Wedding Gown Trends for 2012
Wedding gown fashions change from year to year, although the “classic” gown never quite goes away. But it’s amazing how many variations there are on this theme – a white dress – that designers have come up with over the years! Here are some of 2012’s wedding gown trends.
Strapless – Almost
Some women shy away from strapless dresses because they feel too exposed, or they just don’t like the look. In 2012, though, the strapless gown has a new look in a high, sheer neckline called an illusion neckline. The shape of the gown is strapless, but the top of the chest and arms are covered in sheer, lacy fabric. Sometimes the coverage sweeps to the side so that it looks almost like a sheer toga sleeve. It’s a romantic, mysterious take on the bold look of a strapless dress.
The Peplum Gets Another Tier
Peplums – where the top of a skirt is bunched in something of a balloon-like fashion and the bottom of the skirt hangs below – is making its way onto the wedding dress scene, but with a slightly longer top “poof.” Sometimes the top layer looks like a short skirt over a long one, fluffy light fabric overlapping the long gown. It’s a flattering style, concealing ample hips and reflecting the wedding cake with its multiple white tiers.
Underskirts on the Top
Remember the almost frosting-like swirls on last year’s gowns? This year, the swirls have a new look in the form of horsehair trim. There’s no real reason to call it horsehair, unless that harks back to the days when horsehair actually was used as a dress lining! It looks nothing like horses and nothing like hair, but it does remind one of foamy sea mists and mysterious fogs. Brides look almost wrapped in mist in these inside-out dresses. Sometimes it’s swirling and other times it lies flat, but the elegant sheer look is consistent.
Color
Yes, color is making its way down the aisle in 2012. Bridal gowns in blushing peach, pink, and pinkish beige go beyond the hints of color that have made their way onto wedding gowns over the last couple of years. These gowns are color from head to toe, and may remind you a bit of your high school prom – a wonderful way to marry your high school sweetheart.
Royal Lace
Princess Kate set a trend in wedding gown sleeves at the Royal Wedding. Close-fitting lace sleeves are showing up on all sorts of wedding gowns in 2012, an old-fashioned look yet somehow more modern than the puffed sleeve of Princess Diana in the 80s. The close-fitting, sheer lace sometimes can be found over the breast and up to the neckline of the gown, too.