SUNDAY INSPIRATION

Sunday Inspiration
Happy Halloween and may you draw inspiration from this lovely board by Brancorprata over at SMP STyle Circle that is not only apropos for this holiday but source of ideas for the rest of autumn.  Check out Brancorprata's blog as well.  Lots of great stuff . . .

FALL WEDDING

fall wedding
How apropos for this weekend. Autumn has arrived with all the rustic beauty that goes with it. From the deep reds and burgundies of the floral arrangement to a Japanese Maple turning that November shade of orange, this medley of images reminds us we are indeed here once more. Thanks to Sarah over at SMP Style Circle for inspiring us with this board.  Check out her blog, The Green Dandelion, for a real bit of awesome in the sphere of floral design . . .

ODE TO THE TUTU

More brides are opting for something borrowed from the romance of the ballet---head wreath, swan cap, full ballgown skirt in tulle . . .Tutus offer the versatility of being worn after the wedding. These by Lunitique Boutique show off tulle in two lengths, short and to-the-knee.

Lunatique Boutique also features stunning handmade designer hair accessories, hats, and beautiful decor  items like this stunning flower necklace.

THE LOWDOWN ON OPEN NECKLINES

Love showing off some decolletage?  Low necklines can be so flattering and in my opinion look good on most women, no matter how large or scarcely defined the bosom is.  Fit is key here so finding the right alterations specialist is important.  If you have your gown custom made the fit is built into the gown; gowns ordered through a salon go through alterations once delivered . . .
The Square Neckline-One of my personal favorites, conveying a real open look, square necks look great on ballgown and A-line silhouettes.
The Round Neckline- Curved neckline showing some decolletage but not quite as low as a scoop. 

The Scoop Neckline-Lower and more open than the round neckline
  The V Neckline-Though wider cut and more open than most, this V points down and up like the letter it is named after.
 
The Off-the-Shoulder and Portrait Neckline-
Both necklines are similar and extend horizontally across the collar area and either sit slightly above or below the shoulders.

VINTAGE MODERN

Vintage is so popular now it’s evolved into it’s very own niche of fashion. There’s real retro as in the authentic Dior A-line from 1957 in cherry condition; there’s museum quality stuff from the last century that probably requires restoration experts, and there’s everything you see here that I’d call vintage inspired gowns by top designers. Most designers have retro inspired pieces in their collections now. Monique Lhuillier and Claire Pettibone’s gowns are reminiscent of 1930s-40s chic. Candy Anthony and Stephanie James are turning out dresses you’d swear your grandmother wore in the 1950s. A few designers are going way back in time recreating anything from Marie Antoinette to Greek chic. Younger designers seem intrigued with recent fashion history reinventing their own 60s-70s looks.

The hat above echoes Jackie Kennedy's look while the dress below looks like a granny gown from the hip 1970s.
Whether this gown was inspired by Napoleon’s Regency Period or Mary Quant, one thing all these designers and their gowns have in common is the cutting edge factor. You see, retro inspired means just that: something about the gown evokes yesteryear only there’s that unmistakable twist of contemporary thrown in for the here and now bride.

Lately, with concern for the environment, there are brides using vintage fabrics from lace tablecloths and linens and turning them into some very lovely bridal wear. I guess that’s what it means when you hear, “Everything old is new again . . .”
Not only the length of this dress says 1950s. Candy Anthony's hourglass silhouette has this era's bodice detail right down to to the prim collar and row of buttons down the front.

This Oscar de la Renta above is from no era in particular but the way it's accessorized brings to mind the 20s with the cloche hat, 30s with the gown and gloves. Looks like something that might have been worn to the once popular daytime social.

To me this is another look encompassing a few eras. The gown above definitely looks 1930s, her hair 90s and the tiara 60s.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Stunning isn't it?  The stuff of dreams.  Our way of saluting photographers the world over,  a special thank you and recognition to  Ligocki Mateusz from Szczecin,  Poland who produced these awesome inspirations. . . . .

HALTER-ESQUE

Lirette Photography/Gown by Amy-Jo Tatum

Believe it or not, the halter evolved from early 20th century swimwear. Golden Age Hollywood designers popularized the look for evening, dressing stars like Garbo and Harlow. Actually the look was so radical and daring back then, tongues clucked as the etiquette police of the time declared, 'no nice lady wore such things out at night'. Ladies had different ideas though and wore the back-baring halter anyway. Halters once again made their comeback big time in the 1970s with the return of glamour and disco. During this time Cher's designer Bob Mackie took advantage of this look to bring out her best lines. Thanks to the ages, we have so many variations on this abbreviated neckline. Below are just a few stunning examples.

 Johanna Hehir

Variation of the Bib-halter


 Amy-Jo Tatum
The V-halter

Jenny Packham
The Pointed-halter

The Sweetheart-halter


The V-tied Halter

SEDONA SUNSET

Desert Bloom or Sedona Sunset
These colors really caught my eye especially for fall.  The Sedona sunset alongside all this pretty fruit and flowers is the work of the talented Naomi Goodman over at SMP Style Circle.  Her blog, Enchanted Dream Weddings and Events is a real inspiration . . .

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS

Breast Cancer Awareness
Did you know October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month?   A year round issue, let's take a little time out this weekend to visit the National Breast Cancer Foundation site, a real resource for all women, especially victims, survivors and caregivers wanting to connect in with support and counseling networks.  And thanks to Corey Stoner over at SMP Style Circle for mixing it all up with this lovely board of pink, the color now so symbolic with breast cancer.

FRIDAYS YOU'LL FIND ME . . . .

For those of you wanting to find out more of what I have to say Fridays, try One Wed's Blog, Savvy Scoop.  Every week I post about some such topic in the fashion realm.  Today it's all about junior bridesmaids.  'So, what' you ask 'is a junior bridesmaid?'  Isn't that like . . . a flower girl, maybe?  No.  How about a regular bridesmaid?  Not quite.  Read on . . . .

IAN STUART

Is there a designer out there that can trump the pure romanticism of Ian Stuart? Winner of the 2010 UK bridal designer of the year, he offers 5 stunning collections from which to choose. Looking at these gowns I realize how perfect they are for the bride who wants a real storybook look on her wedding day . . . .

ODE TO THE BIAS CUT



You've heard the term bias cut gown but what exactly does it mean? Before the development of knits, the bias cut was used for body-hugging silhouettes like the Edith Head dress above and below. It all started in 1927 when a Parisian couturier, Madeleine Vionette developed a technique using the true cross grain of fabric. Defined, a bias cut simply means the pattern pieces are placed on the cross grain rather than straight grain lines of weft or warp of the fabric. By 1930, Hollywood designers took advantage of this cut and made it into a real trend. So what are the advantages of a bias cut gown? Fit. Gowns cut on the true bias hug and cling to the hips and midriff and fall beautifully. In some cases they even seem like a second skin.


Not all gowns are allover bias cuts. The gown below is an example of a very full bias cut skirt. 1950s silhouettes employed the circular skirt that when put on the true bias, moves beautifully when you walk. It also takes many yards of fabric to create.
Dress by Amy-Jo Tatum/photo by ejones photography
The gowns below are modern versions of the bias cut.

source


sourceHollywood designer Adrian dressed actress Jean Harlow in these bias cuts that practically became her trademark. The bias cut is still used today despite the fact we have a variety of knits and micro fibers that can mimic the same close fit.

CUTTING EDGE COUTURE

Lately all sorts of sculptural touches are being introduced via the runways and photoshoots. Last year Brides.com did this layout called, The Future is Now. Check out some of the images that reflect modern chic from orgami touches to space-age versions of frills and ruffles.