Dear ESB,
We are doing a simple outdoor ceremony with 50-ish guests, followed by killer food and vino at a favorite restaurant in NYC for our wedding this fall. We are lucky to have many talented friends who are assisting us with such things as invitations, flowers, photography which is great for our limited budget (and moral opposition to spending a bundle on this) and guarantees that there won't be any chance of ridiculous, predictable wedding crap.
I am also utilizing an acquaintance of mine who is a designer to make my dress. She has sent me some beautiful sketches, but what I am really grappling with is color. I had initially thought that in order to avoid tradition and the horror of looking "bride-y" that I was absolutely NOT going to wear any kind of white dress. I had been considering a smokey blue, or after the recent Vera Wang collection, a hot deep shade of red. Now that it is getting close to the time to pull the trigger, I am having second thoughts. I am only getting married once (fingers crossed!) and maybe this is my white dress moment?!?
I also thought of the idea of utilizing gradient color that moves from white into a color at the bottom (or vice versa)?
Thoughts? Insight? General criticisms?
*****
A tie-dyed or dip-dyed dress could potentially go really really bad. Remember April's ombre?
But if it's done well it can be gorgeous. (See: Ann Demeulemeester above)
If you are ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENT in your designer's dying abilities, I say go for it.
That dress is amazing.
ReplyDeletealso, achieving the ombre in a lighter color is much easier than a dark one. How about a neon citron?...just a thought...
ReplyDeleteWai-Ching's "Catalan" dress is really fucking beautiful!
ReplyDeleteDip-dye in red is a little Carrie, to me.
DeleteAgreed, that dress is kinda scary. Would be much better in a different color.
Deleteyes, the red is creepy
DeleteIt looks like she is hemmorhaging.
DeleteOP Anon: I am pretty sure you can work with the designer to get different colors.
DeleteBut perhaps I am a bloodmad lunatic, because I really like the red :)
Sounds like you have the confidence to pull it off --so go for it. I'd just be really specific about what you want/don't want since ombre can go in so many different directions.
ReplyDeleteBut why do you have to hate so much on traditional weddings/dresses? Clearly they're not you're thing but different strokes for different folks, right?
Maybe I'm just in a bad mood --or am sensitive because I just bought the epitome of a bride-y dress (tulle! the horror!).
Good luck!
Not just you-- this bride sounds pretty judgy and self-righteous to me too. And nit just about the dress.
Deletenot*
DeleteOH FOR FUCK'S SAKE
DeleteIt's not "judgy and self-righteous" to have a preference about your own damn wedding, and she's not condemning anyone for choosing a traditional dress. Take your own advice, buddy.
DeleteAn ivory dress dip died in smokey blue could be really amazeballs.
ReplyDeletehow about dip-dyeing the fabric prior to piecing? i feel like that could forestall some serious heartbreak.
ReplyDeleteOn that note, one can just go to a good fabric store and buy hombre chiffon. White to black is common, I once used a white to nudeish blush that was insanely pretty, but there should be a whole bunch of choices. It doesn't have the handmade quality of dipping the actual garment, and is fairly expensive, but has way less margin for error.
DeleteI think that there is nothing wrong with a white dress, but if it isn't you, it isn't you. Besides it sounds like maybe you might want to (thriftily) wear the dress again. In that case maybe you keep it white for the wedding and then have the entire thing dyed later for a party dress?
ReplyDeleteI think ombre can look good - I did love Gwen Stefani's white to hot pink number:
http://stylenews.peoplestylewatch.com/2011/03/10/gwen-stefanis-wedding-dress-finds-a-new-home-the-museum/
I don't know. I love the *idea*, and loved that dress up top when I first looked at it, but the more I look at it the more it kind of looks like it was damaged in a house fire.
ReplyDeleteOmbre/dip-dye also has the potential to look super-dated very quickly. Dated can be charming (most of these are dated as fuck and totally awesome), but that might not be what you were hoping for, I dunno.
I say if you want to go for colour, GO FOR COLOUR. Don't half go for it and half not.
I'm with Kirsty on this one.
DeleteI ended up doing a costume change to honor my husband's culture. I wore the white dress during the ceremony, and the red dress during the reception.
ReplyDeleteI felt like a bride in both. You will look bridal and beautiful in whatever color you choose! Good luck!
If you go with an ombre dress can we see it / the sketches afterwards?
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like it could be REALLY cool.