Wednesday, May 31, 2017

THE BEST OF BRIDE CHIC

I have to laugh! A few years back some group on Pinterest invited me to post onto a very glam board for chic wedding pros.  I took up the challenge and contributed lovely images to the ultra-glam board every day--something I'm pretty religious about unless it's the heavy duty end of bridal season when I'm too busy to breathe.  After a few months of pinning I found myself kicked off the chi-chi board with all the elan wedding pros.  Apparently my posting everyday was spammy to these folks.  Oddly, somehow, all my pins and my pins only were left on the board which I immediately titled, The Best of Bride Chic.  So there you go!  Here is the best of the last few years.

 Photo 3: Fantasy Garden Shoot//Cherie Hogan Photography
 Photo 6: La Boheme Bride
 Photo 7: Boho Beachy Styled Shoot//Maz Photography
Photo 8: La Boheme///Photography by Grace Kathryn//MUA and Hair by Julie Morgan

Friday, May 26, 2017

KID COUTURE

With the spotlight on Pippa Middleton's recent vows in Europe the focus on the all kid wedding is on. According to children's couture designer, Stephanie Staub, "Now the brides to be are searching Google for 'pageboy knickerbockers' and above the knee flower girl dresses to get that perfect look.  Weddings to come will see an increasing demand for these adorable wedding party outfits."
Ten years back Stephanie created the line, Little Eglantine and presented her first collection of flower girl dresses and page boy outfits in a French style of timeless elegance.  Fast forward to the present and her designs are sold all over the world.

Thursday, May 25, 2017

WINDOWOLOGY: DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM DISPLAY

To me window dressers are the visual poets of the fashion industry. They have a certain amount of space to bring a message home at the same time selling us a certain brand. That's why window displays can spark inspiration and even lead us down the path of finding that one of a kind dress. 
Above: Valentino, Milan, March 2013. Always loved the Albino mannequins Valentino stores use.Via Windows Wear///Below: Bergdorf Goodman windows via Rich Girl Low Life
Above: Shop window for Lovely in NYC Below: via Pinterest
Above: Windows in Houston///Below: FAO Swartz glams it up with an All Creatures Great and Small Theme via The Time Crunched Traveler
Above: Adore this UK bridal boutique steeped in originality as its window shows via Love My Wedding/// Below: Ralph Lauren window via Pintrest
Above:Snow Queen Bride via Connie Lene Below: Via Mannequin Madness Blog
Above:BHLDN always rocks via vmsa ///Below: Lace covered baloons pair up nicely with this doily dress via Pinterest
Above: Bridal Shop in Paris on The rue Saint-Honore via The Welle Life///Below: Bride on a swing via Pinterest

Wednesday, May 24, 2017

BRIDAL DESIGN IN THE 1980s

At best the 1980s was a showcase of gorgeous fabrics and a welcome revival in bridal wear echoing times past.  At worst it was all those gigantic, over-the-top, poufy sleeves, blinding white cheesy satin and lace covered in beads and sequins.  Some of the traditional cookie cutter bridal wear from the 70s got a shot of inspiration when Lady Diana Spencer married Prince Charles in 1981 in a silk taffeta ball gown redolent of the prior century.  Thereafter came a certain fairy-tale aspect to wedding fashion, mostly inspired by European designers that has been with us ever since,  


 Above: The Prairie Revival in fashion began in the 70s and was with us through 80s.  It initially evolved from the hippe and folk movement.  While 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 in some of the images above where we get a glimpse of this look at it's best--a sort of Prairie meets Jane Austen.  Vintage elements were really brought out in the accessories like the picture hat and crochet gloves.  Below:  Headpieces and sleeves were big.  Close ups here show some very pretty laces and applications as well as over the top and extremely ridiculous!


Header Photo via Etsy
Photo 1: Jessica McClintock Bridal Ad Campaign Spring/Summer 1988
Photo 2: Gunne Sax, Seventeen magazine, April 1983.
Photo 3: Gunne Sax Dress by Jessica McClintock
Photo 4: Spring 1988. Victoria Magazine. Jessica McClintock dress.
Photo 5: Laura Ashley late 80s
Photo 6: Laura Ashley Spring/Summer 1984
Photo 7: Laura Ashley Bridal 1987 via Nibs Blog
Photo 8: Laura Ashley's 80s Boho via Buzz Feed
Photo 9: Laura Ashley Bridal Collection 1983-84
Photo 10 Michelle Piccone for Alfred Angelo 1983
Photo 11: 1983 Eve of Milady gown
Photo 12: Cindy Crawford via Vintage Brides
Photo 13: Eve of Milady circa 1982
Photo 14: Carol Alt mid 80s
Photo 15: via Pinterest
Photo 16: June 1983 via Pinterest
Photo 17: Eve of Milady gown circa 1986 via Pinterest
Photo 18: Late 80s via Pinterest

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

SUMMER IS HERE!


She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!

Happy spring and summer everyone!

Image by Aura O'Brien
Dress by Amy-J Tatum

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

AWESOME SHOOTERS: CALLIE SUE NYBO

Today on our Awesome Shooters Series we're featuring Springville, Utah talent, Callie Sue Nybo who hopefully is out of what seems an eternal winter slump happening around Salt Lake. At the time of this shoot everything in Utah was either brown or covered in ten feet of snow!  Callie and Carol wanted to change things up some by designing and shooting a spring wedding in the non-traditional way of bringing it indoors at one of Springville, Utah's newest venues, Copper Creek Event Center.  Taking a color palette of cucumber and dark grey they created a lovely modern scene--"We wanted to create something warm and fun yet still neutral and chic"

Photographer:  Callie Co. Photography//Cake Designer: Ami Cakes//Reception Venue: Copper Creek Event Center//Event Designer: Creative Wedding Events//Tuxedo and Mens Attire: DC Tuxedos//Makeup Artist: Maria Hannifin///Dress Store:Sweetheart Bridal//Submitted via Two Bright Lights