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Perfection

WRITTEN BY LYNN TANGORRA • PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUSH PRODUCTIONS PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO

Brides are seeing more options when it

comes to selecting the perfect dress for

their big day. There is now flexibility in

what is considered appropriate for a

wedding dress, and brides can get cre-

ative and trendy when it comes to bridal

fashion.

High-Low Gowns

For starters, do you want a long or short

dress? This may seem like an odd question

since the majority of brides wear long

gowns, but now you can have both. For

those who are indecisive, the very trendy

high-low gown may be the perfect fit

for you.

“High-low gowns are a great way to bring

a bit more edge to your wedding day style

– no matter where you get married,” says

Shannelle Armstrong-Fowler, chief stylist

of Haute & Co. Bridal and Revolution

Bridal. “Brides can truly show off their

fabulous wedding shoes as well as walk

the aisle with ease if wearing a traditional

gown brings a fear of falling.”

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Even if you fall in love with a long wedding

gown, ask if the alterations team can

make it into a high-low dress. This trend is

still on the rise, and if you’re looking for a

wow factor, this will definitely catch people

by surprise. Whitney Port anyone?

Separates

This trend is great for every style, taste,

and budget. Brides are able to have their

personality really shine through by pairing

any top they want with any bottom.

“Separates have became very popular in

the last year. They give the bride the

option to mix and match and personalize

her look. Not everyone will pair the same

two pieces together,” says Natalia Lagunas,

store manager of Bijou Bridal & Special

Occasion. Try a lace crop top with a

flowing chiffon maxi skirt.

“Separates can also give the bride a more

comfortable fit,” she says. “It gives them

the option to order the top in one size and

the bottom in another depending on their

measurements.”

Detachable Details

This popular trend includes the option of

also having a gown with a detachable por-

tion such as a skirt or train. This can act

as a fun transition between a ceremony

look and a reception look. “We are just

starting to have requests for detachable

skirts and trains — something we have

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accommodated through alterations, but

now there are gowns to show the brides!”

says Kathryn B. Trocki, proprietress of

Kathryn’s Bridal. “We absolutely love the

Sophia Tolli Maeve gown where the skirt

completely comes off to showcase a lace

sheath. Simply beautiful and changes the

look for the bride!”

Tattooed Lace

It’s all about that lace. Lace has always

been a popular choice for bridal gowns.

SEPARATES

This trend is great for every

style, taste, and budget.

Brides are able to have

their personality really

shine through by pairing

any top they want with

any bottom.

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Now, you can take that lace and make it a

daring look with a “tattooed” style gown.

This trend has been seen on almost every

runway this season. One of the most pop-

ular ways to incorporate the lace is to

have a gown with an illusion back.

“Brides love the detailed backs with lace

appliques against a sheer fabric on their

skin,” Lagunas says. “The tattoo lace is

also used in long sleeves and illusion

necklines.”

Brides can opt to have a dress with

“barely there” details or opt for a more

solid covering by adding sleeves. “So

many lace dresses have this detail, and

brides love it!” Trocki says. “It is drama

and romance at the same time.” This

might be a little scandalous for Grandma’s

taste, but it’s your day!

Bold Colors

Here comes the bride all dressed in ivory,

champagne, or blush pink. Right now, it’s

all about color.

If you’re looking for a non-traditional alter-

native to white that’s not too bold, go with

champagne, moscato (soft blush), or

almond. These options are close enough

to white for an unobtrusive look, but allow

you to pick the most flattering color for

your skin tone.

According to Lagunas, many designers

and vendors are using more color in

gowns than you would expect. For exam-

ple, lace dresses are available to brides

with ivory or white lace on top, but the

underlay is available in colors like cham-

pagne, almond, blush, pearl, and rose

gold among others.

“It is very popular and common to not

wear white on your wedding day. At our

store location, all of our bridal samples

are available in an ivory, not in white,”

Lagunas says. “Ivory is a softer color for

most skin tones, which makes it easier

to wear. To the naked eye, ivory tends to

look white depending on the shade. A

true bridal white is going to be very strong

and bright.”

Many brides are walking down the aisle

sporting gowns that are Rose Quartz (a

pale pink) and Serenity (a cool blue), the

Pantone Colors of the Year. “We have

always displayed more shades of ivory

and champagne, and now added to the

mix are shades of pink and blue,” Trocki

says. “Our brides love that they can try so

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many different colors and be able to visu-

alize what their dress will look like in the

shade they choose.”

For those more daring, popular colors for

bridal gowns include seafoam green, pale

blue, fuchsia, black, and lavender. Many

brides are even branching out into the

wide world of patterns. Now those options

pack a visual punch!

Off-the-Shoulder Gowns

One of the hottest trends right now is off-

the-shoulder silhouettes.

Ideal for all body types, this style is so

popular that it is extending into next year’s

bridal collections. It combines a sexy look

and a romantic feel. “Off-the-shoulder is

hot,” says Antonietta Cervantes, owner

and designer of Veiled by ChaCha. “We

are even transforming strapless gowns to

off-the-shoulder gowns.”

Veils, Accessories, Capes

Accessories are a perfect way to add a

little extra something for your special day.

Brides are adding to their looks with belts,

dramatic bows, bold jewelry, and capes.

Bridal capes keep you warm for outdoor

photo shoots and are perfect for areas

where the weather may be chillier, even in

the warmer months. Yes, the Midwest

tends to get confused on when it’s spring

and fall.

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“Bridal capes are the hottest trend right

now,” Armstrong-Fowler says. “It can bring

a wow factor to a traditional ceremony

that requires the bride’s shoulders to be

covered. Bridal capes bring a memorable

and enchanting visual as the bride walks

down the aisle.”

Adding an accessory like a cape may not

be for everyone, but you can still spice up

your look with dramatic necklaces and

earrings. “Brides love statement necklaces

as long as they don’t overpower her look,”

Trocki says. “We have been seeing the

long dangle earring make a comeback

recently, and pairing the earring with a

sparkly bracelet is also very popular.”

Many bridal shops are seeing a rise in

popularity with rose gold pieces paired

with statement earrings. Even accessories

like floral headpieces are popular right

now. Who said you had to be royal to

wear a crown?

Trendy and unconventional fashion op-

tions may not be your cup of tea. Not

to worry, you can still stick to tradition

but include some trendy fashion items.

Armstrong-Fowler feels that while not every

bride wants a look that strays from the tra-

ditional view of bridal fashion, there is

always room for adding non-traditional

elements, such as bridal capes or wearing

bold jewelry.

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Never fret, millennials are not forgetting

about traditional gowns. “Traditional styles

will always be around and will always be

classic no matter what the current trends

are,” Lagunas says.

“I think that romance and femininity is

what brides truly want to have in their

gowns,” Trocki says. “Traditional silhouettes

are by far the top sellers. Every bride

dreams of her fairy tale day!”

“Bridal capes are the hottest

trend right now,” Armstrong-

Fowler says. “It can bring a

wow factor to a traditional

ceremony that requires the

bride’s shoulders to be

covered. Bridal capes bring a

memorable and enchanting

visual as the bride walks

down the aisle.”

“