When you think of a wedding, you probably picture a beautiful bride in white. It’s today’s standard in western culture, but the white wedding dress has a shorter tradition than most people realize. Queen Victoria started the trend that has now been going on for nearly 200 years when she wore white to marry Prince Albert.
Before that fateful fashion, choice brides generally wore their best dress to get married, whatever color it might be. The growing middle class in the 1800s aspired to higher realms of fashion and status, and so copied the young queen. Wearing a white dress wasn’t exactly practical, so it signaled wealth.
A white, conservative gown is still the go-to in the west, but this is changing. In addition to white and traditional fits, more and more brides are turning to more daring styles and colors to express themselves more fully. Here are some of the trends that make a statement at a modern wedding.
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1. The Black Wedding Dress
It’s the color antithesis to white, but a black wedding dress can be just as beautiful and elegant. Choosing a black wedding dress doesn’t necessarily mean you are bucking tradition for the sake of it. You are simply expressing yourself as a woman and a bride.
Some celebrities have expressed themselves this way. Ever the trendsetter, Sarah Jessica Parker wore a black dress to marry Matthew Broderick in 1997. Other famous brides in black include Chloe Sevigny, Shenae Grimes, Ellen Pompeo, and Avril Lavigne.
The good news for women wanting a black wedding dress is that more bridal companies and designers are offering black options. They see the growing trend and ensure that every bride has the chance to find her dream dress, no matter the color.
2. Daringly Sexy Plunging Neckline or Backless
Traditionally, wedding dresses tend to be conservative. For a church wedding, that is certainly still the norm, but brides having less traditional ceremonies have more leeway. Nowadays, being sexy during weddings is no longer taboo in most circles. Even bridesmaids wear sexy bridesmaid dresses to match the bride.
One of the best ways to be sexy in your wedding dress is to highlight your favorite asset and keep the rest covered. Go for a plunging neckline with a full skirt, for instance, or a backless dress with a high front neckline. The key to keeping it classy is to balance the sexy part with more coverage in other areas.
3. Barely There Illusion Wedding Dress
Another trend in sexy wedding dresses is the illusion style. This is a dress that covers you but gives the illusion that it shows more skin. It uses mesh or lace to cover parts of the body or in cutout areas. You can use lining under these cutouts or let more skin show.
An illusion dress can be sexy but in a way that isn’t too revealing. For example, maybe you love the look of a plunging neckline but don’t want to be that bare. An illusion dress would provide the daring neckline but with nude mesh to cover the space in between.
Illusion is a growing trend, and it’s useful because it’s versatile. You can use illusion pieces for a few tasteful cutouts or go really bold with large sections covered only in lace or mesh.
4. Naked Wedding Dress
For the boldest and most confident of brides, you can take the illusion a step further and embrace the naked dress. This is a new but growing trend in bridal, and it’s a great way to show how comfortable you are in your own skin.
The most conservative version of this style is a lace dress with a nude lining. This gives the illusion of bareness under the lace. This particular look has become extremely popular. It highlights the beauty of the lace while providing an element of daring.
5. Wedding Suits
Finally, why not ditch the dress altogether? You might want to wear a suit or tuxedo if you want to make an interesting fashion statement, or simply because dresses aren’t your thing. There is no rule that says you have to get married in a dress.
Bridal designers are adding more suits to their collections to cater to brides who feel better in pants. The right suit can be as elegant and dressed up as the fanciest gown. To make it more bridal, look for certain elements, like satin, lace, and a tailored fit.
It’s Your Day
When it comes to bridal fashion, women today have more options than ever before. You don’t have to wear a traditional white gown. You can be sexy and bold. You can make a fashion statement and ditch the white if you want. It’s your special day, so you should wear what makes you feel beautiful.
Read also: Personalizing Your Wedding Dress