fashion

Shopping for Vintage Wedding Apparel: What You Need To Know
Take a look at these tips if you are considering vintage apparel for your upcoming wedding.

Take a look at these tips if you are considering vintage apparel for your upcoming wedding.

Whether it’s an appreciation for retro formalwear, a desire to save money, or both, vintage wedding apparel can be a great option for your upcoming nuptials. At the same time, tracking down fabulous finds requires knowing what you want and observing smart shopping practices. Before you go on the hunt, take a look at these savvy tips.

Top Reasons for Buying Vintage

New designer threads hit the racks every season, but what keeps us coming back to old-school formalwear? In a 2017 Fashionista piece, Fawnia Soo Hoo mentions sustainability as one reason, noting that older garments find new uses rather than being discarded and going to waste. Others are lured by the thrill of donning unique, one-of-a-kind finds and standing out from the pack, particularly in pictures shared on social media. With other soon-to-be-wed folks, vintage attire fits in with larger retro event themes.

Defining Your Era

Keep in mind that words such as “retro” or “vintage” carry subjective meanings and can encompass clothing from almost any decade from the past. Martha Stewart Weddings points out that even 1980s or early 1990s fashions might fall under these categories, so you’re going to need to pin down exactly what type of vintage wear you want. Also, deciding on your affair’s intended look and feel is important, since it can serve as a style guide when you go shopping. Finally, don’t overlook the “revival” trends that have recurred throughout history, such as the comebacks of some 1960s fashions in the early 1990s and a few late 1980s styles working their way back into current trends.

Where To Start

With the wide range of vintage apparel options on the market, it may be hard to decide where to start. You can typically find your garment of choice in several different types of venues:

  • Consignment shops
  • Online retailers
  • Private sellers
  • Thrift stores

However, purchasing a secondhand garment can come with one risk: your inability to return the item if you’re not satisfied. To avoid any major snags or losing money on an item you can’t wear, shopping locally is probably your best option. Also, remember to try all garments on, and inspect each find under good lighting to look for rips, tears, stains or other blemishes. Finally, you might consider modern reinterpretations of your desired style, since these garments can be more easily altered and come with the usual policies and guarantees of buying new apparel.

If your idea of formalwear includes suits, you may have a bit more leeway in tracking down a great find. Writing for Offbeat Bride, Seyta Selter reveals that suit styles haven’t changed much over the last century or two. Even if you purchase an ensemble with a more modern cut, you can add old-school details such as vests, hats, or suspenders. Selter cautions wearers to pay attention to other specifics such as the type of dress shirts you select, hair or beard styling, cufflinks, and shoes, as these extras can make or break your total look.

A Few Words for Plus-Sized Shoppers

Bustle contributor Gina Tonic explains that secondhand shopping can be tricky for people with larger bodies. Since size numbers for the same clothing measurements may fluctuate widely, Tonic advises readers to make sure they know their measurements, try on garments in-store, and avoid sticking strictly to size labels. Some items can be altered, especially if they fit loosely on you and don’t have heavy detailing such as intricate beadwork.

Vintage attire can be an excellent choice for your nuptials, but you need to do some homework and shop around to locate top-quality items. Also, it’s vital to know what you want, remain flexible, and stay open to retro-styled new clothing as possible options. By following this advice, you’re a few steps closer to scoring your dream attire.

This Year’s Exciting Wedding Dress Trends
To discover a wedding dress that perfectly encapsulates your persona, look into some of the latest and hottest fashions while you explore your options.

To discover a wedding dress that perfectly encapsulates your persona, look into some of the latest and hottest fashions while you explore your options.

weThe right outfit can really change the way a person feels about an event. When it comes to your wedding, for example, you are going to end up putting many hours into searching for the ideal wedding dress. For brides, this means taking time to “say yes to the dress.” Bridal gowns and dresses have remained somewhat consistent over the years in regards to general style and color. While brides might have been wearing white to weddings for quite a bit of time, you should feel free to explore your options.

Each year, new and interesting design trends come about for brides to consider for their wedding dress. To discover a dress you feel perfectly encapsulates your persona, it might be a useful idea to think about some of these latest and more interesting fashions. Accessorize your dress in the right manner, play around with color, and personalize your outfit for your own special day.

Like a Princess

Though it might seem somewhat cliché, many people want to feel like royalty on the day they get married. While you might not have been born into the correct lineage to ascend to the throne, you definitely can create a look of a noteworthy aristocrat. One way to tackle this goal is by investing in accessories for your wedding dress. Lately, a hot trend for wedding fashions has the bride adopting all sorts of interesting accessories in order to fully flesh out her appearance while walking down the aisle. This task is simple when you explore options like princess capes. 

Princess capes, also known as “royal capes,” have been making a huge splash at special events all over the world. While you might not be next in line for the throne, you definitely can cultivate an appearance of decadence and class with a few small touches. If you believe your outfit will benefit from this addition, take time to consider all the style choices available to you and set out on finding the ideal match for your cape.

Ruffles in Your Wedding Dress

The style of the dress is something to play around with during the preparation stages of your wedding. In 2017, a number of prolific designers showcased ruffled bridal dresses at an array of large fashion shows. The designers, including such hot names as Vera Wang and Casablanca, have helped to launch a movement in regards to upcoming weddings. Brides all over have been rushing to boutiques and retail shops to get fitted for dresses with sweetheart necklines and layers of thin and dainty ruffles.

Though this option can seem appealing, it is important to remember it is not going to look wonderful on everyone. Some design strategies can come across as awkward or clunky on specific body types. When you are picking your dress, it is best to have yourself fitted by a professional so you can get a better feel for how the dress can be altered. Buying a dress online can also be a good option as long as you understand you might need to put a lot of money down to have it altered.

Touch of Blue

Finally, current designs are pushing away from the concept of a “white wedding.” Though innumerable brides still opt to wear white, many are considering other choices for their looks. Lately, a big trend is to use a slight splash of blue in the dresses. In most situations, the blue is very faint and simply adds a bit of life and dimension to the dress. This might be an ideal way to bring some color to the event.

Picking the right wedding dress for your special day can be a lot of work. Get ready to “say yes to the dress” by thinking over all of the latest style and design trends and landing on an option that appeals most to you.