Spring is finally here in NY and I’m finding myself looking at most unlikely places for inspiration – such as bridal wear. It all started when I saw this magical dress:
Photo: Kelly Devoto | more pics here
OMG! A unicorn dress! I can’t have it because it’s from 2 years ago! My life is over! Etc!
I even went as far as to email the maker, Mori Lee, to see if they would consider bringing it back (can you image how many would buy it?!?!). Before I knew it, I was snooping around bridal websites for spring inspiration – after all, the most interesting stuff happens on the clasp of genres. I’m intrigued by the idea of bridal recycling, too – who said you can’t reuse the pretty stuff you wore at your wedding?
- Vintage bridesmaid’s dresses (the lacey kind, from the 60s and 70s) dresses make fabulous cocktail frocks
- Lace gloves look stunning with sleeveless dresses a-la Audrey Hepburn or 3/4 sleeve jackets
- Wedding veils can add whimsy to any outfit – try dying them different colors with fabric dyes!
- And, last but not least, shoes – cream, off-white and even pure white can look beautiful on a sunny spring day!
Can you believe these?!
I would totally wear these blue-soled (!) Christian Louboutins on a regular day. Come to think of it, my glass slippers were originally marketed as bridal footwear – I just added the taffeta.
Deerlings: what do you think of the idea of mixing in bridal into everyday wear? Or should we leave it hanging in the closet?
I didn’t go low budget for my wedding so NO, I would not wear my $1000 veil everyday. I am storing it for my daughter. Also, it would look pretty ridiculous to wear a 20′ train around.
OMG! Those shoes in the picture are just like my glass slippers. I found them in a dusty thrift store for a dollar and wore them only a few times, the last time being my Topsy ~ Turvy Tea Party, they started coming apart! I’m going to fix them and keep them on display though. After all, they’re the real glass slippers Hehe they say great minds think alike, my boyfriend found me a wedding dress in the thrift store dumpster, I cut it up and dyed it purple!
I had a dress custom made in a province of China and oh my gosh, if I could, I would wear that sucker to the dry cleaners. Cost is irrelevent- I just love the whimsy of it. I wore Louboutins with mine (little tie up ballet flats of champagne satin) and the veil was a fascinator from Etsy and I wore elbow length champagne satin gloves. I was a mess of organza and silk- but I just loved it. I would wear it out again and probably will- masquerade balls are perfect for that kind of dress.
Kelly Reply:
March 30, 2010 at 10:17 pm
Sounds awesome! Any chance you’ll post a picture?
Tianne Reply:
March 31, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Sure, I’ll post a photo on my blog. http://www.tiannemarie.blogspot.com
Best thing about it is that even though I’m not a size 4 I was able to have the day of my life and wear what I dreamed of. It was really a special time for us.
That dress is fantastic. I did a search and i found additional pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shizukanaomoi/sets/72157606976988297/
I’m not married yet, but i would like my future wedding to be doll-house themed. So my dress will probably be lolita-style with lots of ruffles. And i want a huge hair-bow instead of a veil.
But I’m all for mixing bridal-wear into everyday, or at least occasionally. Who says there are limits on how dressy i want to be today?!
For my birthday, my best friend bought me an 80′s “Southern Belle” off-white wedding hat with a tulle “veil” running down the back. I adore it and I look for opportunities to wear it! Actually, it’s a sunny day and I’m hanging out with her today… Hmm… >:3
I would not wear my wedding dress again :( even though its a nice dress and I could probably get away with it since its pretty simple specially in the summer, I just like the idea that it was my wedding dress and it was only worn on that special day however my shoes I’ve worn again I call them my princess shoes bc they make me feel that way and I’ve worn them to events where I wanted to feel extra special!
OMG I LOVE that dress! *-* so colorful and original! I think that weddings are boring enough to stick with the usual colors…Let’s add some glee!! =D
That is probably one of the most beautiful dresses I have ever seen. I’ve always pictured myself in a crazy elaborate dress for my wedding, and that would be amazinnnnng to get married in. I love it!!! =]
“Spring is finally here in NY”
Except that today is probably the single wettest day in NY history ;) . The images did brighten up my mood though!
I LOVE that dress! It is really pretty. I don’t normally look at prom or wedding dresses. But I like the colors on that one and the sparkles. If I got married, id like a dress like that. My sister went to prom shops instead for a cheaper dress. But she found this hot pink one that was strapless and knee length and jaggedy? (idk how to describe the bottom, fairy like) But it was cute, and she wore light pink fishnet tights and hot pink high heels. I like when people do something more colorful than just a white dress. (too many look the same to me)
I think those shoes you could match with any fancy outfit with the same or similar colors.
Ha! That is almost exactly what my prom dress looked like. Except the top was corseted and covered in blue, purple, and pink sequins!
Amy Reply:
March 31, 2010 at 9:46 am
Pictures!? when i saw the dress i thought it was a prom dress because mine was similar also!
i demand you and mark to get re-married so you can have a big, beautiful glitter and gleefilled unicorn wedding!!
I love that dress! What a brilliant idea for a wedding dress!
It depends on what it is and the occasion, but other than those factors why not? I would love a dress or anything else made with that color combination and fabrics!
I love reusing everything! Nothing should go to waste. I recently re-purposed some glass wear, you can check it out here http://www.greenintheface.com
If I had such an awesome dress I would chop it short, pair it with a parasol and invite my friends out for milk shakes.
As I’m only 16, I have not gotten married yet. :D But as a seamstress myself, I am going to make my dress when and if I do. It definitely won’t be traditional, and I’m thinking bright colors are the way to do.
Doe, if you’d be at all interested in getting something similar hand-made for you, hit me up. :3 I do sewing commissions, and as I’m based mostly in costumes for anime, manga, and video games, nothing is too crazy for me. My linked website contains samples of my works, and more are coming!
I’m not married yet, but I would love to be able to re-wear my wedding dress (when I get one). I’m just not sure where, though. Unfortunately, I have very expensive and fancy tastes. I’m sure I’d wear it around the house a lot. lol
This is my maid of honor dress for my sister’s wedding:
http://www.betseyjohnson.com/store/productdetails2.aspx?productid=7874&np=1101
I LOVE it so much. I’m sure I’ll wear it a lot, too.
The unicorn dress is stunning. You can sew, right? Make something as close to it as you can, or have someone else make it. lol You tried to go through the original designer, and that didn’t work. Don’t let it being out of production stop you if you want it!
If you need an excuse to wear it, you and Mark could renew your vows OR you could have a fantastical Lime Crime Unicorn Ball. Just saying, I’d go to that. ;)
I NEED THAT DRESS. :(
Rebecca Reply:
April 7, 2010 at 6:05 am
I don’t mean to boast.. but my prom dress was almost exactly like that, though without the pink! And, not as wide… Saahrry :P hehe
oh I remember that dress! I saw it on Offbeat bride. I love that site to death!
I think there’s such a elegant and whimsical feel to bridal wear, so I wouldn’t stop myself from incorporating some of it into my everyday wear. especially where shoes are concerned lol I say just take bits and pieces of it and make it your own, it doesn’t have to be straight-up wedding to make a statement.
Honestly…why not? Bridal wear can be absolutely gorgeous and, with a little altering, can look just as amazing as everyday wear and no one will suspect it was once a wedding piece! Fashion is whatever you want it to be. There are no rules!
Amazing dress! I really don’t want to go with the classic white when/if I get married. White symbols purity, blah, blah. What if you want to express your joy regarding the ocassion! Please, this day and age, almost no one is “pure” at marriage time. Although, at this time I am “pure”, for you nosey people ;)
Thanks for your adventerous thinking!
Oh, I know. I’m an aspiring wedding planner – there is so much inspiration out there in the wedding world for almost anything. You should check this wedding out. It’s absolutely fabulous.
http://www.stylemepretty.com/2010/03/01/santa-monica-vintage-wedding
Erica Reply:
March 30, 2010 at 11:43 pm
Thank you so much for sharing! Those images are to DIE for!
Tianne Reply:
March 31, 2010 at 3:59 pm
Wow! That was a dream….thank you!
I am always wondering of my wedding dressings. Ur pictures give me a lot of imaginations and inspirations!!THANKS :]
I remember the first time I saw that dress I was in love! I totally want something like it. It’s totally magical.
If I ever got married, I would want something fantasy themed. That shoot right there is pretty much what I always imagined mine would look like. Rainbows and bright colors. Fairy flower girls. XD
I love http://offbeatbride.com/
Lots of ideas for unusual weddings!
But this dress is a dream!
I was going through some old photos lately, and yesterday I found one of my parents wedding. my mom wore pink, which, as you imagine, was quite a no-no in Poland, early 80s. the dress is hand painted, mid-lengh and casually beautiful. she paired it with pearl pink heels and big pink flower brooch. I asked if she ever wore the dress ever again and mom said she did, which I think is wonderful. I’m not a wedding person myself (though I would love a big fancy party :)), but if I ever change my mind, I would not wear white. I’m very ‘traditional’ person, and I would like to make a family tradition of colourful weddings :)
check out the dress here:
http://tinylink.pl/pinkwed
love.
SCREW a white dress for my wedding. I want THAT dress!!!
OMG!!! I <3 THAT DRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, I was searching the net for pretty dresses and I found this one. Kinda the same feeling to it?
http://www.edressmeprom.com/jovani-prom-2114.html
I’ve always loved that dress. It’s actually a prom dress. Beautiful details
That dress!! Does it have lights in it? It looks like it does. I would LOVE to have a gorgeous dress like that with tiny fairy lights under the tulle.
not exactly everyday wear, but my prom dress did actually happen to be a wedding dress.
prom dresses that are bright colored like rose red are the best for a girl, ~”*
Ohhh :( really? they don’t make/sell it anymore? are we sure? I definitely need that dress…
Doe Deere Reply:
February 9, 2011 at 9:19 pm
I know! How heartbroken are we now? :(
I absolutely LOOOOOOOVVEE this dress!!! I’m going to my first prom this year and i was searching for one and i saw this and just fell in love with it!!! I’m VERY disappointed that this is not made any more :’( Do you know where you can find a similar one?? I would just DIE if I could actually have one like it! :D THX!!
Does anyone know where I can find the blue-soled shoes please?
That dress is something I’d honestly consider for my wedding dress, but I’d always hoped to get married in my prom dress..
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s213/KrystalxMeth/DSC00022.jpg
http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s213/KrystalxMeth/DSC00026.jpg
i didn’t pick it out because it looked bridal-ly. I picked it because I thought it was gorgeous – it was only after I got all pretty that my mum pointed out how much of a bride I looked like. XD Hope you like it as much as I do!