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Wedding Dress Inspiration- Princess Beatrice and Queen Elizabeth II

Wedding Dress Inspiration- Princess Beatrice and Queen Elizabeth II

With vintage and second hand fashion at its height, it’s no surprise that many of us turn to wardrobes of our friends and family (especially our grandparents) in search of retro style garments to be reintroduced to the 21st century. This method has even been adopted by the royal family when Princess Beatrice browsed for her wedding dress through a collection of garments of no other than the Queen herself.

This week Buckingham Palace released pictures of the Princess’ wedding to Eduardo Mapelli Mozzi at the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor. The Princess of York wore a floor-length, fit and flare gown made of taffeta with the bodice adorned with crystals. The bridal look was outfitted with a fringe tiara and a plain veil.

The embellished dress was created by Norman Hartnell, a go-to designer for the Queen, to wear for the premier of Lawrence of Arabia in 1962. The look was in tune with the fashion trends of the 1950s with its voluminous skirt and balloon style hem that accentuate the small waist. A petticoat would be used to add structure to the shape.

58 years later, the gown was remodelled for Princess Eugenie for the private ceremony by Her Majesty’s royal dresser Angela Kelly and bridal designer Stewart Parvin. To alter it, the gown would be worn without a petticoat so the skirt would fall to make more linear silhouette. A satin duchesse panel is also sewn to the hemline of the skirt. The gown is also updated with puffed organza sleeves with matching trim being added to the strap top to give it a vintage, garden party look.

Styles and shapes from the past are loved by many brides today and even designers would go back in time to find silhouettes and give them a modern revival. For those who want a retro look for their big day, how about go full-on retro by browsing second hand wedding dresses and alter them to suit you? You can find a lot of dresses in charity and vintage shops, or give your mother or grandmother’s wedding dress one more trip down the aisle to make it extra-special.

Alterations to pre-owned gowns may include shorten the hem; lengthen the skirt with a fabric panel; or it can be updated with added straps or sleeves. Even a dress with holes can be fixed with some embroidery or beadwork to cover it. It may be surprising that even a dress that haven’t been out of the wardrobe for so long can be the most perfect thing for you to wear on your big day. Besides, who says that wedding dresses could only be worn once?