The Minimalist Bride.
Part 2: The wedding dress.
How to achieve a minimalist look while making a statement? The point behind minimalism is to live with less. You’ve edited the aesthetic of your wedding, and now it’s time to determine what you will wear. Obviously, the dress has to match the theme of your wedding. Wouldn’t it look odd if you were having a rustic wedding and you walked down the aisle wearing a ballgown bedazzled with jewels? So why wouldn’t the same rules apply to a minimalist wedding? The reason why I want to bring attention to this is because many people think that minimalism equals plain and simple. While there is nothing wrong with plain and simple, I think it’s worth taking the time to explain why a dress influenced by minimalism is different.
Firstly, the actual definition of minimalism is “a trend in sculpture and painting that arose in the 1950s and used simple, typically massive, forms.” All high end fashion designers take inspiration from art, they study fashion from a specific era, and they apply it to today’s market. When I was a student in fashion design, we were obliged to take a history course that demonstrated how styles became what we know today as fashion. The impressionists could have inspired something about the way your pants are designed unbeknown to you. If you’ve watched The Devil Wears Prada, I’m sure you remember the blue sweater scene where Miranda Priestly (played by Meryl Streep) schools Andrea (played by Ann Hathaway) about her sweater. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, you should run and watch the movie, but I have the iconic clip right here for you to enjoy. Even though it’s over 10 years old, I still love it and I’m sure you will too! Anyway, enough about that, let’s get back to the dress! What defines a minimalistic dress are the classic lines, the way it sculpts the body, and the application of little embellishments, if any. In many instances the dress designer will choose a high quality medium to heavy weight silk or satin fabric, so that the drape is structured as opposed to loose and airy like many other gowns. There are some dresses in lace, but those tend to be more bohemian inspired. Here are some gowns that will illustrate exactly what I mean:
Other important aspects are hair and makeup. I can easily say that the best makeup is the one that enhances your natural features without adding too much colour, aside from a red lip if you really wanted one. In terms of jewels, this isn’t the gown that would match with your mother’s pearls. It’s best to skip that tradition and keep the jewellery edgy, without them overtaking the dress. Lastly, I would stick with a white or metallic shoe, and avoid once again any colourful options. A minimalistic dress does not go well with a blue Manolo Blahnik stiletto. Even though this is a beautiful shoe, and I have seen it successfully worn on many brides, it does not belong here. Nevertheless, if you can afford to make them part of your wardrobe, you should include them; they are stunning!
I hope this helps bring together your minimalistic big day (pun intended) and, more importantly, make everything more cohesive and provide you with a clearer vision for your wedding.
