Dressing Up
November 16th, 2007 @ 9:29 am by Mrs. Bubblegum
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about non-traditional wedding dresses. The way I see it, there are varying degrees of non-traditional - anywhere on the spectrum from a shorter dress (a la Mrs. Onion) to this amazing dress that one of my bms wore for her wedding:
So lately I’ve been brainstorming: if I were to wear a non-traditional wedding dress (which I won’t because, quite frankly, I just don’t have the guts), what would it be?? It was a soul-searching experience, from which I learned that I would probably find myself trying to dial up the sexy in any of these numbers:
SO - if you were going the route of the non-traditional dress, what would you wear?!?
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23 Responses to “Dressing Up”
I am a non-traditional dress bride, but even I have been known to be tempted to cheat on my dress. Those you posted are lovely!
The ice blue dress from Bluefly caught my eye first. It’s divine! I just might have to pop over there and look it. It would make a great dinner dress for our honeymoon.
Long before I was engaged I saw an incredible orange ballgown by Chado Ralph Rucci in the window of Saks. It had a huge skirt, and ruffles in a celadon green underneath the orange overskirt. It was utterly gorgeous. I thought always thought I would do something like that. It wouldn’t save me any money at all, but it would be spectacular.
But in the end I’m going with the traditional white dress. Not for lack of guts, I think, so much as, when it came down to it, I surprised myself by really wanting the traditional, and that’s not just with the dress.
OMG! That blue Nordstrom’s dress is DIVINE! Wow! I heavily considered going tea lenght, but decided that I wanted to fulfill as much of my FI’s fantasies as possible. So, I opted for a Alfred Angelo bridesmaid dress (that’s very simple), but it’s floor lenght. I think it’s a good compromise for me and I love my dress and feel very comfortable in it. I love seeing all the options that brides have today.
something pink! not that non-traditional anymore though.
1. I LOVE that blue Nordstrom dress! That color is gorgeous!
2. If I were to wear a non-traditional dress, I’d probably go for something like the Anne Barge or Platinum dress in my short dress post or the Jane Wang mini-dress. Like you, I just don’t have the guts to do it!
I’m not a fan of short dresses (I don’t like my knees!), so it definitely wouldn’t be a mini-dress for me. I’d probably go for a 50s style sun-dress in a bold color like magenta or torquoise. I love vintage dresses!
Ooh I love all of these dresses! If I was going to wear something untraditional, I would still wear white, but make it short– like Mrs. Onion’s dress or a Stephanie James couture dress.
I’d do something from this designer…
Loe her work.
http://www.uptight-clothing.co.uk/Real%20Life%20Brides/RLgownsFrameset.htm
I too love that Nordstrom’s dress! 
I want it. I have no idea what I’d wear as a nontraditional dress…I’m too traditional.
If I was to wear a non-traditional dress, I’d wear a sweeping red gown - something like this (without the sash): http://www.graziellabaratta.com/Images/Evening12006.jpg
Or this:
A friend of ours wore a gorgeous strapless peach gown with a pale green underskirt for the ceremony, and a great ivory suit for dinner. Both things she can easily wear again, unlike my traditional dress.
The Jim Hjelm dress is lovely! I think there was a part of me that entertained a different kind of dress…one with some color.
If I hadn’t been a traditional gown bride, I would have loved to have opted for something sexier and more glam either in a pale gold or something super dramatic like this fiery red maggie sottero number: http://www.maggiesottero.com/dress.aspx?showAll=1&pageSize=8&style=S5097
Just divalicious!
OMG LOVE those dresses! I agree with Miss Jasmine, if I were to go “non-traditional”, I’d probably want to wear that Jim Hjelm dress you posted in white. Beautiful! I do love that color on the Nordstrom’s dress though…
I’ve heard that non-white (and non-ivory) dresses are becoming a new trend, especially in Europe, but I’ve never seen it at an actual wedding. The idea is very cool, though.
love this post!!! I am just starting dress shopping & my major debate is which type of non-traditional to go: short, white & retro (a la Miss Onion’s fab example); white, long but of a more casual/boheme fabric; or green with a little formality…
no answer yet, unfortunately
As I was reading this though, I was just waiting for the web quiz set-up (you know, “What type of non-traditional wedding dress are you?”)
I’m really contemplating a non traditional dress. I am in love with Wai-Ching’s Cubana. I would do a very light pink instead of red. http://www.wai-ching.com/
If I could afford it, I would buy any dress by Marchesa. Have you seen their spring 08 collection? Everything is gorgeous!!
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/collections/S2008RTW/complete/thumb/MARCHESA
oh and just to add that my sister wore two dresses (as is traditional for Chinese culture) and instead of a traditional qi pao, her second gown was a replica of her white gown but in red. It was beautiful!!
My dress will probably seem pretty traditional because I ordered it in a cream, but I actually picked a dress from Watter’s bridesmaid line - Watters and Watters. I tried on a ton of bridesmaid dresses that I could have worn and most of them had really great detail for the money. My dress was $268 and the store I tried it on in had 5 bridal gowns just like it for $3000+. Also, I tried on some really cool Vera Wangs that were only 300 something.
Here’s my dress (the blue color of the sample is a little shockingly bright but…):
http://www.watters.com/product.php?coll=watters&showid=547#
Haha, so I’m not the only one?? I just figure, if you buy a non-traditional dress, it’s a great chance to buy a dress from a designer you couldn’t normally afford, but that’d still cost less than most wedding gowns. These links are great!
And Beth, that’s a GREAT idea. Looovve it!
I had my dress made and toyed with the idea of some kind of gorgeous shade of olive green silk, but didn’t want to clash with the garden setting of the wedding and ended up going with ivory with green accents (jewelry, wrap, custom-painted shoes featuring a scene from the garden).
But since this post gave me an excuse to go imaginary internet shopping, here are my non-traditional picks:
1) For an evening summer wedding, this sexy number feels like a modern take on 1920’s Hollywood:
http://www.elegantmart.com/Fashion/BlackNude-Party-Dress__12945.aspx
2) Since I love all earthy colors (or “ugly-dirt” colors as my sister says), I am drawn to this 1950’s gown, which I picture wearing at my wedding to Cary Grant (and yes, I’d be his SIXTH wife and yes, he was probably gay– oh, and the dress is already sold– but this is IMAGINARY shopping, right?):
http://www.vintageous.com/v4712.htm
Guess I’m in a vintage mood tonight…
Gals, It was more than a dozen years ago, but I shocked friends and family by walking down the beach-aisle in a rasberry chiffon number by Watters & Watters. I accessorized with white opera-length gloves and a long string of pearls. The way I figured it: I’m paying for the wedding, and at 30-something, the ingenue white look just wasn’t me. I wanted to be bold & beautiful, and I was so happy that I went with my instinct…when I went to order the gown, I was about to request it in ivory, then changed my mind.
I’m glad I did!
Mrs. Bubblegum, Exeter, NH
Age and Occupation: 24, Actuarial Analyst
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Ressearch & Development
Engagement Date: February 9, 2007
Wedding Date: May 2008
Blogging Since: November 2, 2007
Venue: Dunegrass Golf Club
About Me: I can be summed up by the four things I love most: kitties, cheese, math, and Mr. Bubblegum. I am knee-deep in DIY projects to keep wedding costs low but quality high for the special day when I get to marry my bestest friend.
Something like what Kate Hudson wore in “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days”. Love that dress!!!