Following a year of yo-yo lockdowns, multiple postponements of the lavish wedding ceremonies, and the rise of micro-weddings, are brides ready to kiss effervescent meringue dresses goodbye in favour of sleeker, more fashion-forward designs?
UK weddings are back on the agenda for summer, and you may already be looking at a flurry of invites following loved-up lockdown proposals, or weddings that have been moved umpteen times. With 30 guests allowed from May 17, and all restrictions lifted from June 21, we’re curious to know: has the traditional wedding dress lost its allure?
Prior to lockdown, the traditional rite of passage involved multiple trips to bridal emporiums, trying on hundreds of dresses to find THE ONE. This process was followed by a series of fittings to ensure your dress fit like a glove come The Big Day. However, over the past year, our shopping habits have shifted massively, and bridal wear is no exception.
According to fashion research platform Lyst, online searches for wedding dresses have quadrupled year-on-year. And what are people looking for? Interestingly, searches for ‘mini bridal dresses’ have increased 170% since January, showing a growing non-conformist approach to wedding-day dressing.
In truth, the move towards fashion-led bridal fashion was gaining momentum long before COVID hit. MATCHESFASHION launched its bridal offering, with the likes of Molly Goddard, Simone Rocha, and Galvan, in January 2020 to great praise. The latest edit is just as covetable for brides wanted something unconventional, with exclusive collections from contemporary labels like The Vampire’s Wife and BERNADETTE. Global Fashion Officer, Natalie Kingham, offers her advice for wedding day dressing: “I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have two options and you can always have fun changing just for the hell of it. Two memorable looks mean two memorable entrances, and the second one doesn’t have to be white either.” As for taking a considered approach to the after life of your look she adds, “You should be looking at two pieces if you want to be glamorous and smart on the day, and then integrate them (into your wardrobe), because even a simple or casual white dress is still quite statement.”
Inspired by the low-key bridal trend? Here is the CF edit of 10 dresses to fall in love with…
For brides-to-be who would describe themselves as ‘almost allergic to dresses’, the task of finding a wedding day look can be a headache.
The mother-daughter duo behind Antwerp-based label BERNADETTE have a serious knack for creating dresses women would quite happily sell their husband-to-be for.
HARMUR is an upcoming brand for cool brides who are ready to dance the night away in something truly fabulous.
Day-to-night loungewear label Sleeper, famed for its feather-trimmed pyjamas, has created the most post-lockdown bridal look imaginable.
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