Trends in Wedding Accessories

Years ago, brides didn’t have to worry much about what kind of jewelry to wear on their wedding day, it was your mother’s pearls and a pair of diamond earrings and there were not too many other choices. Today’s brides have so many choices, it is sometimes overwhelming to try to narrow it down.

In the 1980’s when my career in bridal fashion began, the motto was “More is better”. Turns out, that was not so true, after all. Looking at bridal portraits from the 1980’s with giant poufy veils, shoulder dusting earrings, gigantic cluster necklaces and the chunky, beaded headbands or (God Forbid) huge bow on the back of the head, you have to ask “What were you (we) thinking?”.

The 1990’s saw a departure from the lavish accessories and designers made specific matching bridal jewlery sets of earrings and necklaces that incorporated the same type of stones or jewels as the dress. The tiara was in and the poufs were out… big time!  By comparison, the 90’s were dull. The motto was “Less is more” and brides across the board adapted this as their mantra.

 

The most recent trend is probably the most fun and exciting, “Be Yourself!”  Sashes encrusted with crystals of varying colors, beautifully crafted vintage inspired earrings with clear or colored stones, large bracelets of small stones and necklaces of every size, shape and dimension imaginable.  Instead of copying a look from a magazine, brides are making their own fashion statement with the use of accessories in every shape and form. It’s exciting, it’s fresh and it is NOW!

Tips to avoid over-accessorizing:

If your earrings are longer than 2″, you might not need a necklace.

If you can afford it, diamonds never go out of style. A simple diamond choker (and earrings) looks as good now as it did fifty years ago.

Choose your style according to the theme. If it is boho, vintage or hollywood glam, stick to it and don’t try to bring in an unrelated peice…. it will throw off the overall look.

Necklaces should be comfortable against the skin. If you have extremely sensitive skin, some costume jewelry may cause an unflattering reaction.

Your headpiece should fit easily into your hairstyle, don’t force it. Not every headpiece works in every type of hair,

Beware of bracelets that snag the fabric of your dress. Test bracelets next to a pice of clothing to see if they are too grabby.

Remember, accessories should accent your overall look, not overpower it.  Have fun with your choices but, remember that your wedding day look should be timeless, whether it is 1953 or 2012.

 

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

The Final Touch – Accessories

Ask any woman and she will tell you : Nothing compares to a nice piece of jewelry. 

The question of “real or fake?” no longer holds much significance since the cost and quality of good costume jewelry can far exceed that of some ‘fine ‘ jewelry. The real problem is how much or how little do you wear.  I think the best way to do this is to think of  your gown as the cake and your jewelry as the frosting. How much frosting do you want? Would you prefer to be a glittering princess, dripping in ‘diamonds’ or would a modest pearl choker suit your needs just fine?

The first step in the process is to decide on a headpiece. Many years ago headpieces were designed to match a specific gown. Each gown was accompanied by its very own headpiece and veil. The designers spent hours creating the total look and they were sold as such but now, gown designers rarely even produce headpieces.

After you find your headpiece and veil it is important to book a hair appointment to have your hair styled with the headpiece and veil. My suggestion is to book this appointment on a day when you can try on the gown, whether it is for a fitting or not. Once you have a picture of the total look, you can get an idea of how much or how little jewelry you want.  If you have a favorite piece of jewelry or a family heirloom you want to wear, bring it with you so you can see how it looks with the entire ensemble.

The most common mistake brides make when selecting accessories for their wedding is listening to other people. Other people do not live inside your body, they do not know what is comfortable to you  on your skin or what is out of character for you or simply put, what you can afford. Find the pieces you like, big or small and go with it. I can tell you I am very uncomfortable with post earrings, they constantly pinch so I spend all night tugging at my ears and finally throw them in my purse. 

Speaking of purses, don’t forget that you might want to carry a small bag with some touch-ups for  your makeup and breath mints (no gum, please). There are so many gorgeous bridal purses that can be transitioned in to evening purses that it would be a shame not to have one. It doesn’t have to completely match the gown  since you will not be carrying it around with you and I have NEVER seen a bridal portrait or wedding picture where the bride is holding a purse.  Something beautiful will work, something embellished that you could carry to a cocktail party or another wedding would be fantastic.

Another sometimes forgotten accessory is the bracelet. You don’t have to worry about which arm to wear the bracelet. Again this is a comfort issue. your wedding rings will be on  he left hand so the right arm might need a little sparkle. But, if you always wear your bracelets on the left, do what works best for you. You don’t want to be speing the evening adjusting and fidgeting at your wrist.

Do not purchase anything that pinches, pulls, tugs or leaves red marks on your skin no matter what anyone tells you.

Do spend a little extra money for something that is of better quality….you will wear it again and again.

At each and every Bridal Expo we have accessories on stage and manyof our  accessory vendors display their merchandise for you to try on. Call 847-428-3320 today to book an appointment to see a show in your area.

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago