Trade in that tiara, ditch that veil. Brides are trumping tradition with
fashion-forward hair accessories that pay homage to the past. From heirloom
brooches and vintage-inspired accents to beads, feathers and crystals that add a
touch of texture, runway style is making its way down the aisle.
“The vintage look is very in right now,” said Stacey lyn Weinstein, owner of
the New York City bridal beauty boutique Once Upon a Bride, which specializes in
one-stop salon treatments. “People don’t want tiaras anymore. They want combs
and brooches and fasteners.
“We’re seeing brooches in different sizes, from petite styles that you wear
two or three at a time to bigger versions in the shape of a rose or leaf. Brides
are wearing brooches and clips with everything.
It’s all about creating Old World elegance. Brooches, combs and hair
fasteners feature shimmering Swarovski crystals, stunning pearl beadwork, emu
feathers and wispy wire to create a multifaceted, textural accent to the
season’s soft, disheveled hairstyles. Spring brides are even transforming
heirloom jewels into modern brooches. Think of it as taking something old to
create something entirely new.
“They contact mom or grandma for an heirloom that we make into a brooch with
a comb so that there’s something old. Then, the heirloom can go right back to
the family,” Weinstein said.
“Unstructured hair is very popular right now,” Weinstein said. “It’s not
over-sprayed, overdone or too perfect. It’s a little more natural, and a
beautiful brooch finishes off the look.”
For modern brides, the traditionally styled coif set high upon the head went
out with the prom. This season, sophistication and glamour take center stage.
The latest hairstyles are loose and tousled. Long flowing locks adorned with an
off-center brooch or a carefree chignon decorated with multiple clips, combs or
sprigs of jewels and gems are the hottest styles for spring.
“Sprigs of wire wrapped in pearl or crystals that spray out in every
direction are really hot right now. They can be very wiry for a light look or a
little more solid for more shimmer. They look like fireworks,” Weinstein
explained.
For a similar wispy effect, some brides are turning to combs and brooches
accented with natural feathers. Emu feathers from Australia are especially
popular, Weinstein said. The delicate plumes are light and airy - the ideal
compliment to a classic gown.
Of course, it may be hard for some women to part with tradition. A bride
without a veil or tiara might seem as foreign as a groom without a tux. Bridal
stylists haven’t forgotten the old standbys. But in lieu of the oversized pieces
of the past, modern veils and tiaras have a distinctly minimalist edge.
“If anyone is wearing something on top of their head, it’s more of a skinny
headband,” Weinstein said. “It’s very delicate, like a curved wire with pearls
and crystals so that you just see the shimmer.
“A lot of girls are also going without the big veil that sits on top of the
head. Something that is really coming into style is the face veil. It’s very
sheer and delicate netting that sits half over the face, half over the hair .”
Religious traditions may prevent brides from forgoing a veil altogether. A
more modern twist makes use of ethereal fabrics and barely there netting studded
with shimmering crystals.
“Some of my brides who are Jewish have to wear a veil,” Weinstein said. “In
that case, we tend to do a sheer fabric veil on a comb that’s not overwhelming.
We add crystals throughout the netting, which adds just a little bit of shimmer.
