Posts from the ‘Dresses’ Category

May 24

Clinton Lotter 2012/2013

It’s Friday folks, and that means time for some pretty dresses! I am always saying that South Africans are secretly taking over the world, and it always makes me smile when I come across homegrown talent over here. That was the case when I found myself fawning over some beautiful gowns on my last visit to Blackburn Bridal in London, and was told that they were by South African (now London-based) designer, Clinton Lotter. So I thought that this was the perfect collection to bring to you today. It’s available exclusively at Blackburn, so UK based brides should head over there to try some of these delicious creations on. Read more

May 17

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Great Gatsby Bridesmaid Dresses

Image: Jonathan Wherrett via Vintage Now

Hello lovelies, are you all ready for your weekend? I have a rare personal post coming up today, but first, it’s time to look at another awesome bridesmaid dress trend and this is one I’ve been looking forward to highlighting for a while. I don’t know about you, but I LOVE The Great Gatsby. Ever since I read it, I’ve been a little bit obsessed with the roaring ’20s. I’m also a little bit obsessed with Baz Luhrmann – Strictly Ballroom is my ALL TIME favourite film, with Romeo + Juliet coming a close second (although, let’s not talk about Moulin Rouge or Australia, kay?). So as you can imagine, I am dying to see the film. And the timing is perfect, because fashion and wedding world have been jonesing for this for ages – 1920s keeps being a trend, and it keeps getting better, especially with all the gorgeous embellished dresses around at the moment. Seriously, could someone doing this please make me their bridesmaid? Because I so want an excuse to wear one of these beauties. Full disclosure: it’s not the most budget-friendly look (although I have identified some pocket-friendly options here), but it is mismatched (or even matched), glam, perfection. You don’t need to be having a vintage or Gatsby-themed wedding to pull it off either, but it will add a gorgeous touch of dapper flapper to your wedding style. Read more

May 9

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Glitter Bridesmaid Dresses

Image: Chelsey Boatwright Photography/Badgley Mischka via Grey Likes Wedding

Do I ever have some stories to tell about this last week y’all (can I get away with y’all? I want to). I had some plans to write a fun little post about our blogiversary, but life decided to teach me about best laid plans. So I scrapped that, and I have something else to share, soon, from the heart. For now though, it’s time for GLITTER. Because, to paraphrase Audrey Hepburn, glitter is ALWAYS a good idea. Or at least, a little glitter. And one of my absolute favourite places to see some sparkle in a wedding is on the bridesmaids. They feel fabulous (ask me – I wore a sequin gold dress to my 21st – so ahead of my time! – and felt like a Bond girl all night long). They look awesome in pictures. And you get that touch of glitter and glam without having to use it on your tables if you feel like it may be a bit too much. Plus, with sequins and metallics on trend in general, there’s no shortage of options in the shops. So today we’re rounding up SBB’s favourite shimmery bridesmaids, and as always, adding shopping options for those of you currently on a BM dress hunt. Go forth and shop. Or perhaps that should be, go forth and shine. Actually, DO BOTH. Read more

Apr 29

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Supplier Spotlight: Girl Meets Dress

Left to right: Haute Hippie sequin mini dress; Dina Bar El Polly dress; Maids to Measure lacey dress; Opening Ceremony lace back dress

So, as wedding people, there’s one thing we’re always in search of. The golden goose, the chupacabra (as that chick from the Millionaire Matchmaker might say). The bridesmaid dress so fabulous that not only will it make your wedding photos look awesome, and make your girls feel like a million dollars, but that they’ll WEAR AGAIN. Well, I’m just going to say this. It never happens. Now don’t get me wrong, because the times I have been bridesmaid, I’m happy to say that the brides did everything they could to choose something that was recyclable and that I would be happy in. At the most recent, we had the whole mismatched dress thing going on, and I loved mine, and I actually did plan on wearing it again. Then, the next year, I had weddings to go to as a guest, and when I tried on the dress I just felt too… bridesmaidey. It’s hard to explain, and maybe it has something to do with the pictures from every event we go to being all over Facebook nowadays, or maybe it’s just a time thing and this summer I’ll give the dress a second outing, but the fact is that no matter how well chosen, often they languish 27 Dresses style in the back of a cupboard and that’s just how it is. Read more

Apr 12

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Veluz Reyes Ready to Wear

Afternoon brideys, time for some awesome inspiration for you all! It’s been a while since I did a wedding dress collection post, and there are so many beautiful gowns floating around out there at the moment. But if there’s one look that has absolutely entranced wedding world and racked up Pinterest pins and clicks in their thousands, it’s portrait or lace back wedding dresses. We did a whole post about it a while back, and one of the designers who I mentioned then has continued to rock my world. This is one thing I adore about the internet, because in a different age, I may never have heard of Veluz Reyes, who along with Claire Pettibone is pretty much the master of this wedding dress style for me. Veluz is already famous in her home country, the Philippines, but now she’s inspiring brides and wedding bloggers internationally. Up until recently, all of her dresses were bespoke creations for her lucky, lucky Veluz brides, but this year she launched her own Ready to Wear collection, and I just had to share it with you today! I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t more than a little obsessed with the combination of frothy skirts, elegant lines, illusion detailing and, for some of the collection, the loveliest hint of peach/blush. I have a feeling that Veluz Reyes is one name that is just going to get bigger and bigger.

Sophia:

Mar 1

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Elbeth Gillis 2013 Collection

Good morning friends! It’s time to share some dress inspiration, and today it’s from one of South Africa’s top wedding dress designers, Elbeth Gillis. I’m a huge fan of Elbeth’s work – not just because I’ve seen it sitting pretty on so many SBB brides, but because I was lucky enough to work with some of her dresses on a shoot last year. Our model that day remarked that they were so comfortable, especially considering how detailed and beautiful they were, which is kind of the holy grail of what you want to wear on your wedding day, right? So when Elbeth sent over her new collection, I couldn’t wait to share it with you all. I love love love all the illusion lace that’s going on – so pretty! I also loved that the pictures for the collection were taken at a mansion that’s undergoing renovation – something a bit Great Expectations about the combination of rubble and lace. Elbeth works personally with each of her brides, and her team handcrafts each piece to make sure it fits to perfection! Read more

Nov 15

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Molteno Creations Bridal Shoot

Good afternoon, lovelies, I have some eye candy for you. Because we all love to look at gorgeous dresses, don’t we? Especially when they come from a local designer – in this case, Molteno Creations. I am hearting the hell out of the way that these pretty, unique but extremely wearable dresses have been styled with a slight vintage edge – I’m LOVING the red lip and feather headpiece (from Carrie B.) especially. Fab Cape photographer Abigail K. was behind the lens, capturing all the bridal fashion loveliness to share with you. Read more

Nov 9

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Rosa Clara 2013

Time for some more dress inspiration, my lovelies! When Natasha of Olivelli Cape Town told me the new Rosa Clara collection was in-store, I popped right over (virtually, obvs) to check out what this beautiful Spanish label had for us and oh my word, I am in LOVE. It’s like a cross between all the dress fashions I am obsessing about at the moment. A lot of Holly Golightly-esque 1950s/early 1960s styling, plenty of sheer and lace, a touch of ballet and feathery skirts, sweet pastels and some slinky chic numbers. With over 75 dresses in the collection, there really is something for every kind of bride, but I thought I would round up my Top 10. Okay, slightly more than 10. But whatever, they’re BEAUTIFUL. Read more

Oct 31

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Kelsey Genna Wedding Dress Collection

I’m so excited to bring you this post today and introduce you to the work of New Zealand-based dress designer, Kelsey Genna, because believe me when I say this is really a name to watch. When Kelsey sent me her very first bridal campaign, I was immediately struck by how unique, gorgeous and wearable her dresses are. I know many brides who aren’t into the whole traditional dress thing, and want something more boho without sacrificing that wow factor – in fact, I’ve featured many such brides right here, and I can really see Kelsey’s designs on South African brides. They’d be amazing at a farm wedding, for example, and I love that they combine a slightly vintage edge with an elegance inspired by flowers. Not to mention that I’m dying over these campaign images and how beautifully the dresses have been styled – I do love me a good floral crown! If you’re thinking “I love these, but New Zealand is, like, far”, then worry not, because Kelsey often works with brides in other countries and will happily ensure the dress is made to measure and supremely flattering. I can’t wait to see real life brides in these beauties, and to follow what Kelsey does next. Read more

Sep 26

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Feather Wedding Dresses

It always amazes me that when most women start thinking about and planning (and talking about) their wedding, the first thing they think about (and the one detail that matters above all others) is the dress. Two years ago, when I started the blog, I would have told you that dresses were what I was least interested in. I mean, they all looked the same anyway, right? (Okay, to be fair, a few years ago at the height of the strapless A-line tsunami, they kind of did all look the same.) Well, I have to admit that that has changed (thanks in no small part to a minor obsession with Vera Wang). I still think the other details of the wedding – colour schemes, stationery, details – are more interesting, but now I also drool a bit when a beautiful gown catches my eye. And of all the trends in wedding dresses of the last season, none has caught my eye quite like the use of feathers (usually ostrich). Like ruffles, only better. It must be heaven to float down the aisle in one of these beauties, whether it’s feather embellishments, a feather bodice (so Swan Lake) or a full feather skirt that seems to froth around the wearer like a wave. Many designers have incorporated feather textures in their 2012/2013 collections, so I thought it was about time I brought you an inspirational roundup! Read more