The perfect 1950s wedding dress by Emma Domb - my vintage wedding dress of the week!

Dear Reader,
Just a quick post on a lovely sunny Sunday morn... My vintage wedding dress of the week is this lace and satin beauty by Emma Domb.

Emma Domb was based in California from the late 30s to the 70s. Her work remains very highly sought after by collectors. (One of her most famous fans is Patricia Field, the stylist behind Sex and the City; Carrie Bradshaw was often seen in a fabulous Emma Domb vintage dress.)

Emma's wedding dresses are always so feminine and elegant. And this one is a particularly fine example with its flattering cut and charming details. From the sweet daisy trim at its pretty neckline, to the flattering lace panel that sweeps down the front to lengthen your figure, this is a beautiful dress that will make a stunning bride one day...

If you like this dress, do check out my Heavenly Collection of 1950s-style wedding dresses, and I have more original 1950s dresses here.

Now, we should all be outside enjoying the sun, shouldn't we! Hope to see you next week, when I shall have news to announce and a lovely new bride to show you. Do pop back...
Love
Helena 
Heavenly Vintage Brides

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Original 1950s Wedding Dresses

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Vintage Wedding Dresses at the Movies: my Top Three unveiled!

Dear Reader,
What fun I've had truffling through these wonderful old movies to find my very favourite vintage wedding dresses! And now I'm delighted to share my Top 3...

3. It Happened One Night (starring Claudette Colbert, 1934)

Never seen this wonderful 1930s screwball comedy by Frank Capra? Seek it out - you have such a treat in store!

The charming Claudette Colbert wears a slinky satin 1930s wedding dress by Robert Kalloch, one of the biggest Hollywood trendsetters of the 30s and 40s.

And there's that lovely Juliet Cap veil again! In this case, full length and swirling around the base of her gown... fabulous! I am so inspired by these pretty veils at the moment. A lovely addition to my Top 3.

2. Funny Face (starring Audrey Hepburn, 1957)
In this 1950s musical, Audrey is actually modelling the dress, rather than getting married. 

This gorgeous gown is one of Audrey's most iconic looks - a perfect blend of 1950s modern and romantic, with its ballerina-length net skirt, slim-fitting bodice, and the chic boat neckline Audrey always favoured. I love too the pretty veil, fastened with its tiny bow...

The dress was designed by Hubert De Givenchy who was working on the film with Edith Head - another of the all-time-great costume designers. Givenchy had given Audrey many of his gowns to wear in her earlier film Sabrina. When Head won the Best Costume Design Oscar for Sabrina, Givenchy never received proper credit. So Audrey went out of her way to see that he received full credit on Funny Face. She and the designer became lifelong friends. 

1. The Razor's Edge (starring Gene Tierney, 1946)
And finally... my number one is.... drum roll... the wonderful actress Gene Tierney swathed in head-to-toe 1940s lace wedding dress by Oleg Cassini.

Gene was engaged to Russian-born costumer designer Cassini, and he designed this glorious dress for their own wedding. But her parents opposed the marriage and in a romantic twist, they eloped. So Gene wore the dress for her film instead!

Sadly, the film was panned by the critics. But the dress... I think you'll agree is a perfect success! 

So there it is: my very favourite vintage wedding dresses from the movies. I hope you enjoyed seeing them as much as I enjoyed choosing them. Please do stop by my facebook page and let me know which of your favourites I've missed!

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you missed the rest of my Top Ten Vintage Wedding Dresses from the Movies, check it out 

Here...!

And here...!

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Vintage Wedding Dresses at the Movies: the countdown continues...

Dear Reader,
Here we are... the second instalment in my Top 10 vintage wedding dresses from the movies. So many glorious gowns to choose from!

7. High Society (starring Grace Kelly, 1956)
Another fabulous dress by Helen Rose, one of the great Hollywood costume designers of the 1940s and 1950s. First, take a look at the designer's original sketch...

And now, at the dress itself... Perfection!

Aside from her Hollywood costumes, Helen Rose is of course most famous for designing Grace Kelly's own iconic wedding dress. What a beauty.

6. The Godfather (Simonetta Stefanelli as Appollonia, 1972)
The Godfather includes two gorgeous wedding dress scenes. Appollonia's demure head-to-toe lace dress for the simple Sicilian country wedding is my favourite. (And one of my favourite movie wedding scenes too.)

5. The movies of screen goddess, Billie Dove (1920s)
Stunning beauty Billie Dove started as a Ziegfeld Follies girl at the age of 14, and went on to become one of the biggest stars of silent film. So many of her glamorous 1920s dresses would be wonderful for a wedding... 

Some of Billie's films are lost now, so it's hard to choose a favourite. She played a bride in at least two movies. Would it be cheating to include all Billie's gorgeous dresses in my Top 10?

And remember the Juliet cap veils we were thinking about last week, here she is in a stunning example...

At the height of her fame, Billie was more popular than even Greta Garbo. Jazz singer Billie Holliday is said to have named herself after her. Let's remember her with these beautiful images.

4. Come Dance with Me (starring Brigitte Bardot, 1959)

And my last choice for today? La Bardot wearing a classic late 1950s lace wedding dress in this silly French movie...

I've had so much fun choosing. Do check back to see my Top 3, and post your own favourites on my facebook page here. And to enjoy lots more lovely original vintage dresses, click here.

Thanks for looking

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

If you like this post, check out

1930s Wedding Dresses, the Decade of Glamour

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Vintage Wedding Dresses in the Movies: What's your favourite?

Dear Reader,

Ask anyone their Top 10 wedding movies, and the same films appear over and over. From My Best Friend's Wedding to Bridesmaids, from Twilight to Sex and the City.

Well, you probably know by now that I'm a fan of old movies. (We know, we know, I hear you cry!) Over the next few days, I'll reveal my Top 10 of fabulous vintage wedding dresses from the movies. The countdown starts here...

10. Emma (starring Gwyneth Paltrow, 1996)

In the film based on Jane Austen's wonderful novel, Gwyneth Paltrow stars as Emma, in a charming Empire line (high waisted) dress. 

In 1815 (when the story is set) this would have been the height of fashion. Dresses were made in soft flowing fabrics such as muslin, and corsets were not worn. Instead, long flesh-coloured pantaloons were worn under the dress!

9. Father of the Bride (starring Elizabeth Taylor, 1950)

In Father of the Bride, Elizabeth Taylor’s magnificent figure is supported as only a 1950s dress can. Her fabulous dress is by famous costume designer Helen Rose.

Helen Rose also designed Elizabeth Taylor's own wedding gown when she married her first husband Nicky Hilton in 1950.

Some of you may remember that Elizabeth Taylor married a remarkable 9 times, so there are plenty of dresses to choose from! You can see more of her wedding dresses here.

8. The Good Shepherd (starring Angelina Jolie, 2006)

In this Skull-and-Bones spy thriller about the birth of the CIA, Angelina plays Clover Russell in an array of fabulous 1930s-inspired dresses. Her ivory lace 'debutante' dress (above and below) would make a wonderful simple wedding gown. 

But for Clover's society wedding, Oscar-nominated costume designer Ann Roth created this sumptuous and slinky satin 1930s-style dress. (Ann Roth designed for some truly iconic films such as Midnight Cowboy, Klute and The English Patient).

So that's just the first taste of my Top 10. More to follow this week! Now, what's yours...? Do check out my facebook page, tell me what I've missed and add your own favourites right here!

Thanks for looking, 

Love

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

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