LIFE OF A LONDON STYLIST: BRIDAL PERSONAL STYLING SESSION

Stefania is ready to go to the second appointment with a bride to be for the research of her wedding dress, through her exclusive bridal personal styling service, and wishes her public a splendid Good Morning!

BRIDAL STYLING: MY BRIDAL STYLE

I've previously written about how to choose the best shade of white and the best wedding dress style to enhance our features and personality, but recently someone suggested me to write about my own bridal style; I got married just last year, actually.

Well, usually I don't like to talk about myself in my articles, I'm not that kind of blogger who publishes pictures of herself and posts about her lifestyle, but I have to admit that probably the best way to explain the meaning of "personal bridal styling" and its effectiveness is by doing practical examples and that probably the best example I can report is...me!

I am a typical "spring", which in the personal styling world means I have light and warm features. I have actually fair skin,blonde hair with golden shades and blue eyes with some yellow/green hues inside, that make them warm as well (differently from the icy blue eyes, typical of the "cool-summer" featured people).

This on the left is a quite recent photo. Last year, when I got married, I had very long hair, but this does not affect the colours' matter at all.

The first time I went to a boutique to try some wedding dresses I had a clear idea in mind : I wanted a mermaid/trumpet style dress, in ivory or blush colour; my ideal wedding dress style and designer was Pronovias.  

Here below some examples of mermaid wedding dress style from 2016 Pronovias collection..beautiful, aren't they?

I went to the first boutique asking exclusively for this kind of dresses and I tried on some stunning samples indeed; I had to admit I was quite happy.. but not totally convinced. 

First of all because of the colour. Those styles were in fact all in pure white. 

Now, if you didn't read my previous article "50 shades of...white?!" you probably don't know that the pure white belongs to the cool colour category and that it is not really recommended to warm featured women like me.

I was aware of that, but in the meantime, I wanted to try them on because, you know, the pure white is the most classic colour for a wedding dress!

Well, I tried, but I wasn't convinced at all; my face wasn't illuminated, despite the sparkling decorative elements, and every flaw of my face like the eye circles and skin imperfections seemed to be highlighted. That's actually what happens when we put the "wrong" colour close to our face.. yet, apart from the colour I was still convinced about the mermaid shape. So I went to another boutique with exactly the same requests: mermaid cut and ivory/blush shade. They brought me several samples to try on, amazing these too, yet something wasn't really convincing me.. This time the problem wasn't the colour but I understood that it was probably the dress shape itself.

You must know that I am a "triangle" or so-called pear-shaped woman; it means I have narrower shoulder and wider hips. The typical triangle has small and quite slope shoulders while mine are angular and quite wide, yet my hips are wider and curvy! 

Here a typical "triangle" or "pear" body shape

I was attracted by those mermaid shapes because they were the trend of the moment and, being me a fashion lover and professional, I was looking for the most trendy wedding dress, forgetting two very important details: my body shape and my personality.

Despite those dresses weren't that bad on me, actually, they simply weren't enhancing nor evening my body. Certain kinds of dress cuts call the eye attention on all the body areas or, depending on the style, they can even highlight the hips area; so if you don't have perfect proportions between your top and your bottom and, above all, if you don't feel comfortable with the idea of getting the attention on your side B (like some celebrities) those dresses are not for you. So, well, they weren't totally wrong for me but they simply were not my best! And I bet every bride wish to be at her best on her big day...am I wrong? 

In the end I started to think more thoroughly to my body shape and finally I realized that probably my original idea wasn't the best for me and that I had to try something different; and then I spotted a dress in the boutique: it had a strapless sparkling corset and a smooth satin skirt, a dress with the so called "A-line" shape; the colour was a light pinkish ivory, warm , soft and delicate...I loved it at first sight!

I was only afraid that the skirt, a bit voluminous, would have made me shorter (I'm not that tall actually) but then I tried it on and, instead, everything seemed to work well: the colour, the shape, the style!

A picture of my wedding dress (picture by Alessandro Mayer)

I was feeling confident and comfortable in it (and trust me, that day you need to feel as much comfortable as possible in your dress!). I was feeling myself! That's what, most of all, made me go for it.

The shape was also perfect because it was drawing the attention on my bust and shoulders, rather than on my curvy bottom part, balancing this way my body figure; the skirt wasn't too wide, so it didn't make me shorter, and the soft fabric gently slips on my curves.

As for the style..well it was very feminine and romantic and of all the "styles" romantic is the one that represents me most!

Discover Your Bridal Style Now

That wedding dress seemed to have all the elements to make me feel a "perfect bride", enhancing my body, my complexion and my personality; so I bought it, without hesitations.

After that all the other details and choices came along quite naturally: the hairstyle, the accessories, the flowers for the bouquet.. the dress is, in fact, the most difficult and important choice for a bride-to-be; in my opinion is the dress, actually, that determines all the other features of a bride's style!

Well, I bet now you are curious to see the final result of my bridal style, and here I am

- pictures are by Alessandro Mayer www.photomayer.it -

So...what do you think? did I make the right choice?

I hope this article will help you for your wedding dress choice. But if you'll need some professional advice I'll be honoured to be your personal stylist for the big day! Basically I will help you to find your best dress in terms of colour, shape and style, as well as I've done for myself.

Find out more here

BRIDAL STYLING: WHAT IS YOUR (BRIDAL) STYLE?

As I always say, your clothes must suit not only your body and features but also your personality! As for the wedding dress it is probably the most important dress in every woman's life; so, when the time will come for you to choose your own, don't just look for the shape and the colour you'd like to get, but also ask yourself : "does it suit my personality"? If you think it does...that's it!! You've found your wedding dress!

How to recognize your bridal style and, consequently, your wedding dress' style? The only way to discover it is to wear that dress and see your reaction once it'll be up: if you'll feel confident, at ease, at the most of your energy and "girl power", if looking at the mirror you'll feel beautiful and magnetic or even emotional, I think you'll have just found your wedding dress or, at least, one of the best candidates!

Now I am going to talk about the different styles, so that you can already have an idea of which one represents you most, doing  practical examples through some beloved celebrities.

The first one of our style is : CREATIVE. 

You probably are a creative if you love to combine different items of clothing and accessories to get a unique and interesting look, if you rarely throw anything out, if your wardrobe is full of items from many different sources (even vintage mixed with High Street) collected over the years, if shopping for you is an art form and, again, if you like to make interesting purchases while on holiday and study fashion magazines to get new ideas.

Beyonce, as creative as she is, was wearing a creative dress at her wedding.

The second style is : DRAMATIC.

If you love to be noticed and often wear clothes with a "wow" factor you are probably a dramatic; you love parties and wear the last fashion items (even if they don’t particularly suit you) and shopping is one of your favorite pastimes. Probably your wardrobe consists of many different styles of clothes and one-off pieces that you have bought on impulse and you are not concerned with whether your clothes are practical or washable – they must simply make a statement.

Gwen Stefani surely chose a dramatic style for her wedding dress, designed by John Galliano for Christian Dior.

The third of our style category is : ROMANTIC.

If you, just like me, love details like bows, lace, ruffles, flounces, fringes and sparkling elements, if you like floral features (whether they are in patterned fabrics or as accessories and decorative details), pretty and feminine details and if you like to spend time for your self care (and money for skin and body care products) and you never go out without your perfume, you are undoubtedly a romantic.

Molly Sims was absolutely a romantic bride, in her Marchesa wedding dress.

Let's go on with the 4th style category : CLASSIC

You are a "classic" if you have a fairly formal wardrobe and you don't like to mix textures or wear daring colour combinations, if you like to appear well turned out and elegant and your tops are usually tucked in, or again if you don't love changes about your look (so you basically keep the same hairstyles and makeup) and if you are not a shopping nor a fashion victim at all! 

Princess Charlene is a perfect example of a classic bridal style, with her stunning wedding dress by Armani.

Then there are the NATURALs. 

You are a natural if the most important factor for you is to feel comfortable in your clothes and so you usually avoid anything that constricts, digs in or pinches. Also you are favor of a casual wear and in love with simple lines, while cluttered dresses are not done for you.

Megan Fox has been a natural bride, with her flowing chiffon silk dress by Armani prive’.

What do you think is your bridal style?

If you need help finding the best wedding dress for you, let’s have a chat! A special experience is waiting for you..

BRIDAL STYLING: 50 SHADES OF...WHITE!?

Nothing to do with the famous "GREY" , don't worry! But if you think that there is just one shade of white I am afraid you are wrong.  

If you are going to get married and you are looking for your Wedding dress then take into consideration this article, maybe you'll discover what your best shade of white and it'll help to identify the perfect dress and complements for your Big Day!

Like any other colour, actually, even white has several and different shades : there are indeed cool whites and warm whites, there is the pure white, the greyish white, the pearl white, the off-white, the champagne, the ivory (that can be yellowish or pinkish) and I could go on with the list.

Nowadays there is such a huge proposal of Wedding dress styles and colours that you can get lost! Maybe you have a clear idea of what you want : if you are a classic and a traditional bride you would probably go for a pure white dress, while if you are a fashion victim maybe you would go for the last trend colours (2016 for example is the year of blush for the wedding dresses!); but it's not just a matter of personal taste : the right white, like any other right hue, can make your eyes shine bright, can illuminate your face and make your skin looks like porcelain; while the wrong shade of white could make you paler, highlight the dark circles or simply it wouldn't enhance your characteristics enough. Honestly, it is not just the shade but the mix of colour and fabric (shiny, matt, plain, embroidered, embellished, and so on...) that can really make the difference! But let's go on talking about the colour now, that is our real subject.

Still confused about what I am saying? Maybe some pictures will help! 

Here below as first the more classic of all, the pure white! This is a splendid example, shown in a sateen gown by Elie Saab http://www.pronovias.com/wedding-dresses/2015-elie-by-elie-saab

style CALAMIAN_ Elie by Elie Saab, 2015 collection

I am quite sure you will notice how the same shade of white (pure in this case) has a different effect when applied on another fabric kind, like this chiffon gown by Maggie Sottero for example  https://www.maggiesottero.com

Style DELANIE_Sottero and Midgley collection

It seems even more icy, isn't it? See also how the gown is embellished with silver jewelry applications; it is undoubtedly a wise choice! Usually silver is the metal that work better with the pure/optical white! This can be a useful info for you to complement your dress with accessories (earrings, necklace, tiara, hair pins, and so on..). 

The pure (or optical) white is identified as "cool" colour and it is generally better for people with cool features themselves (black hair or ash blond hair for example) and/or deep contrasts (black hair+black eyes and pale skin)_and I can tell you that the model of this picture is not the best to wear this colour actually. The pure white is usually the best choice for Asian women as well (Chinese and Japanese for example). But be aware that pure white can make your teeth seem yellow! 

Now I want to show your the warm classical white : the ivory. Here below a fine example of an ivory wedding dress from Pronovias http://www.pronovias.com . It is a yellowish one actually. Can you see the yellow shades of the fabric? It is clearly visible on the bottom part of the skirt. 

style TAIR B_Pronovias collection

This warm shades are generally better for women with warm features in their natural colours (like golden or chocolate brown or honey blond hair). Anyway this gown the white lace on top makes this ivory gown a lighter,delicate and less yellowish ivory shade, generally a good compromise for "neutrals" as well (women who have both cool and warm elements in their natural colours); for sure it is not suitable for women with real black hair and pale-pinkish skin tone. 

As I said on the beginning, anyway, there is more than one ivory as well! Here below another example of ivory gown, again from Maggie Sottero collection.  https://www.maggiesottero.com

style RIVIERA_Maggie Sottero collection

This time they added golden elements as you can see, accordingly to the fabric's colour nature; this really makes this gown warm and intense, good for women who have themselves very warm charatteristics (beige to brown/bronze shin, red hair, hazelnut eyes, for example). Honestly, the model they choose for this photo shooting is not the best to wear this dress (obviously I am referring just to her colours, not to her body!).

It is not the rule, anyway, to complement the pure white with silver and the ivory with gold, sometimes silver can work on warm shades as well as gold can work on cool shades, creating nice contrasts, good above all for "neutrals" women;  here an example of silver+pinkish ivory in a gown by Allure Bridals http://www.allurebridals.com/

style 9300_ALLURE BRIDALS collection

And what do you think about this wedding dress from BHLDN? http://www.bhldn.com/

style JOSINA GOWN_BHLDN collection

This pinkish ivory is good again for ladies with warm characteristics, maybe better for the ones with lighter colours (honey blond, light golden brown or red hair) 'cause it is very delicate and it has white pearly applications on the top that make it a bit softer and delicate; it suggests, moreover, the use of pearly accessories and jewelry to complement your total look.

What about this one below,  again from Sottero and Midgley collection?  www.maggiesottero.com . It's still pinkish but more delicate. This seems to me the best pinkish-ivory shade because it is very soft and not totally warm, it can really be a jolly for most of the women and, in my opinion, it can be complemented both by silver and golden elements.

style SORRENTO_Sottero and Midgley collection

Totally different story for this one below from BLHDN collection http://www.bhldn.com/

style LORRAINE DRESS_BHLDN collection

This is another version of a pinkish white again, with grey shades that make it cool and quite muted. It is probably good for ash-blond or light-brown women with light eyes (icy blue or green). I always say "probably" because you can't really determine if a colour is good for you or not unless you put it close to your face and see the effect it has on you and your complexion. Moreover women generally alter their hair colour and sometimes it alter their category as well (whether it is warm, cool or neutral).

The last one is a greyish-white gown, an absolute icy shade of white, complemented by greenish and probably dark silver elements, good for women with cool features and very delicate characteristics, like ash blond hair, icy blue eyes, pale pinkish shin (and this time the model used for the photo shooting seems to be perfect!)

Here ends my article, but there would be more and more to show you! My advice, if you really want to get a perfect look on your Wedding day and find the best shade of white for your dress, is to ask for the help of an expert colour analysist/image consultant... it really worth to try! At least is your Big Day we are talking about and every detail is important and can really make the difference!

Below you can see all the dresses mentioned above, so that you can have and immediate comparison of all these different shades of white!

BRIDAL STYLING : 6 NEW TRENDS FOR WEDDING DRESSES

Here are the bridal dresses TOP trends for the 2016! what is the one the suits you most?

1. Fairy tale : bright, sparkling and romantic, this kind of dress recalls to the Disney's princesses. It will illuminate your decollete and your look and doubtless it will enchant your guests and, mostly important, the Groom! In terms of dress-cut it is better for whom has wide shoulders and want to emphasize her top part.

2. Cropped top : following the last high-street fashion trends, this is maybe the most fashionable of all and probably limited to the youngest brides. You must have a very flat belly and small breast to wear it properly. Absolutely not for everyone, but if you are a very fashion victim and a very thin figure this could be the best choice for you!

3. High-low :  this is the half-way between a short and a long dress, perfect if you want to show off your legs but have the long train also. This kind of dress will enhance all your body, because it will draw the eye attention both on your top and on your bottom part. If you really want to make a great entrance this is the right choice for you! Personally I think this is one of the best bridal dress cut ever (maybe my favorite) but it requires a very self-confident personality.

4. 3D Flowers : the flowers become real! We are no more talking about prints or lace, but real 3d application that will make you seem a nymphs! this is very romantic and, to me, it recalls to the famous "privamera" print of Botticelli. You will feel a Venus in that dress and that sounds great 'cause Venus was the Goddess of Beauty! There is nothing to say about the dress cut cause here the applications have the key-role and they can be applied on several kind of dress shapes. So you must really feel romantic and a bit bohemian to choose this style.

5. Blush Shades :  If you are not really convinced of the pure white, nor the ivory color, this is your year! Pink blush shades will dominate the 2016 palette, not only for the wedding embellishments but also for the dress! Here the color has the key role, not the dress cut, but you must be quite romantic and classic and , mostly important, you must love pink! warm colored hair (like red,reddish brown or medium blonde) match better with this kind of color.

6. Long Sleeves :  absolutely regal! it immediately recalls to Kate Middleton's wedding dress, indeed. Good if you look for a simple dress cut but, nonetheless, you want to feel the "queen" on your Big Day. It will give you importance, despite the simple shape, because none of your body part will be unadorned. I suggest it for women who wants to give importance to their arms (for example if they are very thin and you want to add volume).

So, before going on trying and choosing your Wedding dress,  think who you really are and what part of your body and your personality you want to enhance and highlight, then make your choice! Do not forget that dresses styles are closely related to hairstyles, make-up and shoes kinds! Shortly I will talk about these subjects as well.. so don't miss it!!

Stefania