An Yves St. Laurent white jersey gown from the 1970s. A beaded tunic dress
right off the Titanic. A mid-century wedding gown that would make Audrey Hepburn
swoon.
For the bride who wants a wedding unlike any other, the vintage world is a
unique place to shop. Whether you’re looking for a fanciful gown right out of
Victorian England or you’d rather swing with a Deco flapper dress, vintage
retailers are brimming with ideas of charming bridal heirlooms that once
belonged to someone else, but because of their very brief lives are ready to be
claimed once again for a modern-day celebration.
Vintage boutiques and Internet sites provide a plethora of inspiration to the
bride and groom who want their ceremony to be unique. And don’t forget your
favorite bridal retailers. Many contemporary designers offer vintage-inspired
gowns that reflect the spirit of a romantic past with the fit and flair of a
modern bride.
Of course, there are a few precautions to be taken when buying a gently worn
gown or tuxedo. Sizing is one of the most important as most Victorians were not
quite as tall nor as weighty as contemporary men and women. And, of course,
stains are always to be avoided, but many vintage gowns are in pristine
condition due to their short-lived existence during a walk down the aisle.
“Many turn-of-the century cotton lace and Irish crochet lawn dresses survive
and are surprisingly sturdy,” says Maria McBride-Mellinger, author of “The
Perfect Wedding” (Harper Collins, $42.50). “Silk and tulle dresses are by nature
more fragile and may have become brittle with age. Most heirloom dresses need to
be reworked to fit contemporary figures, often adding fabric through the back of
the dress and refitting the sleeves.”
Mellinger, who touts the use of an experienced seamstress when reconfiguring
an older gown, suggests reusing part of a gown, if your heart is set on wearing
your grandmother’s dress that is just a wee bit too small.
“One bride I knew despaired when she could not have her great-grandmother’s
dress altered to fit her,” she says. “But she was thrilled with the dressmaker’s
suggestion to trim her new gown and veil with the antique lace.”
Mellinger also advises brides who are intent on wearing vintage gowns to make
a detachable train from retrieved panels of fabric or have cuffs or collars
fashioned from bits of the silk and lace.
Here are some other ways to incorporate a piece of history into your wedding
party’s attire:
Search
out different eras of wedding apparel at local vintage stores or on reliable
Internet sites like
www.antiquedress.com,
www.vintagewedding.com
and
www.isadoras.com.
You’ll find everything from Edwardian lace gowns to Art Deco charmeuse gowns fit
for a Greek goddess. Prices range from $400 to $4,000 and up.
For
informal garden weddings or beachfront nuptials, vintage may be the way to go.
Check out Victorian cotton lawn dresses and white satin slips from the 1940s.
Vintage lingerie is a great place to browse, too.
Bridesmaids’ dresses are another possibility on the vintage circuit. While you
will probably never find seven dresses exactly alike, if your friends are the
“one-of-a-kind” types, they may enjoy pursuing the vintage racks for a special
dress. Let them know what era dress you’re wearing — Victorian, Edwardian, Art
Deco — and shop together for those unique bridesmaid’s dresses.
Don’t
forget the groom. Men may love the thought of stepping out like Fred Astaire in
top hat and tails. There are plenty of ways to add a little vintage variety in
their wedding attire as well. Besides dapper double-breasted tuxedos, dinner
jackets and vests, there are plenty of accessories to finish off the men’s
formalwear. Why not consider giving your husband-to-be a gift of antique cuff
links to wear on your wedding day?
Accessories are the easiest way to add vintage flair to wedding-party fashions.
Long after the wedding is over, these little jewels from the past will be
sparkling in your evening wardrobe: beaded mesh purses, feather hats, floral
headpieces, beautiful hair combs, rhinestone necklaces and earrings, estate
pearls, embroidered shawls, Victorian hankies and long leather gloves. Art Deco
powder compacts make a great gift for brides or bridesmaids. Tussie mussies
(decorative bouquet holders) are perfect for flowers at a vintage wedding.
No matter what special details you choose from the past, you know you’ll
always have a special heirloom that once again will continue to be cherished for
years and years to come.
