Brides In Store

I have recently had many inquiries from ladies looking for a stylist and personal shopper to help them find a wedding dress so I thought I would write a piece for our magazine My Stylist.

When it comes to weddings, the bride is generally hunting for “the one,” the dress that is – they’ve already found the groom! There is something lovely and traditional about a customised dress made uniquely for you minus the time it takes to produce, high price tag, several fittings and nail biting hoping it will turn out perfectly.

Today it seems a host of designers are jumping on board offering exquisite bridal and transferrable evening dresses straight off the rack in some of our favourite retailers. This is a great incentive as it offers brides the opportunity to try on pieces, which are produced in small quantities, are incredibly affordable and be able to be purchased on the day during a personal shopping experience with a stylist or on their own.

Sure, brides may fret that they will end up with the same dress as someone else in the same season but purchasing a designer dress allows you to play with accessories, veils and headpieces to customise it and allow it to reflect your personal style.

Keep in mind if you do not shop with a personal shopper when shopping for your dress, body shape is key so be sure to know what styles generally suit you as you may be overwhelmed by the choice. Even if you are intend on losing weight, as your frame will not change.

Colour matching is a little bit more challenging as traditional brides generally wear white. Although you will discover an array of softer hues including cream, ivory, latte and champagne (!) which is very fitting (no pun intended).

Before going shopping ensure you have a small idea of what you like and don’t like so you can communicate this to service staff. This could even be in terms of traditional, modern, sexy or timeless style as the options are truly endless. Some designers leading the bridal in-store trend are Carla Zampatti, Collette Dinnigan and Lisa Ho.

Carla Zampatti’s designs are European inspired and she uses luxurious organza and silks to develop her timeless designs. Seasonally she subtly incorporates trends and there is touch of drama to her designs which are her trademark. 

Collette Dinnigan is renowned for her eveningwear and now bridal collections. Her elegant and feminine designs are intricately detailed and cover both modern and traditional styles. Along with national boutiques, she is also stocked in David Jones. 

Lisa Ho has extended her renowned feminine style to bridal focusing on modern and timeless cuts with beautifully flattering silhouettes. 

All designers showcase beautifully crafted dresses available in store for brides looking for something designer, pocket friendly yet still opulent.

(Read the full Brides in Store and personal shopper article in My Stylist)