What would Edith wear? January 15, 2009

I’m in the middle of a little dust-up on the Indiebride etiquette boards– I’ll share all tomorrow, and round up opinions on an apparently sticky subject.  But for tonight: one beautiful dress.

I really, really love how the fabric in the train is substantial, and I think the texture of the satin is gorgeous– really lush, and look at how the light creates shadows in the fabric folds.

 

From the back, we can see that the fabric that makes up the bustle appears to be rosy (“fawn-colored”), in contrast to the cream of the rest of the dress.

 

That is hand-done embroidery.  The dress was made in 1881.  Can you imagine?  It’s lasted so long.  I wonder if it longs for another woman to wear it again, to dance in it.  It’s for sale on Vintage Textile.  The woman who wore it originally was called Miss Custer.

More (bridesmaid) dresses! January 11, 2009

I swear– the bridespeople can wear what they want, or what a quorum of them choose.

But I myself can’t stop looking at dress possibilities online.  I was reading an old (December) issue of O! Magazine today, and saw an ad for the American Living line at JC Penney’s.  I thought, “Oh, that would be a cute winter wedding bridesmaid dress.  Especially with the tartan…”

 

 

Or, a black dress with a little lace:

 

 

I personally would want to wear this party dress with sequins–

…and maybe I could–rehearsal dinner?  Engagement party?

 

 

And, JC Penney’s even has a wedding department, with bridal gowns as well as “official” bridesmaids’ dresses.  I like this style:

 

 

And this one is very, very similar to one of the dresses we chose at David’s:

 

The photos are small, so I’ll hyperlink like this: velvet and plaid dress here, dress with the lace bodice here, black with sequins here, short blue dress here, and dress with pin is here.

 

I find it really gratifying that all of the Penney’s dresses come in many sizes, and some are as inexpensive as $30.00.  I would never want anyone to not be able to afford to be part of our celebration, and I’ve heard of too many bridesmaids spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars on dress, shoes, make up and hair, parties, air fare, and gifts.  That’s too ridiculous, and burdensome, I think.  Strangely, I’ve never actually been a bridesmaid, but I don’t think I would be able to tell a good friend, “No, I can’t afford that,” to a party, a four-day at a hotel bachelorette party, or an expensive pair of shoes.

Winter wonderland December 16, 2008

It is snowing here– fat, dreamy flakes skirt their way down.  My delight at the snow, coupled with the possibility of a winter wedding, has me daydreaming in creams, ivories, and winter whites.

First of all– _look_ at these dresses.  My co-workers have heard me say countless times that I want to look like a confection on my wedding day.  These dresses absolutely channel froths of meringue and lighter-than-air spun sugar.

I love how each lower tier seems to have been dipped in glitter.

 

Oooh, this might be my favorite.  I could float on the skirt of this dress.  (I just wish that model had a bit more body on her shoulders, they’re a bit eerie.)

 

This one looks like it’s made of paper, light as feathers.  I love this veil, a simple layer of translucence  over the intricate ruffles.

(All three are Monique Lhuillier via Brooklyn Bride)

 

Now… cakes:

This cake looks like fine china, or a shadow left by the Ice Princess.  It’s slightly to prim for me, but I still like it.

 

Now _this_ is my kind of cake: more is more– frothiness, endless bits of buttercream, the cake overflowing its own stand.  In fact, it looks like the bottom of a gown I might like.

 

All white flowers, to finish things off:

I love this bouquet because it’s entirely made of carnations, the most inexpensive flower and often seen as too “cheap” to be included in wedding bouquets. But how gorgeous is it here?  I could make this bouquet, I think.  The black is uber-elegant, but I’d like the ribbon more in pink or purple, to soften it.

(Cakes and bouquet from Martha Stewart Weddings.)