20

Jan

2012

Bridal Style: Going retro – 60s inspired styling that suits your body shape

It’s Friday so that means it’s time for a bit more Bridal Style. This week I hand the blog over to my regular guest blogger Emily Jane professional Image Consultant. You may remember Emily wrote about retro styling for me last November in the Going retro – 70s inspired styling post. Well the post went down well so she is back today to talk about the 60s.
It’s quite clear that retro and vintage clothing isn’t going out of fashion any time soon, so Emily is going to talk us through what works for the straight body type and what works for the curvy body type……..vintage may be cool, but it certainly doesn’t suit everyone!

I’ll leave you in Emily’s capable hands…………

Hello everyone! I’m back with another post to help you get the perfect vintage inspired wedding look that suits your body shape. You may remember from my last post that as a stylist, I’m all about helping brides to look absolutely gorgeous on the big day, and dressing appropriately for your shape is one of the things that can make a massive difference to how you look and feel.

To keep things simple, I’m binning all of those confusing ‘apple’, ‘pear’, ‘vase’ etc. body shapes and taking things back to basics – straight lines and curves. Have a look in the mirror – go on, I know it’s January and the new year fitness regime probably hasn’t kicked in yet, but it’s really important to have a good look at yourself and know what you really look like in order to be able to dress your body. Most people are predominantly curvy, or made up of straight lines. As I said last time, if you have a full bust, defined waist, and curvy bottom you’re probably a curvy type. If you have a small bust, flattish bottom and tummy and hips a similar size to your waist, you’re probably made up of straight lines. Remember, we’re looking at shape, not size here, so even if you’re planning on losing weight before your wedding, your shape will most likely stay the same.

 

So, here are a couple of 1960s inspired looks to suit your body shape, and of course, for the rebels out there, how to break the rules if you fancy the look that isn’t perfect for you!

 

Straight body type – Oh Jackie

Pefect for the retro bride who wants to feel like the queen of chic on her wedding day, this is how to do ‘princess’ without all of the meringue! A Sculptural column dress will echo the straight lines of your body, whilst you can afford to go all out bling with the tiara when you have a dress as beautifully simple as this.

Things to look out for
The gloves – no lady would be seen at an event without her gloves, and in this case they are opera length. Make sure that they aren’t too snug around the tops of your arms as you don’t want any unsightly bulges!

The slash neck – a high necked style bodice is perfect for those with a smaller bust as it brings the attention up to your fabulous straight shoulder line, and looks effortlessly elegant

The shoes – this 60s style column dress will look best with a pointed or almond toe court, beware of platforms or chunky heels as they won’t balance as well with the sleek lines of the dress.

How to do this look if you are curvy
High necklines can give you a ‘mono-boob’ look if you’re not careful! Try a lower, Bardot style neckline, and swap the stiff silk fabric for something with more drape if you’d like to wear this shape.

 

Curvy Body Type – Go Marilyn


If you’re a curvy bride, why not emulate the queen of curves, Marilyn Monroe?! Vamp it up in a wiggle dress, which will emphasise all of your best assets, but keep you covered enough to feel like the demure bride. This look has a serious injection of glamour.

Things to look out for

The fabric – you’re looking for a fabric with a decent amount of stretch in it. This will keep you comfortable during a long day in a fitted dress, and will also make sure that your curves are fitted and flattered perfectly, not confined and squished!

The underwear – for a dress this shape, it’s a good idea to invest in some decent foundation undergarments to make sure that you have a smooth line. Don’t go near the horrible, sausage-skin type modern shapewear though, look out for vintage style girdle slips to keep you feeling beautiful.

The length – with a dress of this shape, it’s ideal to go for a length just below the knee. This is a flattering point for most women as it breaks the skirt at a narrow point of the leg, and any shorter would start to take away from the 60s feel.

How to do this style if you’re straight-lined
Try a more structural, stiff fabric which will look neater on your frame, and look out for details like princess line seaming which will take attention away from your waist.

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

Emily Jayne

 

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Comments

    Sherrita Sitgraves

    I love the vintage wedding dresses, but I’m a 42 dd with a size 12 waist, & nice size butt & hips… Any suggestions would be very helpful…. Thanks !

    Reply

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