Vintage Wedding Dresses and Summer Festival Style.

Dear Reader, 
Hooray! The sun is out and summer kicked off with almighty–Glastonbury–bang last weekend. Festival style is everywhere!

Kate Moss, the original Festival babe in vintage-inspired wedding dress

The 1970s–inspired festival look always work so beautifully in summer, doesn't it. Even the smartest of city girls are currently skipping through our hot London streets in flowy dresses, loose tresses and pretty sandals. 

Farrah Fawcett marries Lee Majors, 1973

With their flowing lines and delicate trims, vintage wedding dresses always suit this free-spirited Festival styling. Today, I thought I'd pick out some pretty examples of 1970s-style brides – and some fabulous free-flowing hairstyles – to inspire any Summer brides…

Actress and model Marisa Berenson, 1976 

Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady, 2009

1970s style icons Yoko Ono and John Lennon

Mick and Bianca Jagger's St Tropez Wedding, 1971

Poppy Delevigne's Marrakesh Wedding, 2014

Jane Birkin, inspiration for free-spirited 1970s girls everywhere!

I hope I've inspired you to slip on your finest silk dress today, to waft around in this glorious sunshine – or simply to lie on your sofa and imagine you are in Marrakesh!

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you like this post, please try…

Hairstyling to suit 1970s vintage wedding dresses

All photos with thanks to Vogue.com

Read more

Vintage Bride of the Week: Stephanie in 1960s lace and chiffon wedding dress.

Dear Reader,
There's an Autumn nip in the air today. So I'm going to share these gorgeous pics from real vintage bride Stephanie...

Stephanie married last Winter in the idyllic setting of Bloomington, Indiana. 

Stephanie is such a delightful girl and I was really pleased to meet her charming parents, Steve and Jane, who flew over from Canada to help choose the dress.

With their help, Stephanie chose this stunning original early 1960s wedding dress in lace and chiffon - so glamorous! And I love her swishy 1960s hairstyle that works so well with it. (For more great 1960s hair ideas, click here.)

Stephanie certainly made the right choice...

"The dress was amazing, absolutely beautiful and all I could have hoped for! I received so many compliments, and people said it was one of the most stunning gowns they'd ever seen. Thank you for all of your hard work, and for helping to make my big day so special.

Marriage has been a treat, and we think fondly back to December 14th often. It went by so fast, but it was such a memorable day nonetheless. Thank you again, Helena!"

 

Thanks so much for sharing the pics, Stephanie and Brian. We love your snow-kissed 1960s style!

And thanks to USA photographer Eric Rudd for the pictures - you can see lots more of this gorgeous wedding on his blog here.

Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you like this post, please take a look at...
Long-sleeved, lace vintage-style 'Dorothy' dress

Hairstyles for 1960s wedding dresses

 

More Real Vintage Brides

Read more

It's all about 1940s glamour! With two lovely new vintage brides.

Dear Reader
Thanks for all your gorgeous comments on the new Dorothy dress, the latest 1940s style from my Heavenly Collection. I'm so pleased you like her...

Today I have two beautiful new brides to share. Both wear original 1940s vintage lace wedding dresses. And both look so stunning - so elegant and glamorous. First Rhiannon...

And now Annie, in a lovely tea-length lace dress. Annie is a professional dancer and really knows how to twirl...!

I'm definitely seeing a renewed popularity for 1940s glamour, so I though I'd do a little recap today of the all fabulous 1940s things we've been thinking about... Just scroll down to see what takes your fancy, and click through the links to see the full posts...

First, some lovely real vintage brides. Here is Lucie, in stunning original 1940s lace...

And Lisa, in sophisticated 1940s-inspired Bette dress, from my Heavenly Collection...

Next some fabulous 1940s style icons. First the sultry and sophisticated Lauren Bacall. What a woman!

And the fabulous Bette Davis... She is of course my inspiration for the Bette dress...

And here's the actual Bette 1940s-style dress she inspired...

On the subject of dresses, don't miss this wonderful original 1940s vintage lace wedding dress and jacket...

And lastly, some ideas for starlet-style hair to complement your 1940s wedding dress...

Phew, I think that's quite enough for now! I hope you'll make time to bring a little 1940s movie star style to your day today... 

See you next week

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

Read more

Hairstyles for 1950s and 1960s vintage wedding dresses

Dear Reader, 

I confess I have a special interest in hair: I spent 20 years as a hairdresser specialising in designer fashion shows and fashion shoots. And I always loved creating wedding hairstyles, as it's an opportunity to do something really special. 

What an icon! Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly in BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S, 1961

In my last post, I looked at hairstyles that suit 1930s and 1940s vintage wedding dresses. Today, I'm going to suggest a few styles that rock with 1950s and 1960s vintage wedding dresses. 

1950s

In the 50s, hair was still worn wavy - but often shorter and more layered than in earlier decades. It would still be set with rollers, but now the curls would be slightly looser.

And the ultimate 1950s icon, Marilyn Monroe

Marilyn Monroe is the perfect example. This classic style can still work wonderfully today, as in Katherine Heigl's glamorous red carpet look. 

Katherine Heigl wearing 1950s Marilyn waves

Marilyn Monroe, 1950s platinum blonde

Scarlett Johansson, the modern blonde bombshell

Another instantly recognisable 1950s movie icon is Grace Kelly. In contrast, Grace Kelly's more sleek look represented immaculately groomed young ladies everywhere - a picture of elegance and modesty.

Grace Kelly, a more restrained 1950s glamour

Grace Kelly, always elegant

But the 50s was a decade of huge change. And for the other extreme, just look at Brigitte Bardot in 'And God Created Woman' (check out the fabulous trailer below!) Bardot's tumbling sexy curls hold a promise of the wilder decade to follow!

Brigitte Bardot, Ooh-la-la!

1960s

The 60s was all about volume and backcombing, and is typified for me by two stars, Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s from 1961, and the tousled blonde curls and high up-dos of Brigitte Bardot.

I recommend taking from each decade what suits you and making it your own. So if you love 1960s style, you don’t have to go for huge amounts of volume to get the look. I also love Tippi Hedren’s ultra-groomed hair in the wonderful Hitchcock film 'The Birds'.

Ice blonde Tippi Hedren in THE BIRDS

This is a look that is often worn on the red carpet today. I've included lots of examples of contemporary versions below, for inspiration.

Angelina Jolie in sophisticated 60s style

Brigitte Bardot's tousled appeal

Bardot-inspired messy chignon with backcombing

Bardot!

Bardot with tousled backcombing

Bardot!

Kelly Brook with sleek 1960s inspired updo

Sophie Ellis Bextor with pretty 1960s-style backcombing

Penelope Cruz

Gwyneth Paltrow does 1960s chic 

Sexy 60s styles: Rachel McAdam, Sarah Jessica Parker & Scarlett Johansson

I hope you've enjoyed this little trip around the world of vintage-inspired wedding hair! Next time, I'll suggest hairstyles for 1970s vintage wedding dresses, and I'll show you some divine styles for short wedding hair. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

Read more