it is dreamy to hear about and see snippets of your hues and imaginings. I am sure I’m not alone in feeling this way among your readers!
The philip lim dress, if you can make it. I’m really into lace-y dresses right now, so I might be biased, but there’s something wonderful about prim and proper top and short hem.
I stumbled upon this photo, and thought she was a beautiful, untraditional bride (um, untraditional in every sense, but anyway):
I think you could make the best dress…better than an expensive designer dress. Can’t wait to see what you come up with.
oops, here’s the link, since I can’t paste in the image:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/auroraro/wedding-photo-frida-and-diego.jpg
Short. Do your style. You WILL NOT regret it.
And, um, I’m wishing you all the luck with making yours that I didn’t have with mine (but, my near disaster turned into one of our weddings greatest joys… and f*ck yeah the dress was short).
I’m in the middle of a wedding dress commission for a friend, and did this one last summer: http://www.verhext.com/pearl-grey-skies-fireflies
So I’ve practiced on other people!
That wedding in the link, BTW, did end up being just under 10K – I have NO idea how, they own the land and the groom built the pews and arbor (how cute is that? and their house, actually) and the food was potluck and I did the dress for $100 and the hair, makeup, flowers, etc for free – I think because they wired the land for electricity? Plus the tent rental, etc…but anyway, very very DIY. Actual DIY.
& I love your blog!
You HAVE to carry your style through.
Its your day.
Your partner is going to marry you because you are you!
I loke short dresses, i also like long ones, but please stay true to your style!
I’m going for a tea length halter dress that I will wear a crinoline under. At 5’4″ you do have to consider that it could very easily look like your dress is wearing you. However I think you chose some really gorgeous options here, you OBVIOUSLY have amazing taste!
That Antik Batik would be really cool with some gloves, and means you have to wear amazing shoes too because everyone will see them.