The Evolution of Mermaid Wedding Dresses

Not long ago a fashion design student specializing in bridal design in London asked me my opinion on the latest trends in bridal fashion. Besides it being nice to be asked, I realized something: I have a pretty unique perspective on what's cutting edge right now. Why? Brides come to me to have a dress custom made when they can't find it anywhere else.

Why do these "gaps" exist between what's coming off the bridal runway and what brides are really looking for? It's due to the timing of the launches. As an example, The Spring 2010 gowns coming out now were actually designed about six months ago, maybe more. The process is time consuming for many reasons: in fact I see another post coming on this topic!

Back to what's hot right now! Brides are getting more daring and want to show off their figures like never before. At the same time, they imagine their wedding dress to have a full or somewhat full skirt. This probably goes back to the iconic "shape" of a wedding dress that we have all had imprinted in our minds since childhood! Enter the redesigned "Mermaid" wedding dress. (Also called "Fit and Flare" and Trumpet.) The Mermaid wedding dress of years past was similar to its namesake in that it was figure-hugging all the way down to the knee, with a sudden "flare" of fabric. The Mermaid of the moment is hip-hugging as well, but the skirt flares at the upper or mid thigh instead. In fact, the line is being blurred between traditional A-line wedding dresses and the "New" mermaid style. This is happening for two reasons: 1) the skirt "flare" can be a more subtle draping of fabric 2) the "flare" can be quite high up on the hip.

Is this the cut for you? The traditional Mermaid cut is quite unforgiving and tends to make brides' rear ends look bigger than they are... Most of us don't need that, so the good news is that the newer styles are much more universally flattering. Moving the "flare" higher up on the hip is especially helpful. This draws less attention to the buttocks and balances out the silhouette in a much more pleasing way. Great news for you fashionista brides out there!

Thinking of an Ivory Wedding Dress? This is for You!

How do you know an ivory wedding dress is the right color for you? Can it be more than a "middle of the road" between pure white and champagne tones? Totally. To answer the first question, think of how pearls look against your skin. Have you always liked the effect? Don't think of the style of pearls which might be too conservative for you: rather, think of the tone itself. Chances are you'll be saying a resounding "yes" if you have olive or creamy skin. Also in the resounding "yes" category are dark-skinned women: especially those with rich brown tones. In this case you may want to consider a rich ivory color, or a gold wedding dress. (See an example in the post below.) Creamy skin also looks nice in ivory, especially a paler shade.

If you have very fair skin you'll probably want to avoid ivory in favor of white. This way your dress will be lighter than your skin tone which is the goal.

There are many shades of ivory with varying levels of color, and varying levels of yellow. If you're shopping for a dress in person, the best way to judge the color is against your skin, and preferably in daylight. If this is not possible in the store, ask for a fabric sample that you can take home. Shopping online? Take the time to request a fabric sample. It's well worth the minor cost if you're serious about the wedding dress in question. Not only for the color, but to judge the texture, shine and overall fabric quality. Use the coupon code FREEFABRIC at our store Custom Couture Bridal for free bridal fabric samples. Enjoy!

Considering a Custom Made Wedding Dress?

If you're considering a custom made wedding dress, here's what to consider first:

• Do you know what will look good on you? If not, consider checking out this guide to wedding dresses that flatter your figure.
• Do you know the terminology? This will help you to communicate with your service provider effectively in their language.
• Are you tempted to copy a designer style? Consider customizing the style rather than making a copy. Reputable designers won't make a replica anyway. Think of your gown as part of your legacy. Do you want took back at your special day and think about how you stole a designer's intellectual property? I'm sure you would you rather think about how you created a totally unique dress that expresses your style and individuality.
• Are you in the process of losing weight? If so, consider a lace-up or corset type closure.
• Think about adding a touch of color. That is part of the beauty of a custom made dress: you are in control! You can use the color to match your bridesmaids, mother, or hubby to be in some way.
• Think about the formality of your wedding. You want the dress to be in synch with the setting, the time of day, the season, etc.
• Make sure the fabric you choose matches the design of the dress. Not all dresses can be made in all fabrics. A good designer should be able to advise you. Looking for lots of movement and flow: chiffon is for you. Thinking traditional and more formal? A satin weave whether made of silk or a poly blend is perfect. Need a light, cool fabric? A taffeta weave is your friend!
  

The Convertible Wedding Dress!

It's funny how little wedding dresses have changed in the last twenty years when you think of how much the rest of fashion has changed. Other types of clothing have changed with changing needs: we have women's suits designed to go from office to evening, there are jeans for almost every possible occasion. Well, time for some innovation in the wedding dress department!

Brides want a dress that will be beautiful AND practical. Elegant yet sexy. Something that gets the point across as to who is the blushing bride, but will also have her new hubby thanking his lucky stars as he catches a glimpse over at her on the dance floor thinking, "My new wife looks HOT!"

Without further ado, I announce the latest creation from Custom Couture Bridal: the convertible wedding dress.


By unzipping the hidden zipper, Voila! You are ready to re-emerge as the ever so styling dance floor diva that you are. You can even wear this dress again in it's short form without having to "sacrifice" the original wedding dress. And, this can be very a very budget-friendly alternative to buying two wedding dresses...!

The Classic Choice: A White Wedding Dress

White wedding dresses are rife with symbolism: purity, virginity, what have you. Clearly today these symbols are less relevant in our society, nevertheless the white dress persists! Why? Is it that brides tend to glow in white? Is it that guests assume the bride will wear white therefore no other woman will wear it, rendering the bride a visible beacon amongst her guests? Maybe it's because many weddings tend to be in the summer and white looks so nice outdoors in the sunlight. Below is a classic white wedding dress complete with romantic pickups and a bubble hem.



Whatever the reason, the vast majority of wedding dresses are still in shades of white and ivory. Some more intrepid brides have chosen other colors, such as a gold or champagne wedding dress (pictured below) or even pink!



Whatever your choice, make sure you don't compromise your fabric for the color you want. The fabric of your dress is incredibly important and needs to "stand on it's own". Don't be afraid to ask for a fabric sample just to be really sure this is what you want. This goes for a white dress too! Happy shopping!

How Much Wedding Budget Should Go Towards "The Dress"?

This is a tough question, but I'm feeling up to attacking this topic today! I've read in supposedly reputable sources (bridal magazines) that about 20% of your wedding budget should go towards your dress. I must disagree!

This may have made sense when there was limited choice in wedding dresses, much less what I'll call "nice" wedding dresses. To be able to understand the numbers, we'll first have to look at what weddings really cost! According to The Wedding Report the average US wedding in 2008 cost $21,814. This was a 24% decline from 2007 indicating the recession affected couple's budgets in a big way. This means that even at discounted "recession prices" that the average bride should be spending well over $4,000 on her dress. Pretty insane, right? Why would they suggest such a thing? I liken it to DeBeers giving the advice that men should be spending two month's salary on the engagement ring. It's in their interest to aim high here! What is plastered all over bridal magazines? Ads for dresses! So of course they want to promote the idea of paying a lot for a wedding dress: it's also in their best interest.

Before we get all into conspiracy-theory territory, let's look at some more "real world" numbers to see what brides are ACTUALLY spending! In 2008 brides spent an average of $916 on their dress. Yes, a far cry from $4k indeed! There's more to it, however.

• The veil: $106
• Tiara, combs, hair pins, garter: $72
• Shoes: $94
• Dress Preservation: $124
• All figures from The Wedding Report

This makes the total "outfit" plus preservation afterwards come to $1,312. If we use the average cost of a wedding in 2008 fro above ($22K) and do the math, this works out to 6% of the budget. Breathing easier now, aren't you! To give a couple of examples outside the "average cost" this would mean that if your wedding budget is:

• $10,000 that at 6% your bridal attire should come to $600
• $30,000 translates to $1,800

Feeling better, aren't you? Now that you have a guideline, get shopping!

What are couture wedding dresses anyway?

"Couture" is a very misunderstood and misused term. Not a coincidence: the use and abuse have naturally led people down the path of confusion. Couture originates from the French term "Haute Couture" which literally translates to "high sewing" or "high dressmaking". Haute Couture in France used to be a term that referred to the exclusive fashion houses in France: Chanel, Christian Dior and the like. Not just loosely, it was (and is!) even regulated who could use the term Haute Couture in their advertising. (You gotta love the French - such sticklers for rules. I can say that since I'm half French!)

In order to qualify to use the term, the couture houses had to satisfy certain criteria, of which the main one was to design made-to-order clothing for private clients. So this is the main distinguishing feature of "Pret-a-porter" vs. "Couture": Couture is custom made for the individual client and pret-a-porter (ready to wear) is fabricated to certain pre-determined sizes.

Coming back to wedding dresses, even though it can seem that you are "custom ordering your dress", from a bridal boutique, the vast majority (I would say over 99%, but don't quote me!) are made to pre-determined sizes and therefore actually pret-a-porter. This term is itself a little bit of a misnomer because as any boutique owner will tell you, the chances of your wedding dress that you ordered (even though it's in your size) of fitting you perfectly are extremely slim! You will need alterations, which can be costly. The cost of alterations can be such a surprise that I recommend getting quotes on the alterations before purchasing your dress from a boutique, if you go this route.

OK, so if Couture wedding dresses are all custom made, why do several manufacturers have lines of wedding gowns made in stock sizes with "couture" in the name? In a word: marketing. Even though "couture" technically means made to measure, since savvy clothing labels have been using the term to mean "high end" or "designer", consumers have started to interpret the meaning as exactly that. Hence all the confusion!

So, how can you get a couture wedding dress you ask? Well, if you have upwards of about $40,000 to part with you can see if one of the few big-name wedding dress designers out there will make a custom wedding dress for you. Or, you can come to Custom Couture Bridal where we custom design wedding dresses and make them to our brides' measurements. This is our specialty: we don't actually sell stock sizes. Even if you'd like to buy one of the dresses from our in-house collection, your dress will be custom made to your measurements.

Why is the concept of custom made clothing worthy of such obsession and even legislation? It will sound cliche, but you have to experience it to understand completely. It's all about the fit, and in wedding dresses, there's nothing more important! Imagine, you're walking down the aisle and you start to feel your dress slipping down just a little. Or maybe a lot. It will show on your face. That precious moment of yours will be stolen from you so needlessly! This is exactly why more and more brides are trusting us to make a dress that will fit them perfectly.

Come see our collection of couture wedding dresses. Each dress is custom made and customizable in terms of several aspects. This way you can not only have a custom made dress, but you can tweak several elements of the dress to your specifications.