The Empire: Is it Evil or Genius?

I'm taking a break from fabric this week- I'll finish sometime, I really will...
The empire silhouette is extremely popular of late. We’ve been seeing it in clothing and on the red carpet, but it’s in the bridal salons too- more so now than in the past few years, although the empire has been around forever. (For those who have never heard this term, an empire style gown will come in right under the bust line, and then fall from that line. There are variations- some more slim, some more full, but all are fitted right under the bust and then flow from there.)
I personally love this style- it showcases the upper body and then flows over the waist and hip area, leaving it for the most part to the imagination. If you’re slender, you’ll still look slender, and if you’re fuller figured, the gown will flow over potential problem areas. Of course this silhouette, like any, isn’t perfect for everyone and if poorly executed can look shapeless. But when done right it’s elegant, chic, and romantic. Some adore this shape and most find it to be extremely comfortable as well. Others, who may want to showcase their waist/hip area a little more, tend not to favor this style. And then sometimes I hear: “It looks like a maternity dress!” Clearly, not everyone gets fashion!
So, my vote is for genius, and I want to encourage anyone who is leaning toward this type of dress but is struggling because it is a little less traditional. Go for it! You’ll be in good company, with Greek goddesses, Jane Austen heroines, and women of good taste from Hollywood to Hyderabad.

P.S. A couple of my favorite bridesmaids gowns in this style are from Bari Jay: style 351 and 809. Wtoo makes a gorgeous lacy wedding gown called “Marquarite” that I also love.

Fabric 101: Part IIa: Common Fabrics You Should Know

This week we’ll start to look at some of the most common fabrics and their pros and cons. A couple of things to keep in mind: Any fabric can be flattering in the right cut, even clingy fabrics like charmeuse. After you’ve tried on a few disasters you’ll get an eye for what tends to enhance your shape and what to steer clear of. A lot of the rest is preference- so go for what you love!


Satin/Silk Satin: Satin is the ubiquitous bridal fabric for a reason. It has a beautiful sheen to it and some structure as well. The down side of satin is that it tends to be heavy.

Charmeuse: A lighter version of satin, it will also have a sheen to it. The good news is that it’s lighter; the bad news is that it tends to be clingy and not very forgiving.

Chiffon: Chiffon is lightweight and translucent, usually with a smooth feel. You’ll usually see it layered or ruched. Again, it’s light but can showcase flaws unless it’s done right.

Dupioni silk: This silk has a lot of texture- lines and little bumps called “slubs”. The bridal fabric is often a more refined looking, with a bit of sheen. This fabric is great because it is lightweight but still has some structure. Some people don’t like the texture, and it can tend to crease more easily.

To be continued...

Fabric 101: A Quick and Dirty Guide Part I: Synthetic vs. Silk

This guide won’t really be dirty, I just thought I’d try to make it sound a little more exciting. I don’t know how many parts there will be. This could be epic.

Many fabrics come in silk and synthetic versions, and I’ll get into different types of fabric later (example: there are silk chiffons, satins, taffetas, and so on…). This will just be quick lowdown on what the big differences are.


1) Silk is a natural fiber. This means that it breathes more, but also that it can have imperfections that are just part of the "natural beauty" of the fabric. Also, silks won’t come in a bright white for that same reason- the natural fiber cannot be bleached. Silk whites tend to be like diamond whites, and you’ll see many silks called “natural” or ivory.
2) Synthetics are man made fabrics, and are usually much more budget friendly than silks. Most people cannot tell the difference between a silk and a quality synthetic fabric and, many silk dresses will have a synthetic lining.
3) Silks can be more delicate to care for, although all bridal fabrics tend to be on the delicate side. Many silks will be marked by water droplets, although some synthetics are water sensitive as well ( most taffetas, for example).
4) Some synthetics will tend to wrinkle less easily, although this will also depend on the type of fabric (satin vs. taffeta vs. chiffon) so synthetics won’t always be easier to take care of, although this tends to be the case.
5) Most gowns that are silk will be adverised as such, so if you don't see anything saying silk, it's most likely not.

Two Looks for the Price of One: Detachable Skirts from Bari Jay!

We’ve all seen pictures of glamorous brides who have a reception dress in addition to their wedding gown. It’s fun, fashionable, and gives the bride a chance to show off her personality in two different ways. Sometimes it makes a big difference in comfort- she may have a full-skirted or very fitted gown for the wedding and then slip into something short or more suitable for dancing for the reception. Bridesmaids can have a little bit of that same fun and flexibility too, if you know where to look. Bari Jay makes some styles with detachable skirts that take you from floor to tea length, or a detachable overskirt that takes you from full skirted to fitted. Here are three links to check out these fabulous options.

http://barijay.com/style.php?style=361
http://barijay.com/style.php?style=368
http://barijay.com/style.php?style=812

I think any of these in the tea length is a fabulous little black dress, so even if you didn't use the detachable skirt feature for the wedding (although why you wouldn't I can't imagine!), the bridemaids would have a cute little black dress that they could hopefully wear again.

Stop and smell the... wedding?

A married friend had some fabulous advice that I would like to share with the world. It may sound a little obvious, but as crazy as wedding days can become, I think the more reminders to just slow down and enjoy, the better. On your special day, try to hit the “pause” button periodically. Just stop and take in the moment, dwell on the goodness, the beauty, the joy, or maybe the humor- whatever there is to savor. Try for a little “Zen” if you will: be fully present in the present moment as much as possible. For example, when you are walking down the aisle, take time to make eye contact and smile at loved ones around you. It can be tempting to just beeline for the altar while keeping your eyes on the groom, but taking note of some of the faces around to support you will enhance the moment for you and make your guests feel extra special. I could keep giving examples, but what could be a special moment will vary for each person, and the main idea is to cultivate a mindset so that you really stop to take in and enjoy to the max all the pleasures your wedding day has to offer.

Color Me Happy: Some Thoughts on Choosing your Wedding Palette

I have, on more than one occasion, had the interesting experience of trying to help a bride find a bridesmaids dress that will match her table linens. By “interesting” I really mean incredibly frustrating and difficult. Most bridesmaids dresses come in a variety of colors, but it somehow seems that once a bride has settled on an exact shade to match, finding it is always problematic. There may be only one fabric from one designer that is just right, and figuring out which it is can be a headache, plus then we are limited to the styles that come in that fabric from that designer, which the bride and bridesmaids may or may not even like. Yipes! Here are some hints to save yourself some stress as you plan your day.

1) Don’t nail down your colors for other items until you’ve looked for the bridesmaids dresses and gotten an idea of what’s out there. You may find dresses in the perfect color you were thinking of, but if this turns out to be difficult it is will be far easier to find linens or cummerbunds or whatever that will work with the dresses than vice versa.
2) Rather than choosing just two colors as the basis for your décor, pick an inspiration piece and work from that. It could be a bowl of fruit, a bouquet, a unique scarf or a plate, a handbag… there are limitless options. You will still end up with a few dominant colors, but this can help you work in interesting accents.
3) If you do end up with one or two dominant colors, rather than trying to match everything, go for various shades within the same family of those colors- this will add depth and richness to your scheme. One of the most beautiful weddings I have seen did various shades of pink from fuchsia to primrose. Yummy!
4) Your bridesmaids dresses don’t have to be in the “wedding colors” (i.e. match the invitations and the ribbons on the chairs), they just have to compliment. If you’re doing vibrant flowers, you may want your maids in a more neutral tone so the flowers really pop. Or if you’re in love with a color that doesn’t flatter anyone in your wedding party, work it in to the décor and put your girls in a color they’ll shine in.

(The first image is of a vintage scarf I could base my wedding scheme on. I’d put the the bridesmaids in black with flowers in rich oranges and pops of green- my favorite!- everywhere possible. For those of you who are not so into the vintage thing, behold this lovely photo with vibrant bouquet and more subdued bridesmaids dress.)

Strike a Pose!

You've got the gowns, hair, and makeup set?
There's something else you can't forget:
If you want great pictures of your special day,
"Practice makes perfect!" is what they all say.
So as you prepare to say "I Do"
Practice posing in front of a mirror too!

Here are a couple of links to pages with some things to think about as you smile for those cameras!

http://www.aisledash.com/2007/11/29/pose-like-a-celebrity-tips-for-perfect-photos/

http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/article/picture-perfect-practice-posing?rsc=taxonomylist-b_fashion-and-beauty_makeup-and-hair&lnc=34d477c119b1d110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD