Tag: 3-D

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A Quick recap: 10 favorite trends from Fall/Winter 2016

Wedding fashion is continuously evolving. What is in today may be entirely out of the scene tomorrow. It is a pity that some trends that rocked the stage on their first appearance tend to die out without a trace soon after. Well, fashion depends on the taste of the onlooker. So, what we may love today may not find favor with the next set of brides who will get married in the coming year.

Nevertheless, it is fun to recap and look back at those trends that had us smitten when they were initially introduced. This is what we will do today. Fall 2016 may have passed by too soon, and winter may already be here. So, all our winter and fall brides would most likely have picked their wedding dresses by now. Even so, we thought it would be nice to take a look at our favorite trends in wedding fashion for fall and winter 2016 and see the best that the year had in store. Why don’t you join us!

Off-the-shoulder neckline

One trend that has been considered high-fashion, and still seems to be going strong is the off-the-shoulder neckline. Sleeves that barely skim the shoulder, leaving the neck and decolletage exposed, have a magical appeal. The unbeatable charm of this design is what makes the off-the-shoulder neckline a dress style that has captured the hearts of brides everywhere. It is seductive and sassy, and is suitable for almost every wedding style. This design is recommended by fashion experts as a universally flattering neckline that almost any type of bride can attempt and get right. Whether the neckline is clubbed with a ball gown or a sheath style dress, it is always has a distinct quality of its own.

Featured here is a Jasmine couture wedding gown with an off-the-shoulder neckline design. The embellished bordering of the neckline is stunning, along the ruffled pleats of the fabric. Don’t you love how it gently grows into a ruched bodice that snugly courses along the model’s figure all the way to the hips? The flare skirt adds the picture-perfect finish to this design, and it is a dress that I think would fit any modern bride’s vision.

Light-as-air wedding dresses

Airy wedding dresses were a welcome change to the rigidly structured ball gown and fit and flare silhouettes that have been trending for a while now. Many brides embraced this loose and breathable look, through dresses that looked breezy and refreshingly new. Layers of fabric that looked as soft as snow were seen everywhere on the runways, and in plenty of weddings. We are sure that this is a trend that we would love to see more in the wedding scenes in the coming seasons as well. Fabrics like chiffon and organza are most suitable for delivering this dreamy effect.

Delicate and dreamy, we love how this Mori Lee wedding gown has a soft and billowy feel. The sheer outer layer stands out against the thicker fabric of the inner layers, making it unusually breezy. A design similar to this couldn’t possibly weigh down a bride, and it is a great choice for the outdoors if you have to maneuver your way through the natural terrain. Finally, we also love the waistline belt detail that accentuates a slender waist and helps you show off a well-toned structure in the best way possible.

Whimsical short butterfly sleeves

If you should have sleeves for your dress, it should be these soft fluttery sleeves. It is so feminine and dainty, you can only look your best wearing them. A welcome change from the cap sleeve style that was all the rage the past year, these fluttery sleeve dresses are a vintage bride’s dream come true. A dress with this single feature will immediately push up the vintage factor and add a charm that is so vintage! Fluttery sleeves can be fashioned out of lace or breathable airy fabric like tulle or organza. It looks best when it is sheer and the skin peeps through. A gown with a simple silhouette will immediately gain a personality with this single style element.

How unusually splendid is this wedding gown from our Alfred Angelo wedding collection? Notice how the fluttery whimsical sleeves add a dash of style to the beautiful sweetheart neckline. It is also sheer genius to have combined it with the asymmetrical high-low layered hemline to add more light weight layers that are float. The layered skirt contrasts elegantly with the fitted bodice in a silky finish, to create a fantastic overall look. A bride in this dress would be perfect for a vintage-inspired or classic wedding. The modesty of the dress also makes it a great choice for a traditional ceremony.

3-D flowers

One of the trends that we saw in 2015 and simply took to immediately, was the 3-D style embellishments of wedding gowns. Lace as the central element contrasted effectively with the layers beneath it to create a 3-D effect that made the floral motifs on these gowns simply stunning. Additional embellishments like rhinestones and metallic beading further enhanced the ethereal beauty of these designs. The 3-D effect has since then been a favorite with brides, and this year was no different.

Mori Lee has crafted this magical element into many of its wedding gowns, but we particularly love this wedding dress with Venice lace appliques creating an obvious 3-dimensional effect against the soft net layer underneath. The sheer lace three-fourth sleeves and fitted bodice strewn with floral motifs look spell-binding. Isn’t this dress simply a masterpiece that is perfect for a vintage-style wedding? Just like the previous gown we saw, the modest neckline and sleeves of this gown make it a good choice for traditional weddings too. Despite this, it is still a glamorous dress which will allow a bride to show-off her beautiful curves with the fit and flare silhouette it sports.

Vintage Boho

The Boho trend has been hot and happening on the casual wedding scene for quite some time now. This 2016, we saw a notable shift towards boutique vintage style in Boho wedding dresses, and this was distinctly more feminine and appealing to a wider audience. The casual, relaxed vibe of Boho chic dresses weren’t lost, even while it focused more on fluidity than form this year. We like the idea of adding more elegance to the Boho style, as this increases the glamour quotient associated with this style of dressing.

Another dazzler from the Alfred Angelo collection, this gown brings together the essence of Bohemian style and combines it with classic features to create a masterpiece. The slender straps and the effortless look of the criss-cross bodice make it casually appealing, while the delicately flowing skirt and the pretty waistband detail add an element of sophistication to this elegant wedding dress. It is a head-turner that is simply perfect for a beach wedding or any wedding held in the outdoors. It is also a great choice for a fun-filled and exciting reception, where the bride would love to shake a leg and not be restricted by a heavy wedding gown. Don’t discount the fact that the light weight and airy fabric make it practical and easy to carry. We’re smitten by its simplicity and functionality. How about you?

Up and down hemline layers

After asymmetrical hemlines, the current trendsetter is up and down hemlines, preferably in more than one layer. They have a distinct personality and are not even remotely boring. The simple addition of the distinct layers to an otherwise unsophisticated silhouette can instantly improve the style and add more glamour to any bride. The fun part about distinct layers in wedding skirts is that it is dramatic and exudes an air of excitement and joy.

Take this dreamy Mori Lee gown for example. The sprightly skirt with evident layers looks distinct from any other design you may have ever seen before. While being lightweight and breezy, it is still powerful and attractive. The ruchings on the criss-cross bodice culminate in a scintillating waistband that marks the beginning of a layered skirt, and the up and down hemlines flutter in the wind to make it a dazzling beauty. If you have ever worried about what dress to choose for your outdoor wedding, so that it is not just practical but strikingly bridal, a dress like this is what you should seek.

Overlay skirts

The truth is that more and more brides today, choose to stay away from ball gown skirts. This is perhaps because they do not favor the structured and rigid form that is associated with ball gowns. Nonetheless, they still want that little layer of pouf to add some drama of their wedding day look. So, it’s basically a case of finding that balance, and this is what overlay skirts in wedding dresses have managed to achieve. It allows brides to look beautiful with just the right amount of layering to highlight their natural curves.

In this Mori Lee gown, you can see a dainty sheer lace layer that beautifully adds an extra dimension to the original fit and flare design. This overlay skirt is the most prominent feature of the remarkable gown, and the pretty floral lace appliques have an almost 3-dimensional quality. What we particularly love about the dress is how the skirt looks very distinct from the bodice, even in the absence of an obvious waistline. This could have been achieved easily with a waistband with some added sparkle, but the designers chose to keep it simple and yet managed to create the effect beautifully with the sheer overlay skirt. The soft overlay may just be an additional layer of fabric, but it still fashions an hourglass effect and can emphasize a slender waistline.

Antique white or parchment white

Unless you are a novice in wedding fashion, you will already know that wedding dresses come in different types of whites! There is a white for every bride, and most wedding dresses are available in more than just one type. This makes it easy for brides to find the white that accentuates their skin tone in the best way and looks great on them. The year 2016 saw a new color rise to fame—antique white. This was not confined to wedding fashion, but antique white dresses were the rage all over the catwalk, even in other fashion circles. The difference in this color is that it looks distressed, but some features look best on this shade of white. Perfect for vintage weddings, wedding gowns created in antique white finish have a distinct quality to their overall look that sets them apart from the regular stark white. Whether this color is used for the entire gown, or it is weaved into the design in certain places only, it definitely adds a noticeable quality to the look.

This stylish Mori Lee gown has antique white coloring in the skirt. This contrasts beautifully with the creamy white bodice, making both halves equally prominent. Everything about this gown is captivating. The smooth strapless neckline and embellished bodice are highlighted by the breezy bouncy skirt. Although there aren’t too many details, the dress is one that impresses. Ball gowns which do not look too crowded are a rarity these days, and this one is perfect for the bride who is very particular about not going overboard with details.

This brings us to the end of our recap on the best wedding dress trends we saw this year. We hope that at least some of them are to stay. Some of the designs, like the 3-D lace effects and overlay skirts are a hot favorite, that we wouldn’t be surprised if they move over into the realm of classics in no time. If you were married this year, or are planning your wedding in the coming year, tell us if your wedding dress featured any of these design features.

And, to continue looking at more lavish wedding dress choices that will have you looking forward to your wedding day, don’t forget to visit our online bridal gallery at Best for Bride. We are sure you will love the experience.

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Tradition Meets Trend: 9 Wedding Gowns that Brilliantly Blend Classic with Contemporary!

Two types of wedding dresses are memorable—those that reinvent classic traditions and others that are strikingly unique. If we look at the former, it so happens that there are many classic dress features that are always look great in a wedding dress. The dress becomes unusually appealing and attractive when these features are incorporated beautifully.

Many designer wedding gown collections today feature dresses with unusual twists on all-time favorite features. Here, we shall look at 10 such design details in some fantastic wedding gowns that blend tradition with modernity,  to look both attractive and beautiful.

1.Deep V-neckline

Powerfully sexy and very bold, the deep V-neckline is a universally flattering feature that looks great on brides of most body types. Since this design feature is usually found on gowns with straps or sleeves, it supports the bust area and thus looks very attractive. Another advantage of the V-neckline is that it is naturally slimming and can create the illusion of a longer upper body.

In the Mori Lee gown featured here, the V-neckline is accentuated with embellishments along its length. This makes the neckline very prominent and draws attention to the decolletage and cleavage. The sleeveless design also allows the bride to show off her arms. The fit and flare design of the gown is another element that creates the illusion of extra height.

2.Off-the-shoulder straps

There is something seductive and extremely attractive about a wedding gown with straps that seem to fall off the shoulder. These gowns have an old-fashioned Hollywood appeal and are incredibly sexy without being in-the-face flashy. It is more attractive than a regular strapless dress as it looks feminine despite exposing the shoulder. This feature on a dress draws attention to the neck, decolletage and shoulders. So, it is a perfect choice for brides who have a well-toned upper body.

The off-the-shoulder neckline is sultry and appealing in the Jasmine bridal dress featured here. The simple crystals embellishment at the corner of the bodice where the straps begin is extremely attractive. This is a definite winner if the bride is a slim beauty who wants to show off her neck, shoulders and decolletage. We also love how the dress seamlessly drapes along the bust, waist and hips, and later flows into a slight fit and flare skirt that cascades to the ground.

3.Embellished sleeves

Long-sleeved gowns were popularly loved in the past, with elaborate puffy shoulders and sequins adorning the sleeves. Though padded shoulders and puffed sleeves may not find favor with the modern bride, the entire idea of long-sleeved wedding gowns isn’t quickly forgotten.

Here is a Mori Lee gown with full sleeves. The beauty of this dress lies in the fact that the sleeves are not your regular state-of-the-art plain sleeves, but are embellished with lace details throughout the length to look very interesting and appealing. With floral appliques spanning the outer edge of the sleeves, the sheer fabric over the rest of the sleeve length creates a beautiful look with skin barely peeping out from within. The dress is a masterpiece in itself, with the soft sweetheart neckline and beautiful floral appliques adding extra charm to the lace dress.

4.Lace

Lace is a timeless and elegant classic wedding dress feature where weddings are concerned. There are few other wedding dress features that are as attractive as lace. The expression of thick and breezy elements that spiral and float in floral designs throughout the length of a dress is very attractive and it is no wonder that it is favored by many brides. Modern designers have honed the exquisite beauty of lace dresses, by adding more features that accentuate the beauty of the floral designs. By including embellishments like crystals, rhinestones and beads and crafting them into illusion neckline designs, lace is given new life so it looks updated and modern.

In this dreamy Sophia Tolli wedding dress, elaborate lace work has been performed perfectly in every section. The sheer neckline over the sweetheart bodice is exquisite as it blends into classic cap sleeves. At the waist is a scintillating chevron band formed of rhinestones and crystal, adding a modern touch to a classic element like lace. The fit and flare silhouette gracefully glides into a scalloped hemline, where the lace details are further perfectly embodied. This is a glamorous gown that is a striking symbol of classic beauty.

5.Sheath silhouette

After the Victorian era of tight corsets that sucked in a woman’s body to fit the look of a perfect hourglass figure, women started embracing their natural curves and accepted loose fitting garments with open arms. The wedding scene was no different, as more and more brides boldly began dressing for their big day in gowns with fluid wedding gowns in sheath silhouettes. These dresses would softly fall over their natural curves and perfectly emphasize their natural body shape. It was an expression of confidence and sensuality, and has continued to be favored by several wedding designers ever since.

The Elsa from the Alfred Angelo Disney collection is inspired by the snow princess in the movie Frozen. Featuring a sheath silhouette embellished with a scattering of snowflake beads, this gown is an elegant and powerful dress that will do wonders for the bride wearing it. The simplicity of the sweetheart neckline contrasts well with the Watteau train that beautifully glides behind like a rippling stream of water. This is a fairy-tale gown that looks like what you could seen in a dream, and any woman who grew up loving storybook princesses would love to embrace the classic silhouette that magnifies her femininity.

6.Empire Waistline

The empire waistline is a raised waistline style that began as part of Neoclassical fashion. This style goes back to the 18th century when it was first seen during the time of the First French Empire. The elevated waistline usually has a circumference that snugly goes around the bust region. It is a flattering style for those who have unsightly curves in the waist and stomach area. Since this pattern camouflages these areas, it hides a bulky waistline while highlighting the bust. The empire silhouette is greatly favored by modern-day brides, and is clubbed with several modern elements to fashion a stylish and contemporary look.

This gown from the petite brides collection at Best for Bride features an empire waistline attached to a fit and flare silhouette. This gives a new look to the gown, as the traditional empire waistline was usually attached to a layered skirt that flared out from the bosom. Here, this modern fit gown uses the empire waistline style by highlighting the elevated waistline with a bow that runs around the circumference of the gown at the bust. This particular feature gives the skirt the illusion of added length, thus making the bride look taller than she actually is. This is one benefit of a design like this.

7.Cap sleeves

Cap sleeves are not only a welcome change from the ever-so-common strapless wedding gown style, there are also very feminine in their appeal. This style is very forgiving for women who wish to hide their shoulders and seek a modest look and style with their wedding dress choice. While it offers the necessary coverage, this classic dress style element also allows you to flaunt the rest of your arms. The modern updates of the cap-sleeve style usually focus on mixing it with illusion necklines for an attractive finish. It looks extremely beautiful when attached to lace gowns.

In this couture wedding gown from the Jasmine collection, the cap sleeve design instantly adds sophistication and style to the design. Since it is done in Venice lace, it is very dainty and feminine, and the scalloped neckline of very fine lace appliques integrates with the sweetheart bodice in an elegant fashion. The neckline and sleeves perfectly complement the gown’s beautiful fit and flare design and are suitable for both the modern bride and the tradition-loving girl.

8.Ball gown

One of the silhouettes that screams wedding is the traditional ball gown. While the original ball gowns were usually done in crispy or silky fabric, the current trend is to use netting and tulle or lace to create fantastic and dramatic silhouettes. The original design usually showcased a skirt with very little to no detailing, and all the embellishments were in the bodice. Designers these days however, spare no detail and the embellishments are seen in the skirts too. The result is dramatic and these gowns easily pack a punch.

This Mori Lee gown is a fine example of what we just discussed. The skirt almost has a 3D effect with the various floral appliques extending all over the bodice and again reappearing along the hemline. The muted color of the base fabric forms an attractive base for the beautiful motifs along the hemline. Adding more womanly appeal to the pattern is the softly sculpted sweetheart bodice that highlights a pair of well-toned arms and decolletage.

9.Plunging backs

Dresses with plunging backs were made for brides who are unable to expose their shoulders, collar bones or cleavage, but have that rebellious streak which makes them want to make one bold statement. Plunging backs are famous again, but this time in a range of options like never before. Those who deem it unfit to wear a low-cut back can still opt for the illusion style back detail dresses that allow them to conceal, yet reveal. With simple lace details or floral appliques forming beautiful pictures in the back, they are bound to enrapture everyone who glances at them from behind during the wedding ceremony. Low-cut plunging backs with embellishments bordering them are also a trending favorite, and these features create an exquisite statement for any wedding dress.

This Jasmine couture wedding gown is a beautiful and delicate work of lace which features an open V-neckline in the front and a deep cut neckline at the rear. The soft lace has an exquisite charm with its intricately woven details that span the entire length of the gown in pretty little clusters that are thicker in the front and thin out in the skirt. Perfect for a formal wedding ceremony, the deep-plunging back is the one striking element that gives this dress a signature finish. Few dresses have the elegance to strike a charismatic effect as this dress does. Alencon lace marries with tulle to form the fantastic details that makes this dress a dream to wear.

Wedding dress trends are a forever evolving scene, with some fashion trends staying longer than the others. Classic design details like those discussed above are the few features that are perpetual favorites. Of course, you may find the occasional bride who doesn’t want lace or can’t imagine dressing up in a full-sleeve wedding gown. But we should remember that these are rare. Most of the features listed here are those that will forever remain etched in our memories as timeless and hence, classic. The list doesn’t end here. As the years progress, more and more designers come up with even more interesting details from the past and breathe new life into them with their designs. So, as long as there will be weddings and those who love history, the classics will continue to be reinvented.

At Best for Bride we are well-stocked with all the designs you can imagine. These range from the attractive timeless classics above to the most modern and trendy designs you can imagine. Come visit our website and have a glimpse of what is on offer. You are certain to find at least a few gowns that you will fall in love with. So, if you are a bride planning to get married in the near future, head over to Best for Bride today. We have you covered with not only wedding dresses, but have everything that you will want for your special day.