For the first print semester of year two, we had a go at feature writing. Originally I was going to write about vintage fashion, however after researching, my idea changed to vintage wedding dresses. Here is the finished piece (hope you enjoy):
Once upon a time, in a land far away, prince charming came riding his horse as fast as the wind to rescue the beautiful princess from the wicked witch. To cut a long story short, they fell in love and were married in the biggest castle you had ever seen and lived happily ever after. The fairytale wedding is on the wish lists of many brides-to-be, many of them turning to vintage to re-create the dream of looking like a princess on their wedding day. Anna Verdon finds out why.
The wedding day is the most significant day of a woman’s life. Since they were little girls they have dreamed about their wedding whilst playing with their dolls. The fairytale, Cinderella story is on the wish lists of them all. Months and even years of planning go into the ceremonious event, thousands of pounds are spent and photographs are taken that will forever be hung on the mantle piece. The bride has to look and feel the best she has ever felt in her whole entire life.
Each individual has their own idea of their perfect day, however; classic and traditional weddings are overtaking the wacky and bizarre such as skydiving and under water weddings.
Having a fairytale wedding is the dream of every girl, no matter how old. From the grand, castle venue, to the huge tiered cake (towering several feet high) covered in pink roses and dusted with sparkly icing. Not forgetting the horse-drawn Cinderella carriage transporting you to your fairytale castle for you to be wed in true princess style.
However, the most important aspect of any wedding, to the bride, is her dress. This will be the talking point of all her guests. She wants gasps as she walks down the aisle as her friends and family stare at her in disbelief at how beautiful she looks, bringing tears to her mother’s eyes as her mile-long train is carried behind her by her pretty little bridesmaids and cute pageboys. This is her special day, it is only meant to happen once in a lifetime, so there is only one chance to look and feel like a princess. She will spend months trying to slim down, making sure she will look perfect. The dress is the make-or-break; everything else just seems like minor details in the planning of her big day as long as she has the perfect dress.
Vintage weddings are trying to breakaway from the trend of having a stranger wedding, and re-capture the more classic and traditional aspects of marriage. In a sense it is going back to the original roots and re-creating the little girl’s fairytale dream.
With the recent news of Prince Williams and Kate Middleton’s engagement, there is talk all over the country about what their wedding will entail. The date for the royal wedding is set for April 29th of next year at Westminster Abbey and the cost side of it will be well into it’s millions. The venue has close links with the British monarchy (Queen Elizabeth II was married there in 1947 as was princess Anne and Prince Andrew) and for William especially (being the site for Diana’s funeral in 1997) and is keen to keep this tradition running.
Royal weddings are often classed as the ultimate fairytale wedding and the dress that is worn is the talk of the whole country for days and even years after. Princess Diana’s dress was one of sheer luxury with its puffy sleeves, frills and lace, with the long train trailing behind her, and the huge veil. She was a vision of beauty and a mirage of little girls’ dreams from all around the world.
Zoe Mckeown, who runs Cherish Wedding Planning, agrees that there is a rise in the more classic styles of weddings. She has had to plan many “English tea party themes as clients want something simple yet still stylish.” However she has had her fair share in planning the more unusual, such as weddings for Television shows which have a budget of £3000, and not with the bride and groom, but with their friends.
Wearing vintage attire has shot up on the wish lists of the fashionable soon-to-be-married and these styles are catching on fast, with vintage wedding shops popping up all over Britain to accommodate for the demand. Zoe has also noticed the rise in people wanting vintage for their special day and has put it down to the fact that “people know its fashionable as it’s in all the magazines.” She has also observed more wedding dresses being worn which are “slimmer fitting and add splashes of colour”, which is a factor in a vast majority of these vintage garments.
Vintage fashion has been taking centre stage in women’s wardrobes for the last couple of years as people try to create their own individual looks, steering clear of cookie-cutter clones hanging on rails in every high-street store (however the rise has also gained momentum due to a number of red carpet appearances on the backs of celebrities). Uniqueness is often a rare quality found in today’s clothes and people don’t want to be a walking advertisement for a designer, they want to put their own stamp and personality on what they wear.
Almost every designer in the world looks at what has been made in the past for inspiration in designing new collections. For example, in her book "Fashion and Perversity", Vivienne Westwood says: “I came to realise early on that I would discover something new by exploring the stunning achievements of the people before me.”
However, it isn’t uncommon for a certain look to eventually filter off the catwalks and into the mass-market. High-street copies what is on the runway, so when a designer creates garments inspired by a particular era, this is seen in every shop window sooner or later.
But this is where the fun starts. When you shop for vintage it’s like being your own designer or stylist. You can pick and choose items from a whole range of different eras, mixing contemporary with old, giving yourself a whole new and individual look. There is no risk of bumping into someone wearing the same outfit as you, which can be said for budding brides to be. They want their day to be special and they want to look and feel it too.
Brides want to have a unique and classic look and so opt for a vintage dress. But you would think that everyone would usually want to wear something brand new, something that has never been worn on another person’s body and something that is custom to them. You would think that they wouldn’t want to wear somebody’s old cast off, similarly to not wanting to wear something that is “off-the-rack”.
Rachel Davies, an up and coming fashion designer, notices that celebrity is an important factor into the vintage trend’s increasing popularity. She says: “The culture of today looks to celebrities for influence in style and fashion (in particular Julia Roberts, Dita Von Teese, and Renee Zellwegger have turned to vintage gowns by designers such as Valentino and Vivienne Westwood.) To use vintage gowns for weddings could be seen as sophisticated, elegant and more in connection with designers and high-end fashion rather than a mass produced piece.”
Many wedding dress designers are drawing inspiration from past eras in order to create vintage-style wedding dresses, which are brand new. Although these dresses are indeed beautiful, this also defeats the purpose of wearing a dress that is vintage. Vintage is one-of-a-kind, no one else has it and that’s why it is individual. Dresses which are inspired by vintage are often made en mass and there are wide selections within the wedding shops, this means that someone else could easily have the same dress as you for their wedding, they aren’t unique and although beautiful, they are not as personal as having a one-of-a-kind dress.
Fashion expert Rachel went on to say: “In design we turn to history for inspiration; history and culture often repeats itself. Imitating past designs using new skills and development, along with modern technology, can be used to recreate something new, innovative and sellable to the market.”
A bride-to-be has to instantly fall in love with her dress and feel that it is a reflection of her and her personality. It has to be “the one”.
So why do so many brides turn to vintage these days?
In today’s economic climate, times are tough and so people often look at ways to reduce costs. As we all know, weddings can amount up to a small fortune, and so wearing a vintage dress can lower the costs slightly as they are not brand new, but only having been worn once are still very good quality not to mention that the detailing on them is exquisite.
History, sentimentality and tradition also play an important role in any wedding. There is an immense romanticism in wearing a dress that a woman two or three generations ago wore on a similar happy occasion.
People also choose vintage due to its environmental sustainability, it is nice to know that something that has been made so beautifully and of such good quality will be worn once again.
The craftsmanship that is seen on the dresses made a couple of decades ago is second to none. For the same quality today it would be extremely costly, however being second-hand, the price would be substantially less.
Delicate beadwork and high-quality fabrics such as satin, silk and organza combined with chantilly lace and silk ribbon embroidery are also important aspects of the vintage gowns, which are in a league of their own compared to a lot of the modern styles in wedding shops today. However sizes of these garments should never been taken into consideration. Due to diet, lifestyle and exercise current brides tend to be larger than their ancestors, especially in the ribs and shoulders. Therefore dresses will always have to be tailored to each woman’s shape (although this is a rule for wedding dresses as a whole to achieve the perfect fit).
These wedding boutiques that specialize in vintage frocks come with an array of hand-picked vintage jewellery to match. From veils to shoes, headbands to bags these stores know their stuff. (However, as a general rule you shouldn’t wear a vintage dress with a headpiece from the same era as this can look a bit “costume”, it is better to mix and match unless you have decided upon a themed wedding.)
The demand for vintage wedding attire is forever increasing, as brides want to have a unique and classic look, individual to them. Marriage has become fashionable again, however fashion is forever changing. The royal wedding next year is sure to be a great influence on people getting married especially going down the more classic route. And what Kate chooses to wear will surely influence women all over the country with ideas for their own dresses.
If you decide that vintage is for you, try and also stay away from ‘main stream’ shops. The best finds are often from the little boutiques, tucked away in side streets. Searching for accessories as well as dresses is very rewarding. When you find exactly what you’re looking for, it makes it all the more special as you know that you have spent time over your unique and individual find. It is not as easy as it sounds, but the treasure hunt pays off in the end, when you’re walking down the aisle in your dream dress on your fairytale wedding day.
Fur Coat No Knickers opened their doors on Carnaby Street in London in February 2008 by Laura Thomas and Emma Chase who worked together in the West End as costume supervisors. Together they have a combined 15 years experience on shows such as the Lion King, Bad Girls, Daddy Cool and Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dream coat. They have also worked with Kim Cattrall (who plays Samantha Jones in Sex and the City) when she came to them for help finding a fifties inspired outfit for the Cryptogram at the Donmar Warehouse.
Speaking to Laura Thomas, co-owner of the shop, she is very excited and chatty and you can tell that this industry really is a true passion of hers. Together they can customise and fit vintage wedding dresses to your size and shape with your choice of style and fabric. Their made-to-measure dresses take about six months to complete and start from £2000 with a number of fittings throughout so you are very involved in the process. “We offer a made to measure service where a bride can have her dream dress made for her with a vintage style that we advise would suit there size and shape, which we also help design for them. From our theatre days we have a team of makers that help us create this service.
“We help find accessories for our brides and we also make bespoke veils, so that they are one offs too. We also stock Rachel Simpson’s shoes which are vintage inspired, they are new and they go perfectly with our vintage dresses.”
The unusual and quirky name of the store doesn’t leave one’s mind easily and was decided upon after hearing it backstage at the theatre. The shop was created, as they wanted to try something new and saw that there was a gap in the market for them, Laura explains; “We fancied a change and we thought we could offer something different with our theatre costume skills looking after our brides from top to toe. We love vintage as the fabrics are beautiful and the style and shapes are stunning, we love the fact that they have a history and that we can fit, alter and customise them to the modern lady to make them wearable again.”
Looking for stock can be tricky business as being vintage, you can’t simply go to a warehouse and order what you want. “It’s a constant search for our dresses and accessories,” says Laura, “we hand pick everything ourselves from all around the world, vintage fairs and auctions, it’s hard to find especially when you’re as picky as we are.”
Of course, the dress is just a part of the big day and many couples choose to have a whole vintage theme for their wedding, and even a vintage style cake.
Eric Lanlard is a master pâtissier and since arriving in the UK 21 years ago he has had huge success. Lanlard thinks having a budget is one of the most important first steps in planning a wedding. “Couples should work out a budget right at the beginning and stick to it. We often see couples over stretching and trying too hard to have everything including the kitchen sink! As a result they end up with a mediocre wedding.” The 41-year-old Frenchman has made cakes for the weddings of celebrities such as Madonna and Guy Richie, Claudia Schiffer, Elizabeth Hurley and Amanda Holden. He has his own Channel 4 television series, Glamour Puds, and has also appeared on GMTV and Masterchef. In Lanlard’s long list of achievements he has also managed to publish two books and launched “Cake Boy” in 2007, a beautiful cake lounge and cookery school in South West London. “I think a wedding should reflect the personality of the couple - the venue, the food and especially the guests. Too many people try to please everybody and end up not having their dream day.”
I spoke to Eric to ask him what he thinks about weddings and his wedding cakes.
Anna: What are the most popular styles and types of wedding cakes you have had to make?
Eric: We run a bespoke wedding cake service at Cake Boy so we make cakes to order and to our clients requirements so there isn't really a popular style per se - although in the summer we have quite a lot of brides who opt for the fresh patisserie cake, which can double as a dessert. I think people aren’t choosing novelty cakes as much as they used to - they are fun at the time but do you really want to look book at your wedding photographs and see something that has no relevance ten years on?
A: What has been the wackiest style or most elaborate cake that has been asked for?
E: We once made a cake for a couple that had travelled all around the globe during their courtship. The cake was a globe adorned with suitcases and iconic landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building etc...
A: Have you noticed any trends occuring in the styles of weddings people are planning?
E: I think people's weddings are getting much more grown-up and sophisticated - the planning is everything. The wedding industry is so large now and we have been greatly influenced by the States. People really want to make a statement with their wedding as well as put their own personal stamp on it. Vintage is one of the key trends that has come through over the last few years - it's everywhere right now, fashion, home and interiors even the cupcake revolution is a throwback from times gone by - a nostalgic trip.
A: Is there a rise in more traditional style cakes?
E: In terms of recession you will often find that people will go back to tradition - I'm sure the Royal Wedding next year will greatly influence people's tastes especially if Kate goes down a more classic route.
A: What is the average cost of a wedding cake?
E: A wedding cake is around £750 from Cake Boy.
A: What is the demand like for you to make people’s wedding cakes?
E: There is a high demand for us to make people's wedding cakes. Marriage has become fashionable again. There are a lot of wedding cake makers and suppliers out there and there seems to be enough business for everyone.
A: You have books, cookery schools and a television show, are you planning anything next?
E: I am making a new TV show for Channel 4. It will be a ten part weekly series, which will start in spring next year.
A: Is there anything else you want to say?
E: I think wedding cakes should taste as good as they look!
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