Retro-style wedding dresses for the 'Mad Men'-loving bride
It's pretty hard to resist accenting my everyday wardrobe with items that mimic the vibrant-colored, sophisticated styles of the female characters on AMC's "Mad Men" -- but for a bridal gown? For brides setting their sights on tea-length and tulle on their wedding day, here are some resources:
Dolly Thicke's Tarzana-based salon Dolly Couture celebrates the era of the hourglass figure and specializes in ready-to-wear and custom-made '50s- and '60s-style dresses, (we like The Edmonton, $395, pictured above left, and The Beverly Hills, $895) plus they have the red patent-leather peep toes and pretty petticoats necessary to complete the look.
Custom-made vintage dresses and accessories, such as the above center 3/4-inch sleeve gown that retails for $210, are available at the Clever Vintage Clothing. But why stop there? Brides can also outfit their entourages at this in Downtown's Fashion District store.
The same goes for fashionista favorite Tavin in Echo Park, which recently added vintage bridal gowns dating from the Victorian Era to the 1970s -- including the above right whimsy romantic Bouffant 1950s gown for $750.
Check out more shops after the jump.
Etsy.com sells several retro-style gowns, including the above left v-neck tea-length dress ($598, or with added beading done by hand, $640) and other custom-made reproductions from Bridal Bliss Designs in Kansas City, Mo. (which recently partnered with the custom vintage-inspired shop Peppermint Pretty).
Want a little color with your cocktail hour? Retro-loving website, ModCloth.com starts selling its frilly orange-and-ivory floral The I Do Dress ($895) (its first official foray into the wedding market) in July. Sure, it doesn't scream "wedding gown" as much as the others on this list, but there is something festive and memorable about Portland, Ore. designer Amai Unmei's handmade, 100% silk dress.
But why stop at boat neck tea-length gowns? Unique Vintage in Burbank has its share of those too. (The one pictured above right retails for $660.) But brides not content on sticking with the Eisenhower era might enjoy other options, such as this old Hollywood glam-style harlow gown ($118).
-- Whitney Friedlander
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Top photo, left: Dolly Couture's The Edmonton. Credit: Stefanie Keenan
Top photo, center: A custom-made vintage gown from Clever Vintage Clothing. Credit: Ritt Mesee
Top photo, right: A vintage wedding gown from Tavin. Credit: Leigh Hodnet
Bottom photo, center: Mod Cloth's The I Do Dress. Credit: Mod Cloth
Bottom photo, right: Fancy New York's 1950s-style boat neck empire waist tea-length wedding dress. Credit: Unique Vintage
The top right photo looks just like my Aunt's 1959 wedding dress. I always remember see the pictures of her in that dress. I always thought that it was beautiful. I am glad Mad Men has made that style popular again.
Posted by: Patty | June 04, 2010 at 12:53 PM
Retro style is very nice style.....I will also use my wedding retro style
Posted by: Wedding Planning | June 05, 2010 at 03:46 AM
Oh, yeah. That tattoo on the right arm is REALLY retro...retro San Quentin!
Posted by: Rumpole Bailey | June 05, 2010 at 08:10 AM
I wasn't quite sure, but is that dress on the left and the left arm part of the dress, or is it and I hope it's not, a full arm tattoo? If it is a tattoo, oh my God please don't inspire this awful, horrible, dirty look, it is really disgusting. Tattoos are permanent, not just a decoration like jewelry. Sure hope the tattoo trend will end soon.
Posted by: Mary | June 05, 2010 at 11:47 AM
yeah, i really felt like getting "decorated" when i started designing a half sleeve dedicated to my dead mother. I did it because it's just like wearing her jewelry!
I will be proud to show off my arm on my wedding day, because it's the only part of my mother that will be there, and I don't apologizing for offending you with my "dirtiness".
Posted by: Steph | June 06, 2010 at 11:05 AM
Did your dead mother, (not very tackful referring to her as dead!) hang out in dirt lots with a homeless type grocery carts? The whole "ugly cool" thing doesn't wok with weddings, it's about a womens beauty and femininity, not coarseness or a "balance" between beauty and coarseness. Sadly I think your Mom passed too early and you never learned that. My sincere condolencess.
Posted by: alex carmicheal@yahoo.com | June 06, 2010 at 12:10 PM
Love it! Check out this up and coming dress designer...she is all about this style! Check her stuff out at http://modestcouturebyelizabeth.com/
Posted by: Andrea Hanks | June 11, 2010 at 11:35 AM
According to skin color to choose the wedding gowns
1, Fair-skinned, almost all of the wedding dresses can be worn, in addition to the traditional pure white and large red. Pink is popular in recent years and pink prom dresses is a new choice, it can bring a different fashion sense for public.
2, What color of dress is suitable for black skin people. People who have dark skin, we suggest that you'd better choose some dresses with light color. Then you can create a healthy and sexy atmosphere, and also can highlight a kind of eye-catching beauty. However, the premise is that you must have health and own a kind of healthy black color.
3 Dull yellowish color, you are advised not to try these colors such as purple, sapphire blue, cinnamon, lotus root color, copper gold type of dress. Purple and sapphire blue make the skin more sallow which has already dull enough white, and the cinnamon, lotus root, copper gold type of skin color are suitable for the person whose skin is white enough. Otherwise, you will create an illusion being integrated with each other with yellowish skin and oriental dress, and totally unable to appear the focus, it seems to separate the skin and the dress even like outside the boundaries
Additionally, selecting wedding dress not only need to know the color trends, but also the dress you wear need match with color, environment and season, it contains a lot of stress!
At present, wedding dresses fabrics mainly use satin, thick forging, forging bright, lace, lace, organza, mesh yarn and so on. The same kind of fabric divided into two kinds of imported and domestic, in addition, import have two kinds---Europe and Japan and South Korea. Indeed, different raw materials have also decided dress different grades and prices!
If the product is a series of satin, in general, a layer of imported thick satin and a layer of lining can achieve good effect. If you coupled with a good pannier, the dress would be more perfect.
Furthermore, if you want your wedding gown dress to become heirlooms, then you'd better choose the silk. This elegant and luxurious fabric is comfortable to wear. However, there is one thing to remember that it can not get a good result because the silk is always have a little yellow appearance.
Posted by: wedding dresses | June 17, 2010 at 07:32 PM
Come shop at www.vivivintage.com for even more beautiful vintage dresses!
xoxo,
Vivi
Posted by: vivi | June 21, 2010 at 05:53 AM
I especially love the Fancy New York dress (lower right.) It is clean wih a hip yet classic vibe. By the way, you can see more of their gorgeous styles at www.dressmefancy.com
Posted by: Rebecca | June 21, 2010 at 04:20 PM
wow really? some people are really rude! To talk of this girl with tattoos and basically calling her trash? i happened to come across this post looking for a particular gown designer and although i'm sure the people who posted the rude comments probably wont read this since it was from like 2005 but i just had to say what a sorry life you must have to have nothing better but to post a comment about someone on a random article. gross.
And obviously you know nothing about photo shoots and the art behind them based on your ignorant comments...
Posted by: J | October 13, 2010 at 11:17 PM