Bride Chic

  Is there really a difference between a wedding gown and a wedding dress? You’ll hear designers and savvy merchandisers use both terms to describe what a bride wears on her wedding day—but the distinction isn’t always consistent, and it’s as much about language and styling as it is about silhouette. Historically, “gown” has always carried the stronger sense of formality. It was the word used for ceremonial and court dress long before modern bridal marketing existed, and it still tends to signal something more elevated or occasion-specific—most often floor-length, frequently with a train or sweeping extension that adds drama and presence. In the modern imagination, the quintessential gown takes on a “Harlowesque” quality: fluid, lean-lined, and body-skimming, echoing the bias-cut revolution of 1930s evening wear popularized in Hollywood by stars like Jean Harlow. Designers such as Madeleine Vionnet helped establish this languid silhouette, where fabric moves with the body rather t...