Vintage Wedding Dress Trends for 2015 - Number 2.

Dear Reader,
The second trend I'd like to draw your attention to is…

Vintage wedding dress complemented by original Victorian lace cape

2. VINTAGE LACE CAPES AND COATS

In my London studio, brides are definitely moving away from shrugs and boleros this year, and asking for a softer style of lace cover-up - particularly vintage lace capes.

Original Victorian lace cape and vintage wedding dress

This elegant style may have originated in the Victorian era, but the height of its popularity was the 30s, when a fashion for short lace capes really took off - like the beautiful example I found for lovely bride Leah (below) to pair with an original 1930s wedding dress. 

1930s lace wedding dress and original lace cape, on gorgeous bride Leah.

Leah in beautiful 1930s lace wedding dress and lace cape

Like many 1930s fashions, it was reinvented in the 1960s and early 1970s when long lace capes - sometimes with hoods - came right back into style. I was recently asked to source a dress to complement a full-length hooded lace cape from 1972, which originally belonged to my client's mother. Fabulous!

Original 1940s lace wedding coat, over vintage 1940s wedding dress.

Long lace coats are also very in-demand right now. This is a more 1940s look - as you can see on the example above and below, with its sensational long lace train. 

1940s lace wedding coat, over vintage 1940s wedding dress.

Lace cover-up coat over 1940s vintage wedding dress.

I do love a challenge, sourcing something to match a client's own personal piece. Mixing and matching eras can work incredibly well, and these beautiful styles can look gorgeous over dresses from any era. I don't think you have to be strict about it!

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you like this post, check out

Vintage Wedding Dress Trends 2015 - Number 1

Thanks to Robert Lawler for the lovely photography.

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Vintage Wedding Dress Trends 2015 - Number 5

Dear Reader,
Another lovely style that's swinging right back into fashion this year…

1950s wedding dress worn by the fabulous Audrey Hepburn, in Funny Face (1957)

5. 1950s-style! Full frothy skirts, net and lace. 

These cute and frothy prom-style dresses have always been popular. But over the last few years they've slipped a little, as fashion took a more sleek and pared-down direction.  

1950s style wedding dress BLANCHE from my Heavenly Collection

Original 1950s vintage wedding dress with frothy full length skirt

1950s style BLANCHE wedding dress worn by real bride Kathryn

BLANCHE 1950s style wedding dress in lace

Original 1950s wedding dress in lace and tulle net

This year, I'm delighted to say 1950s dresses are feeling fresh and pretty again, and are seriously in demand... 

BLANCHE 1950s style wedding dress in lace, from my Heavenly Collection

1950s style wedding dress BLANCHE on real vintage bride Chloe

Original 1950s lace wedding dress

Original 1950s wedding dress, full skirt in ballerina length in floral lace

1950s style wedding dresses from my Heavenly Collection: CHANTILLY

1950s style wedding dresses from the Heavenly Collection: BLANCHE

1950s style wedding dress BLANCHE in ballerina length lace

1950s wedding dress in lace and net, on real vintage bride Jane

Original 1950s vintage wedding dress in lace and tulle net

Original 1950s vintage wedding dress in lace and tulle net

1950s style BLANCHE wedding dress, with three quarter sleeves

The pictures here are a mix of fabulous original 1950s wedding dresses in lace and tulle, and my beautiful reproduction 1950s dresses Blanche and Chantilly, from my Heavenly Collection of vintage-inspired wedding dresses. 

1950s style CHANTILLY wedding dress in lace and tulle

1950s style CHANTILLY wedding dress worn by real bride Sophie 

1950s style wedding dress CHANTILLY from my Heavenly Collection

The original vintage 1950s dresses pictured here are sold, but I always have more vintage in stock - in addition to the reproduction dresses in my Heavenly Collection. 

1950s style wedding dress BLANCHE from my Heavenly Collection

1950s style wedding dress BLANCHE with pretty v-back in lace

A welcome return for full-on 1950s femininity! Do contact me or like me on facebook if you're a fan of this pretty style and would like to see more.
Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

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Real vintage bride Kathryn

Real vintage bride Jane

Real vintage bride Chloe

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Are These The Most Stylish Weddings of 2015?

Dear Reader,

How's your Christmas going? All ready...? No, me neither. No matter how early you get started, doesn't it always seem a rush. Well, let's steal a minute away from the festive frenzy to draw breath and enjoy a few vintage moments from our year. 

Kick off those high heels, swap your spiced rum cocktail for a nice cup of Earl Grey, and relax while I show you the Most Stylish Brides of 2015 according to the Daily Telegraph... 

Heiress Beatrice Borromeo in Armani Prive… just one of her five couture wedding dresses!

As it's The Daily Telegraph these are crazy society weddings. All the brides do look stunning – but at what a price! One wedding dress is encrusted with 15 carats of Chopard diamonds. Another wedding dress is rumoured to have cost over £50,000. And heiress Beatrice Borromeo wears not one or even two – but five couture wedding dresses! A tad excessive... non?

Hilary Rhoda in Carolina Herrara dress, encrusted with 14.7 carats of Chopard diamonds!

However, most of these fabulous couture wedding dresses are based on vintage originals. And it's perfectly possible to achieve equally stunning looks on a more realistic budget. So – of course – I can't resist showing you how...!

Beatrice Borromeo in blush Valentino vintage–inspired wedding dress and cape

Beatrice Borromeo

For her official wedding ceremony, Heiress Beatrice Borromeo chose a pale pink Valentino silk tulle gown with a delicate beaded cape (above). I'm always looking for similar antique beaded capes from Victorian to 1930s. And if you too love this look, do call me to see what little treasure are in my current stock. 

An original vintage wedding capelet, from my West London studio.

A week later, Borromeo said 'I do' again – this time on one of her family's islands! For this ceremony, she wore a beautiful ivory-coloured dress with a flared silhouette in Chantilly lace from Armani's luxury Privé label. The silk chiffon layered gown was paired with a delicate silk tulle veil, also with a Chantilly lace border.

Beatrice Borromeo in Armani Prive wedding dress

Full length lace wedding dresses like this one are always in style. I have a range of lovely figure–flattering dresses in my Heavenly Collection made from exquisite lace (and you don't even need to be an heiress to afford one!) As well as some wonderful original lace wedding dresses like the 1960s one shown below…

Full length, 1940s–inspired lace wedding dress from my Heavenly Collection.

Original 1960s vintage wedding dress in lace, from my West London studio.

Long lace veil from my Heavenly Collection

Allison Williams

Another featured bride is Girls actress Allison Williams. Allison married entrepreneur Ricky Van Veen in September at Brush Creek Ranch in Wyoming, in a ceremony officiated by actor Tom Hanks. Her 1950s–inspired Oscar de la Renta gown was created by the fashion house's British creative director, Peter Copping. The heavily embellished gown featured a sheer, long-sleeved overlay atop a full-skirted strapless dress.

Allison Williams in Oscar de la Renta wedding dress.

These 1950s wedding dresses are so feminine and flattering, whether original or simply vintage–style like my Heavenly Collection version below. These styles really are timeless. Look out for the cinched waist, full skirt and neat bodice.

Original 1950s wedding dress from my West London studio.

One of many 1950s inspired lace wedding dresses in my Heavenly Collection

Nicky Hilton

Not only Allison's but several other dresses in the Most Stylish list had their roots in classic 1950s styles. Nicky Hilton married banking scion James Rothschild in Kensington Palace Gardens in London. Her 1950s–style couture lace Valentino gown that is said to have cost £50,000 and with its high neck, full skirt and long sleeves has echoes of everyone's favourite brides Grace Kelly and Kate Middleton.

Nicky Hilton in lace Valentino wedding dress

1950s style lace wedding dress from my Heavenly Collection

Noor Fares

Fine jeweller Noor Fares also chose 1950s style for her wedding to artist Alexandre Al Khawam at a beautiful ceremony in Normandy in June. Her first dress – yes, there were two – was this beautiful haute couture Giambattista Valli gown. 

Noor Fares in 1950s style wedding dress by Giambattista Valli.

1950s lace wedding dress from my Heavenly Collection

Noor also wore an Azzedine Alaia wedding dress, speckled with delicate pearls...

Noor Fares in Azzedine Alaia wedding dress.

Bar Refaeli

The next bride featured in the Most Stylish list is Israeli model Bar Refaeli. For her lavish wedding to business magnate Adi Ezra this year, Bar wore a custom-made, 1970s–inspired bohemian Chloe gown.. and looked every inch a supermodel!

Bar Refaeli in Chloe vintage–inspired wedding dress

But you don't have to be a model marrying a millionaire to look gorgeous in a boho–style original vintage wedding dress, like this beautiful original 1970s dress from my collection...

Original 1970s wedding dress from my West London studio.

Original 1970s wedding dress from my West London studio

Hilary Rhoda

Model Hilary Rhoda wore an elegant and simple 1930s–inspired Carolina Herrera wedding gown to marry NHL player Sean Avery in the Hamptons. But – you guessed it – this chic and 'simple' dress also featured beading with 14.7 carats of Chopard diamonds!

Hilary Rhoda in Carolina Herrara wedding dress

For similarly chic and elegant 1930s–inspired silhouettes try my Heavenly Collection… (Real diamonds come as extra!)

1930s style lace wedding dress with fishtail, from my Heavenly Collection.

1930s inspired wedding dress from my Heavenly Collection

Riley Keough

Model and actress Riley Keough wed stuntman Ben Smith-Peterson in Napa Valley in Feruary. She wore a Delphine Manivet Couture gown featuring double levels of soft French lace, long sleeves with vintage-style buttons and a stunning open back. Truly lovely and very 1940s.

Riley Keogh in 1940s style full length lace wedding dress

1940s lace wedding dress & jacket, from my West London studio

1940s inspired lace wedding dress, from my Heavenly Collection

1940s inspired lace wedding dress from my Heavenly Collection

Sophie Hunter

Theatre director Sophie Hunter and actor Benedict Cumberbatch may have kept their wedding pictures under wraps, but thanks to US Vogue we got a good look at the bride's heavenly dress. The Valentino gown was Medieval-inspired with long sleeves, a high neck and formed of delicate silvery-grey lace.

Sophie Hunter in grey Valentino lace wedding dress

While I can't promise to find you an original Medieval dress (!) many 1960s styles are based on this timeless silhouette – with its flattering empire line, high neck and elegant lace sleeves. This original Priscilla of Boston 1960s wedding dress was recently sold from my collection, but do contact me if you're a fan of this beautiful look…

Original 1960s wedding dress by Priscilla of Boston, from my studio.

Detail from Priscilla of Boston 1960s wedding dress.

Sabine G

For her wedding to billionaire Joseph Getty, Lebanese–Egyptian jewellery designer Sabine G wore a wedding dress and cape by couture house Schiaparelli. The outfit was hand–embellished with no less than 500,000 sequins. A fabulous dress to end the list – and one I'm afraid I can't match. But I guess when you're marrying into the Getty family, you really need to pull out all the stops! 

Sabine G wears Schiaparelli couture wedding dress and cape with 500,000 sequins

Well, did you agree with their selection, and which is your favourite? At New Year (not so long now!) I'll be delighted to show you my own personal favourites from my real vintage brides – looking every bit as beautiful and radiant as the selection here! A happy wedding day, a room full of loved ones, a proud groom and a beautiful vintage dress – these are the things that can make every bride look as beautiful as any supermodel!
Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

With thanks to The Daily Telegraph

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