Friday Inspiration: a Vogue Vintage Wedding from 1929

Dear Reader,

A charming story for our inspiration today: this beautiful bride is Francesca Braggiotti, serene and graceful in her 1929 satin and lace wedding dress... 

Francesca Baggiotti in 1929 wedding dress, photo by Edward Steichen for Vogue.

This demure and elegant 1920s wedding dress was made for Francesca's wedding to John Davis Lodge, and was something of a departure from Francesca's usual style. As you can see, Francesca didn't always look so butter–wouldn't–melt...! 

Mrs Lodge wows on stage. 1930s but so glamorous and so modern.

A famed beauty, Francesca and her sister Berthe were a renowned Italian dance duo, who ran a dance studio above the barracks of the Brookline Fire Department in Massachussetts. Francesca's costumes required special authorisation by the Mayor himself – as they were deemed too small to be worn on a public beach! All in the name of art, of course…

A fan photo of renowned 1920s beauty, Francesca

Francesca met her husband–to–be on the set of a movie; John Davis Lodge was the grandson of a famous Senator and would himself go into politics in later life. But in 1929, at the time of their wedding, he and Francesca made a fabulous glamour couple – the IT couple of 1929! 

Francesca and husband John Davis Lodge

Once his career in politics began to take off, Francesca successfully transformed herself into a very respectable Mrs John Davis Lodge. The papers called her 'the First Lady of Connecticut' and 'a popular member of New York society's younger set'.

A popular member of New York's younger set!

Francesca and John had a long and happy marriage. Here they are in 1971, while John was US Ambassador in Buenos Aires… Still looking rather fabulous.

In the grounds of the US Embassy, Buenos Aires

Francesca lived to the grand age of 96. What a fantastic character, and what a life she must have enjoyed!
Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you'd like to see more original 1930s wedding dresses and vintage–style dresses,
try my new Etsy store...

And for more vintage–style wedding dresses, 
please check out my Heavenly Collection here…

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Friday Inspo: Oscar de la Renta's vintage–inspired wedding dresses for Spring 2016.

Dear Reader,
Our Friday Inspiration this week is from Oscar de la Renta's Bridal range for Spring 2016. Lots of delicious vintage–inspired wedding dresses, with more than a nod to the 1950s and 1960s…

Gorgeous! If you'd like to see more lovely vintage–inspired wedding dresses, then please check out my Heavenly Collection. I like to think they're every bit as beautiful and – ahem – rather more affordable than couture! 
Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

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100 Years of Vintage Wedding Dresses – in 3 minutes.

Dear Reader,
Have you already seen this fun movie..?



Of course, it can only show a few examples. (And the dresses featured are not specially fitted to the model, so don't look anywhere near as beautiful as one of my original vintage dresses or my vintage–inspired Heavenly Collection will look on a bride!) 

But it's a fun and super–quick romp through a hundred years of vintage wedding fashion. Enjoy!
Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

And if you'd like to see some REAL examples of beautiful vintage brides and wedding dresses from every decade, just click here!

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Friday Inspiration – more fabulous vintage wedding dresses from the Vogue Weddings Book.

Dear Reader,
I promised I'd show you more of the Vogue Weddings Book, didn't I? So for this week's Inspiration, let's kick back and enjoy more iconic photos from 120 years of vintage wedding style…

Divine!
All photographs with thanks to Vogue.
Love 
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

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Friday Inspiration – Vogue Weddings Book: Brides, Dresses, Designers.

Dear Reader,
Today's inspiration is the spectacular Vogue Weddings Book...

Exactly as you'd hope from Vogue, it's a gorgeous glossy collection of over 400 iconic wedding photographs that have appeared in the magazine over the past 120 years. Pictures so beautiful speak for themselves…

But if you'd like to see more about Vogue's sumptuous book, just click here… And keep watching, I'll be featuring more of these fabulous images very soon.
Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

All photographs with thanks to Vogue.

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So Long Our Cilla, We'll Miss You Chuck x

Dear Reader,
It's time to bid a fond farewell to Our Cilla today… 

Remember Blind Date? Back in 1988 – way before X Factor or BGT – Cilla Black's saucy TV dating game was an essential part of my Saturday night. Well, every girl's Saturday night really. It was the perfect backdrop to pouffing up your 80s hairdo ready for a night's dancing...!

But it's easy to forget that Cilla was a pop star twenty years before this, with a sweet and expressive voice that earned her a string of great hits. Take a look at her in 1968 – adorable at age 25, and already a mahoosive star. This song was written for her by Paul McCartney!


With her cute 60s style and natural warmth, Cilla became an enduring icon of the Swinging Sixties…

Cilla with Cathy McGowan

Cilla's own 1969 wedding to Bobby Willis was a media event in itself. Check out this gorgeous clip from Pathe News, which was broadcast into cinemas…




Sadly, Bobby died in 1999. But they did enjoy a long and loving marriage that lasted 30 years.

With Cathy McGowan in Kensington's Biba store

So long Cilla – we send you off with a lorra lorra love!

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

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Friday Inspiration – 1950s Wedding Dresses and Original Vintage Kisses!

Dear Reader,
Romance is in the air today at Heavenly Vintage Brides, as we take our Friday Inspiration from a charming new book, Hackney Kisses…

Original 1950s wedding dresses and original 1950s kisses!

Created by Sweden–based photographer Stephen Gill, the book has a lovely back-story too. While browsing on ebay, Stephen came across a single 1950s photograph that interested him. He bought it, and then saw another listed. And another. And so on. 

1950s wedding dresses and original 1950s kisses!

Eventually, he contacted the owner and offered to buy the entire archive – a treasure trove of over 9,000 vintage wedding photographs from the mid to late 1950s. The photographs were all in packets addressed to the bride's parents, but with no other details.

1950s wedding dresses and original 1950s kisses!

Some packets had many photographs, some just three or four...

1950s wedding dresses and original 1950s kisses!

But in every packet, the image that really leapt out was the kiss.

Original 1950s wedding dresses and original 1950s kisses!

Of the brides, Stephen says "I've never gone looking for relatives, but wouldn't it be great if someone recognised their aunt, or their mum."

Original 1950s wedding dresses and original 1950s kisses!

1950s wedding dresses and original 1950s kisses!

1950s wedding dresses and original 1950s kisses!

If you'd like to see more of these delightful rediscovered pictures, click here...

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

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