Monday, February 27, 2017

BRIDAL FASHION OF THE 1960s-70s

The 60s-70s in a way was a juxtapose.  While the world was exploding politically and socially, bridal fashion stayed pretty much restricted and traditional.  On the other hand the late sixties/seventies era is known primarily for wild and off-beat chic that sometimes made its way into bridal wear.   Thanks to a some savvy designers, the funk was fine-tuned into into high fashion.  The era was the most politically charged of the century and invariably spilled over even into haute couture. 
   Above: BW Christian Dior organza dress circa 1965 with cut out florals on skirt and veil ///Directly Above: A 1970 Vogue Pattern for a modernist/monastic bridal gown with a corrosponding headpiece Below: Crocheted dresses made their way into fashion big time during the 60s, bridal wear was no exception right down to the cloche kniited cap in place of a veil.  Via Vintage Visage
  Above: Pouf veils, long and short had their hey day in the 1960s. These above are fromThe JC Penny catalog circa mid-sixties.  Below: Top of the line lace and fashion by Pierre Balmain lace gem circa 1977
Above: A sophisticated peasant look in lace by Carven circa 1969//Directly Above: A wedding dress in Chantilly lace from 1975///Below.  A Ron LoVece circa late sixties
Above: British actress Annie Lambert from the 1970s.  The scarf is apropos for a 70s wedding. Via Pinterest///Below: I call this gem below the cookie cutter bridal uniform of the 1970s.  Lovely, yes but pretty restricted.  Via Yahoo Images
 Below: The mid to late 1970s was the emergence of Peasant and Prairie Revival fashion..  While designer Jessica McClintock revived the Prairie Gown with her Gunne Sax line in the seventies, the more haute couture versions of Prairie came to us through the stunning creations of  British designer, Laura Ashley.  She used finer imported cottons and voiles//
 Directly below: A peasant dress by Yves Saint Laurent///Below: An Edwardian dress via Seventeen Magazine 1974 Tumblr //Below: via Lipstick and Curls


Thursday, February 23, 2017

AWESOME SHOOTERS: A WEDDING IN BRITTANY

 This absolutely stunning series of images shot in picturesque Brittany was captured by the French-based photographer extraordinaire, Gaëlle Le Berre.  Unfolding this incredible story through pictures, we also had some words with the groom.    When we asked "How did you meet each-other?"  Vincent replied, "Miranda and I met in 2010 at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.We quickly became very close because of our common tastes for travel, foreign languages and sport. That year we both played football in the same club!  After Australia, we lived together in Peru, Bulgaria and New Caledonia."
    
How and where did he propose?

"I made my request for a romantic weekend where we celebrated the four years of our meeting. We had decided to go to the islet of Tenia. At sunset, everything was ready, the ring was in my pocket, the bottle of champagne in the cooler and the beach was almost deserted. A very pleasant surprise then occurred: about twenty baby turtles leaving their nests to reach the sea for the first time, a rare sight even in New Caledonia. It was magical! A few minutes later, I made my proposal."

Preparing for the wedding: your feelings, obstacles, stress, how did you find the venue? Etc ... Anything that may seem relevant to you?
    
    "The preparations took place under special conditions: we organized a marriage in Brittany while we were in the opposite region, in Noumea. Miranda even moved to Sydney, Australia to start a new job only five months before D-day. My parents helped us find the place by visiting three locations we had pre-selected by checking out on the internet. For the rest, we used the Internet and Skype a lot. The wedding industry is very developed on the net and an easy to find advice, lists of service providers, user comments etc ...We also did a lot of shopping online, whether it's for champagne, wine or decoration. In the end, that part was not as difficult as one might have imagined. By doing it in advance and devoting time to it, we avoided a lot of stress. In the days before the ceremony, help from family and friends was welcome because we faced a lot of little things that needed to be settled. The main difficulty: we organized a Franco-Australian wedding by respective of two cultures and the expectations of guests from different countries. During preparation, we had to make a number of compromises and explain the choices to our families. My advice for preparation would be to list deadlines. The weeks preceding the ceremony are devoted to details so it is better to have settled providers, place, food and beverage at least two months before the date."

    The Wedding day: what were your feelings, feelings etc ...?

"On D-Day, you have to act as if you were a guest at your own wedding. By delegating to friends and family, one saves stress. We were both a little nervous, but especially happy to be there after months of preparation. Our mindset was to try to make the most of a day Our arrival on the scene was particularly charged with emotion because we saw many people dear to us and realized they came expressly for us. This is a very special moment. Then comes the ceremony where tears flow easily! The hours between ceremony and dinner are dedicated to photos and cocktails, really allowing us to unwind. During dinner, we still had to make the speeches and do the first dance, but with the adrenaline pump during the day, we didn’t even get nervous! The best advice is to follow your desires. If there’s ever a day this should be allowed, this is it."


 Photographer: Gaëlle Le Berre Photographer Dress design: Anne-Cécile Humeau, Les robes de l'atelier Groom's Attire:  Kenzo, via Ebène in Brest ///Florist: Rêve d'Orchidée///Reception Venue: Manoir de Kerangosker/// DJ: Claude Le Goff, Animation Mobile///Caterer: Pennarun - Le BihanJazz Group: Samovar Swing Trio///Submitted via Two Bright Lights

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

WHAT'S NEW IN THE GOWN GALLERY?

Just off the work table check out my vintage--looking gems!  Very jazzed about these and I know I typically show one project at a time that I've finished but I feel these gowns are related and grew out of one another in the sense I used the same fabrics and laces to create them.  Dripping in lace, the gown above  called, PICCALINA was inspired by dressing gowns of the early 20th Century.  It's a slip dress covered with a tulle and Chantilly lace light as air robe with flowing sleeves falling in handkerchief points.    Perfect for a tea time or garden wedding.
 ABOVE: The ANDRESIA Dress is a mix of light and heavy laces complimenting the bodice and decolletage.  Peau d'Ange lace with an Art Deco feel makes up a flowing bodice accented with straps of Venice lace and handmade florals out of pieces of lace.  The skirt is silk chiffon bordered in Chantilly lace.  Ideal for the bride who wants comfort and pretty all at once.
I adore this capelet made up in a mix of laces.  For brides who love a vintage look, this dress called, LUCINDA really nails it.  The flutter sleeves echo Jay Gatsby and Old Hollywood perfectly.  Looking forward to getting these beauties on real brides soon.


Monday, February 20, 2017

THE FINE ART OF WEARING A POUF

Created out of tulle or netting, poufs are a great alternative to the longer, more traditional veil.  And let's face it, not all brides feel comfortable going classic these days.  Poufs are uber-chic as well as practical.  They pair up nicely with just about any dress and there's none of that dragging yards of tulle around come reception time.  Finally, they have the ooooooooh la la factor! Whimsy and the element of surprise when you make a grand entrance . . .
Top Photo by Zlata Modeen//Pouf Veil by Deb Shops
Photo 2 & 3: White Tulle Pouf by Amy-Jo Tatum
Photo 4: Tulle and Rose Pouf by Amy-Jo Tatum
Photo 5: The Bubble Cage