Petite, Tout de Suite!: Some Ideas for Petite Brides

I get a lot of enquiries about petite wedding gowns, so I thought I’d write a little note that might help out. Unfortunately, most designers do not do wedding gowns in petite. Two designers that DO make gowns in petite (yay!) are Eden Bridals and Venus. So, if you’d like to find a gown in petite size, those are good places to start looking. If you like gowns from designers that don’t make petite, they can still work but it can be trickier to find something with the right scale. Something with an empire or princess line, where there’s no seam right at the waist, can be easier to work with because they won’t be as likely to look like the bodice is too long (plus they’ll tend to give height). Something else to pay attention to is skirt length and shape. If you are very petite and looking at mermaid skirts for example, likely the part of the skirt that should hit at the knee will come down too low and often there is not a way to fix that issue (it depends on how the dress is constructed). Also, if the dress has a lot of detail around the hem, you can run into issues and possibly need a custom hollow to hem, so keep that in mind as well. There are quite a few Mori Lee wedding gowns that come with three different skirt lengths automatically, no extra charge, so that’s another line to check out. Happy Shopping!

The Look for Less

Looking for a lace mermaid style that’s fabulous but still budget friendly? Check out this dress from DaVinci: Style 8317. (Again, sorry it’s just a link, I can’t take the picture off the site.) Also this one from Impression: Style 2976.

http://www.davincibridal.com/catalog.php?cat=22&im_id=15&page=12

http://www.impressionbridal.com/catalog.php?cat=22&im_id=14&page=12

Junior Made: A brief guide to designers that make junior bridesmaid dresses

Finding something for a junior bridesmaid can be tricky. Not all designers make junior styles, and not all designers make junior styles to match every style they have available.
Here is a breakdown of some of the lines we carry with junior styles, and whether they make them to match most dresses, only some, etc. Most designers have a different style number for the junior style even if it matches.

Make some matching/complimentary styles, but not for all dresses:
Bari Jay, Bill Levkoff, Eden, Alexia Designs, DaVinci, Impression

Many/Most styles have matching junior styles:
Jordan, Belsoie/B2,

WaWa, the flower girl/junior line from Watters, has some styles that are junior appropriate. They don’t have a separate junior line; it’s mixed in with the flower girls.

A heads up, Dessy/After Six does NOT make junior styles, which is kind of a bummer if you ask me. They do make flower girl dresses, but most are not something an older, junior bridesmaid age girl is likely going to want to wear.

Sparkle, sparkle little bride

More and more brides these days are electing to skip the veil and just go with a beautiful headpiece, often something on the side vs. the more traditional and princess-y tiara. Your wedding is such a great chance to showcase your taste and personality, so go for something fabulous. Flowers, feathers, or a bejeweled comb- find something that makes a statement and pulls your look together.

Erica Koesler is hands down my favorite veil/ headpiece designer. Here are links to a couple of pieces I think are fabulous: one is just a barrette/brooch, the other is a set of pins. Both would work well on their own, but could be paired with a veil too.


http://www.ericakoesler.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=41&category_id=1&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1


http://www.ericakoesler.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=223&category_id=1&manufacturer_id=0&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1

Check it Out!

I wish I had a picture to upload, but all I have is a link, and here it is:

http://www.billlevkoff.com/#/9/bill-levkoff-bridesmaid-dresses/bridesmaid-dress-style-440/1172/

Reasons I love this dress:

It's tissue taffeta, which is light but still structured, and Levkoff has some really pretty colors, like "clover".
It's super fun and flattering for a variety of body types, and is a dress I would totally wear again.
A warning: the bodice on this isn't the deepest in the world, so it may not be the best choice for very busty girls.

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...