I’m not really a follower of fashion, although I work in the retail industry so it does pay to know what is in fashion!
Thankfully when it comes to wedding dress shopping, the bridal shops are extremely good at keeping us informed about the changing fashions. Liz Wootton, Director at Aliya Rose, a bridal boutique in Cupar, Fife has kindly written some words on what she sees as the main trends for 2011.
Over to you Liz;
This is the time of year that bridal retailers are starting to think about the direction their collections will take for the coming year. Of course, the designers’ new collections are still top secret at this point, and we won’t know for several more weeks what they have up their sleeves. But here are my predictions for 2011…….
Strapless is still big. But straps are back, and at Aliya Rose we’ve seen a big increase in the numbers of brides asking for straps on their dress. Many designers like to offer clever detachable options, to give girls more choice for the neckline, and since asymmetry has caused a stir this year, I’ll not be surprised to see more asymmetric straps and one shoulder designs in 2011. Ella 5437, for example, has had huge attention so far this year.
Is there a move away from full length? Well, whilst the vast majority of girls we see do prefer to opt for the full length gown with train, I wouldn’t be surprised to see some designers popping in a handful of full skirted ballerina or tea length numbers in their collections. We’ve certainly had requests ourselves for dresses along these lines. And let’s face it, if you want to show off a fabulous pair of shoes, this is the way to do it!
So what of the full skirted fairytale dress? Well, this is far from dead. But I think we’ll see more in the Grace Kelly vein next year – one of the big stories for us is a gorgeous tulle number from Benjamin Roberts (2058A), which combines the fairytale with an air of elegant sophistication. Gorgeous.
Vintage styling is something you can expect to see more of as well. And the 1930s slinky shape isn’t for everyone (most of us prefer the idea of the structured corsetry in our gowns to give our bodies that little helping hand!), so instead I think we’ll see vintage style fabrics incorporated into the more structured shapes, or simple gowns that will combine beautifully with the opulent vintage style asymmetric headdresses.
But a bride who stays trued to what she feels great in NEVER goes out of fashion – you don’t have to be a slave to the latest trend on your wedding day, but you do need to feel fantastic, because that’s what gives you the wow factor!
Thanks Liz!
If you would like to see more of the dresses stocked at Aliya Rose then please visit their website at www.aliyarose.co.uk or contact the store on 01334 655303 to make an appointment.
