Trend Spotting 2

After gown shopping with a new bride yesterday, I'm loving the new gown lines even more. Seeing a bride in "the dress" still gives me goosebumps!

Continuing on the Spring '10 Bridal Gowns trends theme, here are some additional trends to watch for...

Let's talk skirts. Designers are really putting emphasis on them and making them textured... layered... different... points of interest other than just their silhouette or how they're bussled, which is very cool.

Some other trends that aren't so major, but that are still making a showing are one-strap gowns and lots of sweetheart necklines. Granted, both have been around forever, but I think Michelle Obama's love of the one strap dress has inspired bridal designers to bring it back. The sweetheart neckline may be the result of 40's and 50's-inspired fashion coming back. And remember the bow trend... showing up again today.

Now for some divine Badgley Mishka...




The incredible Monique Lhuillier...






And some Ines de Santo going for the one-strap looks... admittedly not my favorite, but this first little Oscar de la Renta number is pretty hot...






And finally, some 40's/50's fashion throw-backs that are simply... endearing. Immediately when I saw these, I flashed back to Audrey Hepburn, and to beautiful old photos of my older aunts and grandparents, impossibly skinny, in their gorgeous black & white wedding photos. In fact, this first gown from the Monique Lhuillier collection literally takes my breath away. Take it all in.

Trend Spotting: Spring '10 Bridal Lines

I love this time of year where the bridal designers have all their new lines out! There are always some fascinating trends each year, considering how difficult it must be to create them with a mostly all-white long gown as your starting point. But alas, I've spotted several unique trends this season that I'm going to share with you in a few installments this week.

There are 3 major fashion trends I see happening with the big-name designers...
1. BOWS - and I mean serious bows.
2. Textured skirts
3. 1940's/1950's throwbacks

We're starting with bows today! Vera Wang is the clear trend setter in the use of bows big and small in practically all of her designs this year. It's almost as if she's presenting brides as precious gifts to their grooms, which I adore. You'll notice Vera also is giving her skirts a much more textured feel (another trend). Take a looksee...








Stay tuned tomorrow for the next installment of fashion trend spotting in this year's bridal gowns!

Pretty, Pretty, Pretty

J. Crew's newest bridal line is so sweet that I'd like to dedicate today's post to the style and color combinations that give me little goose bumps. The hottest color trends right now are like looking into your favorite Easter-egg basket or a beautiful water color painting... pastels galore and some brighter blues, yellows and pink shades. J. Crew's maids line is hitting those latest color trends spot on. But who ever thinks about getting their bridal gown from J. Crew of all places? Well, I'm here to tell you they've got some serious style, and gorgeous classic looks that are deserving of brides' attention.

But first, I need to show you my very favorite bridal gown right now (or rather, this week). It's so ultra feminine that it begs for longer hair worn down with soft waves, southern or beach style decor, barefootedness (not a word?), chunky antique jewelry, drop earrings, and sun-kissed pinks and corals for makeup. Love it. I also love this dress with eclectic tone-on-tone creams and champagnes for the maids, FG, etc.

Bridesmaid dress...

Angelic flower girl & seer sucker ring bearer combo...

2. I puffy-heart this dress combination. And the fabulous color of maids dresses. There's just something about the fit of the bodice on the bridal gown that is so chic. So many legs to this combination...

3. Love the huge flower detail and neckline on this little beauty...