Bridal Style: Going retro – 70s inspired styling that suits your body shape

Today on the blog I am talking 70s styling,  and how to create a retro look that not only looks cool but suites your body shape.
There are sooooo many styles out there for brides it’s hard to know where to start looking for something that will not only look totally fabulous on your wedding day BUT also make YOU look totally fabulous! It’s that age-old thing that until you actually go and try a wedding dress on do you decide what actually suits you, so many brides never buy the dress they first thought they would.

So today I have handed over the Blog to an expert Emily Jane who is a full-time image consultant.

(Go check out her website full of loads of useful information  www.emily-jayne.com/ I met Emily at the Designer Vintage Bridal Show, she gave a talk after each of the fashion shows on how to create each eras specific look. I was really impressed with what she had to say, so who better to talk to you about body shape and styling.

I have chosen the 70s as it is my favorite era, but I’m hoping that Emily will be able to cover other eras for you in future posts………I’ll hand you over to Emily, please do show her some love!

70s inspired styling that suits your body shape

As a stylist I help brides to choose the absolute best dress to make them look utterly beautiful on their big day. Although every body is different and I could wax lyrical about apples and pears etc., one of the most important things to look at is whether your body shape is made up of straight lines, or curves. Do you have a curvy bust, hips and bottom? A defined waist? Then your body is probably mostly made up of curves. Do you have a small, neat bust, neat hips, a flattish bottom and tummy with straight shoulders? Then it’s likely that your body is made up mostly of straight lines.

As a general rule of thumb, curves look best in draped, skimming shapes, whereas straight lines look fantastic in structure and tailoring. Notice here that I’m talking about shape, not size! I find that brides can get far too hung up on their size, rather than concentrating on what shape they are, and this is what can make all the difference. If you know your shape you can look wonderful on your wedding day at any size.

Here are a couple of 70s inspired looks that will flatter each body shape – along with a few things to look out for, and if you’re a bit of a body shape rebel, how to break the rules.

Straight Body Type – Hubby Was a Rolling Stone

This rock and roll inspired look is perfect for the 70s-inspired bride who wants show her rule-breaking personality on the day. When everybody is expecting ‘the dress’, why not take inspiration from Bianca Jagger and go for ‘Le Smoking’ instead?
Nothing shows off your neat figure like strong, tailored lines so wear your tuxedo with pride and accessories with a wide-brimmed hat and platform, block-heeled shoes.

Things to look out for

The Lapels – the wider the lapel, the more authentically 70s this is going to look. If you want 70s inspired, then YSL still make a white tuxedo with more modern lines (and you’ll also find this filtering down to non-designer brands), but if you want the total look, seek out vintage, or have a tuxedo tailored especially for you.

The Hat – The wide brimmed hat is a dramatic way to finish off this look, but if you are particularly petit or fine featured you may find yourself completely overshadowed – remember, you want everyone to notice you, not just your massive hat! If this is the case try a smaller headpiece instead to balance your look

The shirtless look – Bianca ditched the shirt that YSL supplied with her suit, opting to go for a sexy shirtless look. If this works for you, fantastic, but if you don’t feel that it’s appropriate for your wedding try a silk camisole style top underneath your tuxedo. This will also enable to you to remove your jacket later in the evening if you get too warm whilst dancing.

How to do this look if you are curvy
Look for a more deconstructed jacket shape that will drape over your curves, and you may find that opting for a midi skirt rather than sharply tailored trousers will allow you a more comfortable fit (and will show of those platform shoes all the better!)
Curvy Body Type – Saturday Night Diva

If you’re all about glitz and glamour, then this 70s inspired look harking back to the days of disco is perfect. Look for softly draping ruffles to skim over your curves, and a sash will show off your defined waist.
Pair a relatively simple dress with sparkly shoes and jewellery to give just a little nod to the disco (but don’t overdo it or you may end up looking like the disco ball!)

Things to look out for

The Asymmetric neckline – if you are busty make sure that you get the right staples support to keep you comfortable throughout the day. If you’re not comfortable in staples underwear then look for a dress style that has more of a ‘peasant’ neckline instead – still 70s, and will still work fabulously with this look.

The skirt length – lots of brides are opting for a shorter length dress now, and this is a great way of doing it with a 70s inspired look. Just be careful that your hemline hits you at a flattering length – just above or just below the knee are generally best, be careful with anything that hits you mid-calf.

The ankle strap – if you have legs that are on the shorter side beware the ankle strap! It can cut your leg in half and make it look even shorter if you are not careful. Either ditch the ankle strap all together, or opt for shoes in nude/flesh coloured tones if possible.

How to do this look if you are straight-lined
Up the ruffles, and swap the drapes for stiffer fabrics that will create shape and curves for you (this can be especially flattering over a small bust); also a straighter shape skirt may look sharper on you.

For more information on Emily’s work go to:
Emily Jayne Phillips – Image Consultant
[email protected]
www.emily-jayne.com
01527 579650
Twitter – @emilyjayneimage
Facebook – emilyjayneimage