Category: Fashion

Some years the wedding fashion trends tell us to add colored ribbons to our white gowns, and other years big flowers or poufs are all the rage. The 2008 wedding dress runway buzz is all about the Return of the Sleeve. For years, strapless wedding gowns have ruled the wedding aisle. And why not? They’re sexy, chic and glam, and are the perfect excuse to accessorize with faux fur or wispy shawls

Hanna Hartnell, wedding dress and formal-wear fashion designer extraordinaire, has cooked up six red-hot gowns to fit the bill. Her special collection of attention-grabbing hues range from a deep rose to rich merlot. Hartnell, who is working with the Red Cross to help make the event a big success, is also donating a $3000 gown for their live auction.

I’m particularly impressed with the collections Bridal Bliss is offering the Bay Area’s discriminating brides. One of my favorite designers, Kirstie Kelly for Disney’s Fairytale Weddings, takes brides from princess to free-spirited heroine with an unerring sense of feminine fashion. But Bridal Bliss also introduced me to some new, cutting-edge designers: Have you ever seen the exquisite creations of Sophia Tolli? I love the figure-enhancing cut of the bodices and skirts, and the eye-catching use of color details and embellishments are welcome grace notes in the usual parade of white. The high-fashion glamour of Ahnna B is another pleasant surprise—her collections include Vintage Glamour, The Romantics, and Modern Traditions—in other words, something for every woman.

But because no one can get enough of looking at those mythical, terrifically terrible bridesmaid dresses (myself included), we found a link that might give you a fix.

The whole shopping experience really made me think that you don’t have to go to a bargain bridal shop to save money. In fact, you might not save money at all! Plus, I think every bride should have the experience of going to a high-end bridal salon and getting the star treatment. Having a consultant take the time to help you find the perfect dress—one that’s right for your bod y type and matches the style of your wedding—could actually save you lots of time and headache, and you’ll probably end up with a better dress for your big day.

This on-line retailer (with a showroom in Davis, CA) lets brides choose from a huge array of wedding dresses, bridesmaid’s dresses and mother-of-the-bride dresses inspired by the nostalgic styles of bygone eras. I confess to spending more time than was absolutely necessary scrolling through the pages and pages of photos on their website.

It must nice to be a fashion icon. As Sex and the City’s fictional wedding coordinator definitively told an engaged Charlotte: “I have just 2 words for you—Vera Wang.”

Walk into a California bridal salon and you expect a sea of white (or ivory, or cream). More and more, though, we’re seeing splashes of bright color on the typical white gown—and even more dramatic dresses that are far from pale.