THE SCARF VEIL

Amy-Jo Tatum

Ready for Glam Week? Officially it began yesterday with Fred and Ginger. Movie star dressing, slinky white satin, Hollywood designers—just a few of the topics we'll be covering all this week. Today's chic started with a casual trend from the fifties glamorized by Audrey Hepburn—the scarf. As Audrey and fashion icons like Jackie Kennedy showed us, some women can make even a sporty scarf look elegant. I began incorporating them into my collection once I realized they looked hot with so many of the 1950s throwbacks I was creating. Keep in mind they do lend themselves well to quite a few styles. Be imaginative. You can tie a lace scarf like a bandana or go gypsy style with it. Experiment. Create your own look!

Long Scarf-Pictured above: Considered more an option in head wear than veil depending on the length of chiffon or silk gauze used to create it. A 5-yard length wrapped around the head framing the face creates a long band of train that works as an extraordinary veil. Perfect for Mosque weddings.

Amy-Jo Tatum

The shorter version works with this more casual look. This is one of my ‘Marilyn’ dresses . . . My 1950s ‘Going Away’ bride is headed for a drive up the coast to that country inn in her crepe halter dress and silk chiffon scarf. A casual as well as elegant look.

Color photo by ejones photography

COULD GINGER'S GOWNS GO BRIDAL?

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I always thought so. Since a good portion of my youth was spent in front of a TV set watching Busby Berkley and Astaire-Rogers flicks, it’s not surprising I created quite a few gowns along the lines you see here. And if you’ve checked out most designer bridal lately, the Astaire-Rogeresque glamour is allover the fashion radar.
The 1930s Glamour Era was an interesting one. For the first time in the history of couture, it was Hollywood setting fashion—not Paris. Yes, Paris back then was still the pinnacle of excellence in craftsmanship but suddenly the world looked to the movies for change and fashion inspiration. Why? Because Golden Hollywood attracted some of the most remarkable talent in the world—including costume designers--all huddled close, bouncing extraordinary ideas off one another. Add to that designing for story characters and they were free to utilize creative techniques complimentary to scene and storyline. For instance, a heroine was considered interesting if she lived in a penthouse; her character would demand an exquisite wardrobe. Thus, if in a particular scene she was throwing a real hissy fit, once she did the 180 turn to clinch the dramatic exit, she showed off a three-foot train and low draped V-back on her way out. A lot of this ranting went on in Astaire-Rogers films. Despite some flimsy plot lines though, Astaire-Rogers films were marked by innovative choreography and fashion that now belongs to the ages.

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The famous white satin and ostrich, 'Feather Dress' from Top Hat, designed by Bernard Newman.

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Watch the Video from Top Hat. Ginger in Bernard Newman's famous feather dress. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWmK9Xl82CU

The Gay Divorcee Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g3PDipYS5I&feature=related

THE FASCINATING FASCINATOR

I found this fascinating little crinoline fascinator on Her World Brides. Especially love the color and proportion of it. Lately fascinators are everywhere in bridal fashion. Are these little hybrids of hat and headpiece just passing trends or do you think they'll stick around awhile?

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ELIZABETH AND PHILIP!

This day in 1947, Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten of Greece and Denmark. Sixty-one years later the couple has survived half a century of Cold War, a radically changing London in the swinging sixties, and a few very testy years concerning the state of the monarchy. Still, they are solid and have had one of the longest marriages in history. Last year on the Queen and Duke’s 60th wedding anniversary, an exhibition ran from November 2007 to September 2008 at Buckingham Palace commemorating that day when post-war England rejoiced in a very royal wedding celebration —just the shot of magic dust the country needed.

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Making their first appearances since 1947 are the royal bridal ensembles. Elizabeth’s gown (above) and the portrait-collared bridesmaid’ gown in the below photo were designed by Norman Hartnell. Hartnell, a brilliant designer had been Dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth since 1938. Part of his claim to fame was taking commissions on wedding gowns for European society in the 1930s-40s era. Known for his intricate bead work adorning miles of tulle and satin, with the commission of Elizabeth’s gown, he used an ivory duchesse satin ornamented with thousands of crystals and 10,000 tiny pearls imported from America. He said the elaborately embroidered star designs on the 13-foot train were the inspiration of Botticelli’s Primavera, signifying revival and hope after so many years of war. The tiara pictured below is ‘something borrowed’; Elizabeth wore this priceless jewelled diadem which was especially made for her grandmother Queen Mary.

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Bead work and applique on Elizabeth's gown and train. An army of seamstresses worked almost round the clock for eight weeks to complete these gowns.

sourceOne of the eight bridesmaid gowns. The detailed embroidery on the tulle reminds me of something you'd find in Claire Pettibone's collection.

Queen Mary's Tiara

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It is interesting that in an age when closed-toe pumps were standard for formal weddings, Elizabeth went with these little fashionista satin platform sandals with silver buckles and peekaboo toes.
A last note about Elizabeth’s gown: If it weren’t for a savvy restoration team (Keeper of the Robes), her magnificent silk dress would have deteriorated years back. The weight of the bead work over time has weakened the fabric to such a point, in order for it to hang properly, a cotton underskirt had to be constructed to keep the skirt and bodice in one piece.

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Here are The Octogenarians last year at their Diamond. How do they do it? Can you believe these two just wrapped up a trip to Slovakia last month?

SEPARATES DRESSING

Phillipa Lepley

Oscar de la Renta

The further the Dow drops, the less sentimental my clients are becoming. A couple years back the majority of my brides wouldn’t think of re-wearing what would eventually become their much-loved keepsake. Here’s the typical after life of a bridal gown in a boom economy: It’s packed and professionally sealed in a box to be put away. Fast forward 2008. Suddenly brides are asking for boned corsets they can wear again as a separate with blazer and jeans; ballerina length skirts in fabrics that can go from dressy to casual. Also in demand is the short dress, the wool jersey dress and the exquisite imported Swiss cotton dress. We’re seeing chic separates in hemps and linens. Some brides are going streamlined in a simple dress or suit, putting heavy duty concentration on bridal accessories (veil, gloves, satin shoes) to pull that real wedding look together.

Lunn Antiques




Stewart Parvin





Escada
The more conscious we become of being excessive, the more some of us realize this isn’t the direction we can afford or necessarily want to go. Rather than a wedding gown, consider a wedding ensemble with interchangeable components; this way you might work a different look going from ceremony to reception, or--even further than that--from reception to incorporating it somewhere into your wardrobe and life. The photos here give some examples of separates dressing from casual to formal with a little over-the-edge runway chic thrown in for inspiration.

De la Cierva y Nicolás

Jesus del Pozo

Maria Alegre

Maria Alegre

Maria Alegre

Victorio and Luccino

Raimon Bundo

HATS OFF TO THE UK

Sylvia Fletcher

When it comes to hats the British are tops. Though hats aren’t standard anymore for leaving the house, if you’re going to be a guest at a wedding in the UK (or throughout most of Europe) you’d better start shopping for one. So, how do we understand this devotion to hats if we happen to be from the West? Personally I think the UK has a rich history of costume and keeping aspects of it traditional. Their hats have indeed evolved to an art form which constantly reinvents new trends. Besides, aren’t they kind of fun? I mean check out these gems. For ages I’ve wondered why more brides didn’t go all out for hats. Well, we’re getting close with the fascinator trend catching on the way it has lately. One last note here: bridesmaids have always looked awesome in hats. From 1920-1950 it was a popular option to dress the bridesmaids in picture hats, especially for garden weddings. Think about it as just one of your many options . . . .

Nigel Rayment

Philip Treacy


James Lock and Co.



Nigel Rayment

Nigel Rayment

Sylvia Fletcher



Sylvia Fletcher

STALKING THE LOOKBOOKS

Fanny Liautard

Looking for an edge on your big day? . . . something exclusive but very exceptional? Check out Fanny Liautard's site. Parisian designer mixes up old Hollywood, ballet and haute couture. Some truly great inspirations found here. . .

Fanny Liautard

Fanny Liautard

Fanny Liautard