Vintage Wedding Dress Trends for 2015 - Number 4...

Dear Reader,
My next tip for 2015 is a trend I really love. I'm so pleased to see it right back in style...

1940s style silk satin wedding dress, Florence - soft, womanly and flowing.

4. SOFT SATIN SLEEVES, 1940s STYLE

Long fitted lace sleeves have been very popular for the last few years (perhaps influenced by McQueen's fabulous dress for Kate Middleton). But now my clients are beginning to ask for a more flowing, 1940s style of sleeve in a soft satin.

1940s inspired Florence wedding dress, with soft silk sleeves

You may already know how much I love this look - with its sexy, womanly glamour and its roots in the golden age of Hollywood.

1940s style icon Lauren Bacall, in sophisticated white.

Plus this trend has another fabulous feature: it's SO flattering and easy to wear! 

1940s style icon Lauren Bacall in soft silk evening dress.

Here's Florence again (from my Heavenly Collection of vintage inspired wedding dresses), showing long soft sleeves in silk. Florence is inspired by an original 1940s dress and has that same soft-fitting glamour. 

Florence, 1940s style wedding dress in silk with long sleeves, beading and lace trim.

For 2015, I am making this sleeve style in a transparent silk chiffon - very in keeping with the 1940s origins of the dress. Watch this space!
Love 
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you like this post, try…
Vintage Wedding Dress Trends for 2014 - Part 1…

Vintage Wedding Dress Trends for 2014 - Part 2…

Vintage Wedding Dress Trends for 2014 - Part 3…

Thanks to Robert Lawler for the beautiful photography
and to Abby at Cherished for the lovely headwear.

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My Top 7 Vintage Brides of Last Year

Dear Reader,
While I'm thinking about my trends forecast for 2015, it often helps to look back over past seasons. It shows what worked best, which classics will always be in style, and what new ideas evolved…

It's always a pleasure looking back at my brides. It's almost impossible to choose favourites - I can honestly say they ALL looked fabulous. But here goes (drum roll, please)… in no particular order, my very favourite 7 Real Vintage Brides of last year!

1. MOLLY in ORIGINAL 1960s 'PRISCILLA' WEDDING DRESS

Molly was a real angel, so unassuming and beautiful. We found the perfect dress for her - a high neck, long sleeve, willowy Priscilla of Boston dress.

I love a high neck dress with long sleeves and a slim-fitting skirt. It's such an elegant combination, so modest and charming. And vintage dresses do it best - just like Molly's.

High necklines don’t flatter every figure - I find they work best with a small bust. But when it does work - as here - it looks amazing. 

These gorgeous pics also showcase a big trend from 2014 - the natural flower circlet. How refreshing to see all those beautiful flower crowns and circlets, after a few years in the wilderness (sorry, just couldn't resist the hopeless pun!)

2. FELICITY in 'BUTTERFLY' 1930s STYLE LACE WEDDING DRESS

Lovely Felicity chose Butterfly from my own collection. I never tire of seeing girls bring my vintage style wedding dresses to life. I feel immensely proud of each bride, they all wear the dresses so differently and bring their own personality and style.

Felicity's dress really shows off her fantastic figure. And to me, her own style makes it looks the epitome of a perfect English summer wedding.  

3. JANE in 1950s LACE WEDDING DRESS

Jane married her charming partner George last summer, in a stunning original 1950s blush lace dress.

I admit to being a bit greedy here. When I met these two lovely and very impressive women, I wanted them both to be Heavenly Vintage Brides! I tried to tempt George as well as Jane, but it was not to be! 

Instead, they cleverly coordinated their styles, both wearing 1950s silhouettes in tea length. And I'm delighted with the results. Jane looks devastating in her 1950s tulle and lace vintage wedding dress - so stylish, and the perfect complement to her dramatic red hair.

4. CHLOE in 1950s STYLE 'BLANCHE' LACE WEDDING DRESS

Chloe looks fabulous in the Blanche 1950s inspired wedding dress from my Heavenly Collection. 

She chose the ballerina length, with a three-quarter sleeve and we finished it off perfectly with a beautiful silk ribbon and handmade silk rose. It's such a classic beauty - and so is Chloe! 

Chloe and her family were really fun to work with, I loved being a part of their brilliant day.

5. SELINA in SLINKY 1940s STYLE 'BETTE' WEDDING DRESS

Beautiful Selina is a teacher. With her lovely athletic figure and even lovelier sweet nature, she suited the Bette dress from my Heavenly Collection so well.

It was a complete pleasure to be involved in Selina's special day. I loved watching her transform from a charming, kind teacher to a fabulously slinky and glamorous bride!

6. BECKY in 1930s LACE WEDDING DRESS

Dainty Becky was married last summer in a delicate lace peach coloured original 1930s dress.

I'm a big fan of pastel coloured lace and vintage has plenty to offer in the way of pretty shades of palest pink, peach and champagne. Inspired by this, I offer a similar choice with my own Heavenly Collection of vintage-inspired wedding dresses. Becky’s dress was so simple and just perfectly lovely for her, she accessorised it very well with the long veil and pretty silk flowers, made by my lovely seamstress Grace.

7. LUCIE in BEAUTIFUL 1940s LACE WEDDING DRESS

Lucie chose a stunning 1940s original vintage dress. I've rarely found such a fabulous dress - with its long net train, beautiful corded lace, and those little cap sleeves.

Lucie really shone in her dress at her wedding last summer - a truly beautiful bride and a wonderfully colourful, sunny wedding.

I often feel the 1940s gets a little forgotten, between the slinky 30s bias cutting and the flirty fun 50s dresses. But it's a decade I'm really fond of - sophisticated and glamorous without being fussy.

So there they are, in no particular order. Forgive me if I missed out your own personal favourites - I'm proud to say every one of my brides looked beautiful in their vintage wedding dresses. Take a look at more stunning real vintage brides here… and make your own impossible choice!

Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

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Meet my new 1950s-style wedding dress: 'Dorothy'

Dear Reader

Drum roll please... 
Meet 'Dorothy', the latest in my Heavenly Collection of vintage-inspired wedding dresses... 

'Dorothy' 1950s style wedding dress, new to the Heavenly Collection

Dorothy is a new version of my 1950s-style Blanche dress. Dorothy features a full length, more A-line skirt to give a softer look. 

A really versatile dress, Dorothy can work in so many different ways: I've shown it here in ivory silk and corded lace, using the beautiful border for the sleeve and hem.

I named the dress after my lovely model, Dorothy, pictured here!

The Dorothy dress is available now from £1495

As well as the pretty short sleeve shown here, Dorothy also looks fabulous with a three-quarter or full length sleeve. The photos here show a softly scooped neckline, but a sharper V neckline also works beautifully. And right now, I'm working on a new Dorothy made in a finer lace, with a palest apricot silk lining. It's gorgeous! And I'll show it to you very soon. 

Dorothy dress, available now from £1495

Just to remind you about the dress from which it's adapted, the pictures below are beautiful 'Blanche' - always popular with my brides - in ballerina length and with 3/4 sleeve. 

Blanche, 1950s style wedding dress from £1495

Blanche, 1950s style wedding dress from £1495

Blanche, 1950s style wedding dress from £1495

Both dresses shown here are available now, priced £1495. I hope my brides will love Dorothy as much as they do the original Blanche. 

Thanks to Robert Lawler for photography, and to models Dorothy and Cordelia. And thanks to you, dear reader, for dropping in to help me launch my new dress!

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

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Chloe, so pretty in her 1950s-style lace wedding dress.

Dear Reader,
Today I'd like to share these lovely photos from real vintage bride Chloe...

Chloe was a complete pleasure to work with. And as well as beautiful bride, I was delighted to meet her charming family - mum Sharon, Aunt, and sister Marnie. Together, I think we found Chloe the perfect vintage-style wedding dress...

Chloe looked fabulous in 1950s-inspired Blanche from the Heavenly Collection. She chose the ballerina length with a 3/4 sleeve, trimmed with a silk ribbon and handmade silk rose...

And in Chloe's own words,

" I must say everybody loved and complemented it, especially my now husband :) "

 

Chloe was a lovely client, and we had such fun finding the right dress...

"You honestly made wedding dress shopping an absolute dream, I was always worried before I started that I would feel uncomfortable standing around shops, being put in and taken out of dresses.

But from the moment I met you I instantly felt relaxed. I knew from our first meet back last October that I would not look anywhere else for a wedding dress. I'm very, very pleased to have found you!"

 

Chloe accessorised the dress with pretty Vivienne Westwood Lady Dragon shoes, a neat mini-veil, and bold red bouquet...

Now I'll let Chloe introduce these photos of their happy day... 

"I hope these can show you what a wonderful day we had - and how myself and husband chose perfectly complementing outfits! 

It was like a proper old fashioned wedding day :) Thank you again, I hope to be directing many future brides in your direction."

Happy Days! Have a great weekend, and see you all next week, Heavenlies - when I shall have some more gorgeous real brides to show you.

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you like this post, why not try...

A GUIDE TO 1950s WEDDING DRESSES

Photography with thanks to Funky Photographers

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