Where There's a Will, There's a Way

I used to blog a bit about bridal a couple years ago, but there was only so much a single teenage girl could write about wedding dresses. I'm still not quite that qualified to speak to the world of bridal, but when Weddington Way challenged me to restyle one of their bridesmaid dresses into a summer date outfit, I thought I'd give it a go. Being a girl who tries to make the most of her clothing, I was drawn to the concept of giving further mileage to a dress that is commonly perceived as something you wear only once. Using the Dove & Dahlia Isabelle dress in turquoise sea - which, with its own built-in pockets, is already designed to traverse the line between dressy and casual - this is how I would re-work a bridesmaid dress for a flirty rendez-vous:

Dress: Weddington Way | Denim Jacket: maurices | Handbag: Chloé | Sandals: Rene Caovilla | Necklace: Seaman Schepps | Bracelet: Chloé | Ring: Joomi Lim | Sunglasses: Steve Madden | Nailpolish: Dior | Perfume: Hermès 

A date outfit should certainly be nice, but most importantly, it should be comfortable. I would never be the type to wear short-shorts and high heels on a date, because dressing stylishly comfortable is what translates into killer confidence. So for this look, I aimed to not overwhelm with too many awkward bells and whistles, instead keeping to a comfortable (but still very feminine and pretty) flat sandal. I also find modesty to be a greatly endearing quality to have, which is why I've chosen to both cover-up and dress-down the dress with a cropped denim jacket. I used gold jewellery and pink-tinted aviators to add polish and glamour to the entire look, and for finishing touches, threw in a swipe of blush pink nailpolish and a spritz of Hermès Kelly Calèche (my favourite perfume).

Any item in your closet that you've relegated to 'one-time use only' has the potential to be restyled into an entirely new and inspiring look. After all, where there's a will, there's a way. With a bit of creativity, this bridesmaid dress can now accompany you on your own journey to finding love.

Jenny Packham Spring/Summer 2011 Bridal

I never expected to be looking at so many different bridal collections, especially at my age, but it seems one request leads to another!  Styleonthecouch has requested a review on Jenny Packham Bridal, and it's astounding to me how all the bridal collections that I have looked at can all be so diverse.  For Spring 2011, Packham presented us with a variety of styles, but one thing that stood out throughout the show was this sense of vintage from the 1930s.  Instead of going through this collection in order, I'm going to group the styles together.  Like any bridal show nowadays, there were short options:

A significant part of the show consisted of column dresses, sometimes done with scallop flaps on the skirt:

But the most beautiful silhouette was that of the subtle A-line (my favourite dress in the entire collection is the first photo):

Finally, as no bridal show is complete without it, Packham brought out classic, traditional ballroom dresses with skirts so soft the models looked like they were walking in clouds:

All this talk of bridal really gets me excited for that day I finally get to say "I do", and whatever dress I happen to be wearing, I know that, in the end, it'll be dwarfed by the true star of the day: love.

See and watch the entire show here.

Image Source: Wedding Style

The Unconventional Bride

After taking a look at the most recent bridal collections from Monique Lhuillier, Marchesa and Vera Wang, E... suggested that I take a look at Alexander McQueen and Lanvin for a more interesting take on bridal fashion.  From McQueen, one can always expect outlandish designs, while Lanvin Blanche approaches bridal from a non-conformist, humorous perspective.

Net-a-Porter offers three McQueen bridal dresses, and all three are well-constructed, reveal a significant bit of leg, and range from the more traditional, to the highly daring.  While the first dress doesn't appeal to me whatsoever, I am drawn to the peeking out of the floral embroidered underskirt in the second dress.  The third one is absolutely exquisite, and even though I would never wear it myself, I would love to see someone getting married in it.

Lanvin Blanche, on the other hand, doesn't go as dramatic as McQueen, but instead offers up bridal dresses that could easily be worn as cocktail dresses or simply as eveningwear.  Another thing that is unique about Lanvin Blanche is that it suggests elegant t-shirt and skirt separates as alternatives to a dress, and it also provides angelic trenches and shrugs as coverups.

As much as I do want something unique as my wedding dress, I find Lanvin Blanche to be too playful and casual for somewhat of a traditionalist like me.  However, I do appreciate McQueen and Lanvin Blanche's modern take on bridalwear, and no one will ever forget the bride who wears any of these dresses.

See the entire Lanvin Blanche collection here and here.

Image Source: McQueen, Lanvin Blanche

Here Comes the Bride

With so many amazing ready-to-wear collections, it's easy to forget that there are also bridal collections, especially since not all of us are brides-to-be!  Luckily, at the request of Dear Girl, who is designing a wedding dress for her friend, bridal collections will no longer be forgotten.  I will be taking a look at three very popular bridal designers: Monique Lhuillier, Marchesa and Vera Wang.  This review will also mark the end of my Fashion Week Marathon.

Monique Lhuillier Bridal is just as beautiful as her RTW line, but for Fall 2012, I wouldn't consider walking down the isle in a lot of the dresses that she showed.  The collection consisted of sparkling beaded bodices, light ruffled skirts, lacy fabric, and varying hemlines and silhouettes.  This collection asserted that it's all in the intricate detailing.  My favourite look has got to be the last photo.

Overall, I found the sweetheart necklines too repetitive, and not always the most flattering.  However, the decorated shoulder straps were quite pretty.  For someone like me who wants a simple, yet stunning ethereal wedding dress, all the embellishment isn't very appealing.  But for a girl who wants a bit of drama, this collection could well be for her!

Marchesa's Bridal Fall 2010 consisted of organza and tulle floral motifs, and jeweled detailing overtop relatively spare bodices.  All the dresses were floor length, except for one mini dress, and the overall look was that of a soft, quiet presence.  My favourite goes out to the fourth photo.

And finally, no bridal review is complete without Vera Wang.  Surprisingly, her collection for Spring 2011 doesn't quite match up to Marchesa, and in the end, my favourite collection goes to Marchesa.  But as for Vera Wang, she went with a collection full of structural expertise, limited floral embellishment, and soft edges.  My favourite dress is the second purple one.

While the architectural organza requires a lot of skill, I find that sometimes the shapes are more fashion than bridal.  I do like the softness of the whole collection though.  But whichever collection catches your fancy the most, there's no doubt that when your husband sees you walking towards him in any of these dresses, he'll think he's marrying an angel - that is, if he doesn't already.

See and watch the entire Monique Lhuillier collection here.
See the entire Marchesa Bridal collection here.
See the entire Vera Wang collection here.