A wedding is a solemn holiday surrounded by rituals and signs. The traditional symbol of the event is the bride's white outfit. Modern fashion and the trend towards originality make it clear that a black wedding dress can be just as luxurious and memorable. The special symbolism of this color and the established cultural background turn ceremonial clothing into a challenge to society, emphasizing the bold views and taste of the bride. How to choose such a dress, who will it suit and what does the black “color code” promise for newlyweds? Let's take a closer look at all the nuances of choosing a dress.
Is it possible to use this color
There are many superstitions associated with the color black in culture. For example, among Europeans and Slavs it is a symbol of mourning, and in the East white is considered mournful. Cultural traditions are formed historically, under the influence of fashion and thousands of other factors. It is important to understand that regardless of whether the wedding dress is white, blue, red or black, it is still a beautiful outfit designed to distinguish the bride from everyone present at the ceremony.
Yes, black can be used when choosing a wedding dress. It is original, beautiful and elegant. This color suits absolutely everyone and with a good silhouette, it will hide any figure flaws.
Color has a psychological effect on a person and causes mood swings. In psychology, black color has the following characteristics:
- Symbolizes female sexuality and femininity in general;
- Helps to collect your feelings, discipline yourself, calm down and get into a serious mood;
- Represents challenge, rebellion, desire for change, thirst for attention.
It may happen that a girl is wondering whether she can wear a black dress to a wedding and is worried about the “notoriety” of this shade. It would be appropriate to recall examples of famous marriages where the bride was dressed in noble anthracite. Marilyn Monroe, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kirsten Bell, Tina Turner, Avril Lavigne - all these talented women got married in luxurious black dresses. Not a single one was left a widow or experienced anything beyond what girls who chose the “traditional” white experience in marriage.
You can wear a black dress to a wedding as a guest if there is no dress code. Special rules for choosing outfits for invited persons may exist if the celebration is planned in a certain style and color scheme. Usually guests are warned about such details in advance. To avoid a gloomy effect, the image is diluted with bright accessories.
Star exits
Among the style icons, Sarah Jessica Parker and Marilyn Monroe distinguished themselves with unusual choices. Marilyn married basketball player Joe DiMaggio for the second time in a dark wedding dress with a minimalist cut. It was purchased in an ordinary store for $250. Interestingly, in 1999, a famous collector bought it for $33,500.
In 1997, Parker married Matthew Broderick, choosing a dress the color of the night, because she did not really want to attract public attention to this event. However, years later the star regretted the daring shade. In interviews, she repeated this more than once.
What styles are there?
Wedding fashion offers brides a wide choice of shapes and silhouettes. The only difficulty is to choose a dress that fits your figure. In the case of a black dress for a wedding, the situation is a little simpler. This color helps to hide figure imperfections, smooths out body lines and, thanks to the contrast with the skin, emphasizes advantages. Black goes with absolutely all color types of appearance.
So, a wedding dress comes in the following styles:
- A-silhouette (“Princess”) – a tight-fitting top, the skirt smoothly expands from the waist to the bottom, forming a “triangle” or resembling the letter “A”. A universal model for any body type. Satin, chiffon, lace are ideal;
- A ball gown is a wide skirt with pleats, flounces, and different types of fabrics. The top is traditionally a corset. This style is not suitable for a petite figure, because it visually reduces height due to the full skirt. However, it helps to hide wide hips, adjust the waist and emphasize the bust;
- “Mermaid” is a narrow dress that diverges from the knee line or mid-thigh. Visually resembles a fish tail. Suitable for proportional figure with a narrow waist. This dress practically does not hide any flaws, emphasizes the hips and chest;
- Empire style - reminiscent of antique dresses. Sewn from light, flowing fabrics. The skirt starts almost under the bust. The silhouette hides the waist and hips, emphasizing the bust, shoulders and arms. A very comfortable model that usually does not involve wearing a veil. Combines with wreaths and tiaras;
- The straight dress is a laconic, minimalist silhouette. Allows various forms of neckline (including deep), as well as an open back. There are options for draperies and cutouts that can emphasize the bust, lengthen the neck, and hide imperfections in the lines of the arms and shoulders;
- Midi - these are basically classic sheaths and dresses of medium length with a full skirt and a tight-fitting top. The length of the skirt allows you to move comfortably, the silhouette is not only comfortable, but also looks elegant;
- Short dress - any design options for the skirt and top are possible, as well as the presence or absence of sleeves. Suitable for practical brides who want to wear an outfit more than once. Pays attention to the legs.
When choosing a black dress, keep in mind that it should still remain elegant. Give preference to high-quality fabrics with special effects: shine, texture, relief, embroidery. All this will favorably emphasize the silhouette. Black reflects light poorly, so highlights in the form of small bows can simply get “lost” against a dark background.
According to the rules of good manners, a wedding guest should not choose a dress that is too luxurious, so as not to distract attention from the bride. Preference should be given to elegance and sophistication. Good shoes, a handbag and appropriately selected jewelry will add a festive touch to your look.
A-silhouette
Ballroom Empire "Mermaid"
A short
Midi
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Wedding dress with black accessories: what's fashionable in 2022
The Milan exhibition and Bridal Fashion Week in New York demonstrated the relevance of dark accessories. Designers suggest wearing a black dress with various details to a wedding, emphasizing the bride’s style with a tuxedo or a groom’s trouser suit.
Black lace
One of the most current trends of last year, which was regarded as provocative and daring. This year the situation has changed: lace is in trend as a real embodiment of a fragile, romantic fairy tale and tenderness.
This is fashionable:
- delicate lace flowers or fancy patterns;
- Handmade is welcomed;
- boho style or combination with classic and modern models;
- additional techniques: crochet, macrame, Bedford lace.
Such accessories can later be combined with other holiday outfits. Long or short lace belts, capes, and gloves will adorn a bride with any figure.
Bows and ribbons
Among the fashionable and original trends, bows stand out. This is a feminine, sweet decor that is used in different ways in modern wedding collections. Beautiful chiffon ribbons, bows on the shoulders, neat bows on the waist or huge, airy ones on the lower back.
Belts and bags, coats
The trend is belts that emphasize the waist, wide belts. Current accessories are decorated with floral embroidery and butterflies. For a “wow” effect, choose stylish handbags with lace borders, beads and voluminous dramatic veils. In cool weather, you can prefer an equally current trend - a wedding jacket or coat in any variation (including with feathers).
Advantages and disadvantages
When choosing black wedding dresses in a salon or on the Internet based on photos, a girl may face the approval of liberated friends and extreme misunderstanding of relatives. It should be noted right away that the dress, first of all, should please the bride, and not everyone around her. If the choice becomes too difficult, weigh the pros and cons.
Advantages of a black dress:
- Originality - perhaps none of your friends and acquaintances will have such an outfit;
- Courage - the bride demonstrates her bright, independent taste and independence from the opinions of others;
- Sophistication and conciseness - the charcoal shade looks aristocratic, restrained and elegant;
- This outfit will certainly be remembered by all guests and even random passers-by who may meet at the photo shoot;
- Practicality - dark fabrics are non-staining, so you can safely choose long skirts and fluffy silhouettes, because until the very end of the celebration the outfit will retain its ideal appearance.
In fact, there are no disadvantages to a black dress, but there are various prejudices that make one wonder: “Is it possible to wear such dark clothes to a wedding?” For example, it is believed that a black dress promises early widowhood, but this is not confirmed by any scientific research or official statistics. The only real obstacle to be faced is the lack of understanding of relatives of the older generation. Therefore, believing omens or good taste is the choice of the bride.
But you can get married not only in a black dress: fashion trends
Fashion trends 2021 are full of variety. Bridal dresses are presented in different styles, without boundaries and frames for the future bride.
Current colors remain cream, beige, powder pink, and tea rose. The trend is multi-layering, textured, translucent fabrics, embroidery, cascades of tulle, feathers.
Fashion trends:
- Victorian lace - openwork models will be a real hit. They are chosen by elegant brides who prefer something exclusive. Lace goes well with a Spanish-style veil.
- Gothic with a stand-up collar is preferable in the cold season. The models visually lengthen the silhouette and are suitable for any figure. The style is aristocratic and elegant.
- Trousers, overalls - combinations of skirts and trousers in any shade will be the most fashionable look. You can safely turn to eclecticism or maintain conservatism. Dressing in a women's wedding jumpsuit is trendy. Pants with a luxurious lace train or a large bow are especially good. Don't forget about wedding shorts.
- Open shoulders - such dresses have not gone away, but this year the trend has been updated with puffy sleeves. Envious women will dream of such an outfit, reminiscent of images from the Renaissance.
- Flowing styles - femininity is always relevant. But in 2021, women are asked to abandon corsets and crinolines, leaving the most natural silhouette.
According to signs, a dark bride's outfit and a wedding in a gothic, black style do not bode well. However, superstitions have long been refuted by thousands of happy families who decided to have their own unusual holiday.
How to choose shoes and accessories
The same clothing can look different depending on the details, jewelry, bag and shoes. This is especially true for formal attire. A black wedding dress really runs the risk of appearing very gloomy and “getting lost” in photographs (in which all the highlights and textures of the fabric will not be visible). For this reason, it requires a competent selection of accompanying decorative elements.
One of the important elements of the image is shoes. The requirements for shoes are very high, because, in addition to appearance, they must be comfortable so that the bride can withstand a busy day, during which she will have to walk and dance a lot.
If you choose very nice but uncomfortable high heels, buy another more comfortable pair to match your outfit. After the formal part, change your shoes.
Useful thoughts on choosing shoes:
- Consider the height of the heel and the length of the dress so that the skirt does not drag on the floor and is not too short;
- Coordinate the material of the dress and accessories with the shoes; for example, glossy shoes will not work if the bride has a small textile handbag or matte leather jewelry;
- The decor on shoes and on the dress should be in harmony.
Of course, not all brides wear black dresses to weddings, so there are no strict rules for choosing shoes. In fact, shoes can be matching, as well as beige or white, if such decorative elements are present on the outfit itself. According to signs, sandals are not worn to a wedding (a bad sign that promises widowhood), but whether to believe superstitions or not is a separate question.
Correctly selected accessories for a black dress can completely set the tone of the image. The same silhouette can be made elegantly romantic by adding pearls a la Coco Chanel, or you can create a vintage look in the 50s style using a hat with a delicate veil. The black dress is also used in Gothic or Victorian themed weddings (these styles are common in subcultures) and then they are complemented with special decorations.
All classic jewelry goes well with black:
- Gold;
- Silver;
- Pearl;
- Stones that match the eyes or harmonize with the decor on the corset or skirt.
Be wary of disposable jewelry that will attract attention against the black fabric. Bright accessories not made from precious metals may darken and fade due to humidity and contact with the body, and the elegant effect will be lost. Don’t get carried away with too voluminous jewelry, massive bracelets, huge rings and earrings, because a wedding is not just a party, but a special ceremony. Always remember what the great Coco Chanel said about accessories. She suggested that before going out, put on all the jewelry you wanted, and then take off the last thing you wore. This is the whole secret of style, beauty and elegance.
If you are a guest and choose a black dress for a friend’s wedding, then be responsible when choosing jewelry. Everything should be in moderation, consider the style of the event. If this is not a vintage or gothic wedding, refrain from flirty gloves and fishnet tights, prefer classics and you will be irresistible.
A black wedding dress is bold, original and very beautiful. If you decide to choose such an outfit, then listen only to your own taste. Dark dresses are always on trend and are definitely elegant. If it suits the bride, she and the groom like it, then why not show the world what you really want on this most special day?
Variations of black
Black can be either a predominant or an additional shade in an outfit.
A black and white wedding dress is distinguished by a variety of ideas, among which any beauty can lose her head from the difficulty of choosing!
So, the following models may be approximate options for it:
- white dress with black belt;
- a white dress with a black lace cape over the skirt (this kind of sophistication looks especially good on A-line dresses);
- white dress with elements of black decor in the bodice area (embroidery, drapery, appliqué);
- white dress with all black bodice;
- a black dress with a white airy train and a white veil (a wedding bouquet of white peonies and callas and other snow-white buds greatly harmonizes the image);
- a white dress with a cutout in front and a large black train behind it (the train can be either black on the outside - then the organza fabric looks very advantageous, giving the dress texture and additional volume, or black on the inside).
Don’t forget about the accompanying elements of creating a unique wedding image. Black gloves with a length above the elbow will visually lengthen the arms and give the bride's image neatness and majesty.
For example, a white dress with a straight cut, slightly flared at the bottom (but not much), black gloves and an updo with a bun and delicate flowers in the hair will create a feeling of luxury and delicacy.
I want to spin such a lady in a waltz and give her a reverent look! Of course, accessories play one of the most important roles in completing a woman’s appearance.
One of the most unusual and often overlooked attributes is the white cylinder hat. Such a headdress will look very good on the head, complemented by a neat hairstyle with large curls and pinned up - loose, although well-groomed hair would be inappropriate here.
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Avoiding excessive emphasis...
A bride in an all-black dress, according to stylists, needs to have a certain “symphony” with the image of the groom.
A white-black duet, in which the “strict” color is chosen by the woman, should be balanced by a snow-white men’s suit.
When thinking about the appearance of a couple, you should adhere to a simple but extremely important rule: both outfits - a men's suit and a lady's dress - should not create a “domino effect”, which creates a feeling of diversity, ripples in the eyes and bad taste.
The eye will get tired too quickly of the endless alternation of white and black if there are too many such elements in both models.
The bride's image should not be “overloaded” with small black and white elements and should be more or less uniform.
If the bride wants to experiment and try alternating colors, the groom’s suit should be more strict and uniform in color scheme. Then “harmony” will become the main epithet with which the guests will crown the newlyweds on their happiest day!
Variety of materials
The textile industry offers new types of materials for wedding dresses, characterized by high strength, extraordinary beauty and functional characteristics. The main types of fabrics used to sew dresses for brides:
- atlas;
- silk;
- tulle;
- organza;
- lace;
- chiffon;
- velvet;
- satin
Comment! Most wedding dresses are made by combining several types of materials. This allows you to create optimal functional characteristics, combining them with the aesthetic component of the product.
Compatibility effect
A little black dress is good on its own. Its main advantage is its exquisite brevity. But an outfit of the same color for a wedding should still have special signs of festivity: an original style, expensive fabrics, unique decoration.
The combination of opposite textures in one model solves a lot. For example, the combination of thick taffeta with shimmering transparent organza creates the image of a young princess who has come to the main ball of her destiny. And the shimmering lace, under which beige satin shines through, will speak of royal luxury and the fragrance of southern nights.
Black leather, fur and chiffon will appeal to dynamic girls with independent views. A feminine and slightly mysterious newlywed will choose a dress made of light silk, the airiness of which will be emphasized by a movable double-layer floor-length or midi skirt.
In general, the design features of black dress styles are largely the same as white ones
Here they also use corsets to the waist or mid-thighs. They are embroidered with beads, bugles, cord, and decorated with lace and draperies.
Fluffy skirts are made from tulle, organza, and chiffon. They are made multi-layered and gathered, with a multi-level hem, cut on the bias and joined together, decorated with flounces, ruffles, and silk ribbons.
Depending on the season, models are created with open shoulders or sleeves: three-quarter sleeves, narrow and long, wide and even, wings, puff, etc. Most dresses emphasize the graceful appearance of the bride and groom, and therefore have an expressive emphasis on the waist.
A little history
Many people may not know, but a century and a half ago, a bride in black was the norm. Black color was considered the height of grace; black dresses were worn by aristocrats. Brides also made wedding dresses in other colors. The main thing was that the outfit was bright and of high quality. Queen Victoria of Great Britain is considered to be the trendsetter for white wedding dresses.
Many people associate the color black with witches and death. But in fact, a black dress acts as a talisman against evil spirits and misfortunes. The Spaniards consider black wedding dress a symbol of eternal fidelity to the husband.
Sarah Jessica Parker has revived the fashion for black wedding dresses. After her sensational wedding, many famous designers began to sew dresses in the color of the night.
Should you believe in omens or good taste?
Should lady guests wear black? The question is rhetorical. If you are planning a gala dinner in a restaurant or a party at an estate, Coco Chanel's favorite outfits will easily fit into the overall context. True, they say that this should not be done by close relatives on both the groom’s and bride’s side.
Otherwise, a black dress made of shiny or matte fabric, complemented with accessories of other colors, matching jewelry and elegant shoes in no way evokes sad thoughts, it looks festive and solemn. Therefore, when asked why you can’t wear a black dress to a wedding, you can safely answer: “Who said?” Good taste and ethical rules say otherwise.
Is it possible to wear a used outfit to a wedding?
Many girls are interested in whether it is possible to rent a wedding dress or buy it second-hand. The outfit must be bought new. Otherwise, due to savings, there is a high risk of debt formation in the life of a married couple.
A dress purchased from another person can transmit the negative energy of a girl who has already been married in it.
You can try to cleanse it with a candle purchased from the church and holy water. This way the bride will protect herself from bad words that could be said on the dress.
A huge charge of positive energy is given into the wedding attire, which is sewn by yourself, by a close friend, sister or mother.
