Research shows that nearly forty percent of couples get engaged between November and January. With many brides-to-be beginning their dress shopping for the busy spring and summer wedding season, we sat down with Abby Smith of True Society (locations in the Crossroads and Lenexa) and bridal stylist Sydney White to get their insight on bridal dress trends for the upcoming wedding season.
Capes
For modern brides who may not like the traditional look of veils, capes are a hot trend right now.
“There are so many cool things you could do with capes,” White says. “Some go over your head and some attach to the dress. It gives you that glamorous feel but without that necessarily traditional [veil] look.”
Brides opt for the cape look because it is something unexpected, Smith adds. “It truly gives brides a fun surprise or different look without having to buy a whole other dress.”
Detachable accessories
Arguably the most popular trend for the upcoming season is detachable accessories, allowing brides to have a more modern look, getting a bigger bang for their buck. It creates two looks from one dress.
A detachable overskirt can create drama in a dress, which makes it look more like a ball gown for the ceremony, then the overskirt is taken off for the reception, which gives the dress a sleek, sexy look and makes it easier to dance in.
“Detachable accessories, I would say, is the hottest trend in bridal right now,” White says. “An overskirt can give you a completely different look. Having a fitted gown with a larger overskirt gives you two looks in one. Also, detachable sleeves or gloves can add more looks to your dress throughout the night.”
This season, detachable voluminous sleeves are one of the most popular ways to change from a more glamorous ceremony look to a more relaxed feel for the reception. “A detachable voluminous sleeve is great, so if your venue is indoors and then a party after outside, or vice versa, you could leave on or remove them for two beautiful looks,” Smith says.
Not your mother’s veil
Accessories that can be added or removed to create different looks are a popular option for brides who don’t want the traditional veil.
Many brides adjust their headpiece depending on the location and vibe of the wedding, opting for a shorter fingertip veil or headpiece like a floral wreath at a beach or destination wedding.
A recent trend this season has been bold veils that fuse tradition with a splash of color to stand out.
“Beautiful veils with floral embroidery or a floral wreath that comes in a couple different colors [is popular], so we’re seeing brides wanting to incorporate some color into their accessories, in the veil particularly,” Smith says.
Clean and chic
Minimalist looks are trending right now, especially for summer brides braving the lower Midwest’s humidity—though White says “clean and chic is one of those looks that I think can translate really to any time of year.”
Clean and chic is popular because of its elegant simplicity that can be changed, depending on the bride’s taste, with detachable accessories. “They could add some off-the-shoulder straps or a dainty little belt,” White says.
Many brides who like the minimalist clean and chic look can also add a statement piece, like a large removable bow to have two looks in one.
Three-dimensional florals
The second most popular bridal trend this season are dresses with 3D floral detailing, especially as we move into spring and summer.
“I love dainty and romantic 3D florals,” White says. “I see a lot of brides during the spring and summertime try to incorporate [similarities] from their floral arrangements into the lace pattern or the beading detail on their dress,” White says.
3D florals add a subtle and unexpected flair to the dress. Often brides want to add a bit of sparkle or texture to the florals to create even more visual interest.
