Bringing Sexy Back – What designers have in store for 2012

The music begins and the bride starts to walk down the aisle, bouquet in hand, escort on arm. Most of what the wedding guests see is from the waist up and what they remember is the look on the bride’s face as she begins her journey to the end of the aisle where her future husband waits.

However, once she reaches the end of the aisle there is plenty of time for the guests to focus on the gown. So, it is no surprise that designers have begun to put so much emphasis on the back of the gown.

Last week, Twilight fans were delighted with the wedding of Bella and Edward. Bella’s Carolina Herrera gown featured a simple silk princess cut, A-line  gown with a dramatic deep-V back edged in scalloped lace. For devout Twilight fans (Twihards) an exact replica of the gown is already  available by Alfred Angelo under the “Twilight Bridal” label.

Pnina Tornai, the famed Israeli designer whose creations are featured on “Say Yes to The Dress” showed several stunning gowns with intricate details in the back.

Designers from ‘Haute Couture’ to ‘entirely affordable’ are embracing this style.

 

 

If you are not comfortable with the extremely low back and all that skin being exposed, you can find a gown with buttons, lacing or another equally interesting detail. You can also opt for a modest keyhole back.

The best news of all is that brides have more choices than ever. Just make sure you have the correct undergarments so the gown is what people are talking about – not pantylines!

-Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago

 

 

 

 

 

Whats Hot in Bridal Gowns – 2011 Trends Sneak Peek

With Spring just around the corner and designers about to reveal their new  fall  lines, there is a light at the end of the tunnel for brides who are not sure they want to go strapless.

Did you notice it at the Oscars? A little sleeve here and there. Not long, puffy leg-o-mutton sleeves like the 1980’s (God forbid) or severe turtleneck dresses like the 1970’s. Just a little something  to comfort the bride who is not sure she is ready to bare her shoulders completely.

For years, the strapless bridal gown has dominated the runways and magazine pages as the ‘style choice’  for nearly every major designer for over a decade, couture and otherwise. This spring, that could all change.

Although strapless gowns are still the majority shareholders of our attention and account for most bridal gown silhouettes, I counted 10 of the top 50 Knot Picks for favorite wedding dresses as having  some sort of strap or sleeve. If you’re counting at home, that is about 10 more than this time last year.

What does this mean to the bride-to-be?  The sky’s the limit and the choice is once again, yours. The designers have heard your voices, asking  for “something on top” and they have responded by giving you exactly what you want. Maybe its a modesty issue, maybe its a matter of taste, perhaps you have a figure concern and feel strapless is not the right choice for you. We get it – and now we know that designers all over the world (from haute couture to the most affordable) will be showing you what you have begged for… a little coverage.

That’s not to say strapless has gone by the wayside – quite the contrary. The strapless gowns that we see today seem to magically camouflage some of the most common figure flaws. Built- in bras, petticoats, corsets, these things take away the guesswork and the end result is a gown that makes you look and feel like a million bucks on your wedding day. 

Each week at Bridal Expo you can see the hottest looks in bridal and attendant gowns straight from the designer’s runways to ours. If you or someone you love is getting married, please take a moment to watch our couture runway video and call 847-428-3320 to get four complimentary tickets to a show in your area.

– Penny Frulla for Bridal Expo Chicago