Badgley Mischka Trunk Show!

Our Badgley Mischka Trunk Show seems far away, but in the bridal world it is super close! We will be hosting their trunk show again this year September 7th thru 9th.  Sadly we only get to keep them for one weekend, but on the brightside we are giving you a great heads up to schedule that appointment!

The detail on their newest collection is to die for! Their embelishments and embroidery are stunning.  Here is a sneak peak of some of the gowns we might be receiving.  And don’t forget to request any styles that catch your eye. We can always request them specifically for the trunk show. 🙂

Abigail
This gown has the classic A-line look with an attention to detail on the sleeves. Plus the belt emphasizes a tiny waist; something we all look for! 🙂

Dolley
Dolley just feeds our back obsession. Interesting backs are always in, and this gown has re-introduced a draping style with beading.

Hilary
A modified A-line with the most delicate detail along the entire bodice. The natural waist is perfect, and the softness of the organza skirt balances the embelished top.

Letitia
Looove Letitia. This gown is so different, flirty and fun. Small details embelish the top and bottom, but the ruffles are the best!

Michelle
If you like Leticia’s details but not the ruffles, this is perfect. The lace material softens up the look of the gown, and the thin straps add to the delicate look.

Which gown is your favorite? Request an appointment on our website www.thebustledelmar.com or give us a call at 858-523-9254 to request some styles.  xx

A Perfect Wedding Gown for the Perfect Venue!

When shopping for a wedding gown there are a million details to be considered.  Does the style fit your personality? Is the fit perfect for your body shape? Is it too fancy, or too simple? One of the key factors is your venue.  At each appointment we ask each bride for their wedding date and immediately following.. “Where are you getting married?”  Your venue can help decide on some guidelines for your wedding gown.

Formal Wedding

For a formal wedding consider your silhouette, especially if your venue is very grand.  You want to be able to make a statement and have a larger presence in such a great venue.  Consider a ballgown with a longer train.  This doesn’t mean you have to look like a poofy princess (unless you want to of course 🙂 ).  Modern day ballgowns have something for everyone, from feathers to classy satin.  And don’t skimp on your veil.  Make sure its cathedral length even if your train isn’t.  This will create grandeur and wonderful lines to compliment your gown.

A Formal Princess Wedding

Once you decide on your silhouette, your fabric is next! Satin is the queen of formality.  If you decide against a ballgown silhouette and you prefer something more fitted like a mermaid, satin still works well.  Against satin? A beautiful alencon lace gown will create a timeless look.  Remember Duchess Catherine? Yup! Exactly that.

A Grand Ballgown

To sparkle or not to sparkle? With a formal wedding you can go allllll out! An embelished bodice will look gorgeous, but if you just want a bit of bling try diamond jewelry, a cystal belt, a beaded bolero or a fun headpiece.  There is no such thing as too much bling in this case.

Garden Wedding

Look for a gown that compliments nature and that has an organic feel.  A slimmer silhoutte like a sheath, modified A-line or trumpet would be perfect.  These silhouttes can compliment many body types. Try to also find a gown with a smaller train such as a chapel length or sweep train.  Walking down the aisle and having your reception outside might catch on a few leaves and branches.  Once you pick your silhoutte, you can choose any length veil! A longer veil will help weigh it down in case its windy, but a short fingertip length will compliment the less formal garden feel.

A Trumpet Style

For your fabric, try to look for something that has a light feel such as an organza or a soft lace, like chantilly lace. Along with being light, they compliment an outdoor organic feel.  The embelishments on your gown can go in two directions depending on the time of your wedding.  If it is a daytime wedding, minimize the amount of bling on your gown and accessories with sashes, feathers or fun headbands.  If you are having an evening wedding a little bit of sparkle won’t hurt.  The sparkle will glimmer throughout the night!

Beach Wedding

A beach wedding requires a bit of a balancing act.  A gown that matches the casual ceremony might need to have a formal feel for the reception afterwards. Any A-line, sheath, empire (destination style) or mermaid can work well for a beach wedding.   A flowy fabric will look wonderful by the sea breeze and it will create a light airy feel in case you are dealing with major heat and humidity.

Light and Flowy

Just like the garden wedding, the beach wedding follows similar “rules” regarding beading and emroidery on your wedding gown.  Be conscious of your surroundings and time of day.  A little bit of detailed sparkle will look gorgeous against a sparkling sea, especially at sunset, but an over the top beaded bodice, train, veil, earrings, etc. might overbear the casual venue.

And a Little More Formal for the Reception

What kind of venue will you have? xx

To Bustle, or not to Bustle?

Some brides have some apprehensions about bustles and whether or not they want one, or if the one they have in mind will look they way they want.  Here at The Bustle our seamstresses can tell you what sort of bustle would work best on your gown based on the fabric of the gown, the detail of the gown, and what you gravitate toward. 🙂 Below are a few different ways to take up your train depending on your dress and style.

The English Bustle

The English bustle, or over bustle,  works great if you would like to show off some bead work or lace on your train!  It also complements mermaid dresses very well.  “Eyes” and “hooks” must be added for this type of bustle; the “eyes” are placed along the waistline while the hooks are down along the back of the dress.

Here is a Great Example of an Over Bustle!

 The French Bustle

Another great option is the under bustle or French/Victorian bustle.  This works well for gowns with no waistline or have a lot of detail going on in the back area.  It creates a more traditional look and more volume to the gown.  It is perfect for a ballgown or A-line, especially if it already has decorative pick ups.

Here is an Example of an Under Bustle!

Austrian Bustle

 While different and uncommon, the still beautiful Austrian bustle is created by running a ribbon through a back seam and pulling it through, creating a casing.

Beautiful Austrian Buslte!

The Loop

Though this is not technically a bustle, it is still an attractive way to keep your train off the ground for your reception.  Brides who have a train but would like to skip the bustle, can attatch a loop at the end of the train underneath, and simply put it on their wrist-a very romantic look. Some gowns even come with a loop underneath their train already!

Sweet and Old-Fashioned Way to Keep Your Train Off the Floor at Your Reception!

It’s a good idea to keep in mind which bustles will work best for your gown.  If you want to show off some amazing lace or beautiful beading on your gown the the over bustle is a good option. If you have a ballgown or A-line, the under bustle is a great pick.  All in all, each option creates a beautiful bustle for any bride.

 Which bustle will you go with?!

Making your body look its best for your wedding day!

Women come in all shapes and sizes, so it is important for boutiques to have a variety of gowns for each body type! Here are The Bustle, we make sure that there is a gown for every bride that walks through our doors!

With help from The Knot, we decided to write our blog about different features on a gown that can help any bride with their “trouble spots”.

Woman with a larger bust sizes have a hard time finding a gown that does them justice, without spilling out of the gown. A great solution to this is by getting a gown with a V-Neckline! This Cymbeline Paris gown is one that we carry here at The Bustle!

Cymbeline Paris Exalto/Frisson

The next spot that some women are concerned about are the hips! To avoid this issue, we recommend going with a empire waistline gown that has a lot of visual interest at the top to draw the eyeline towards the face! This Maggie Sottero gown is a great choice, especially for a destination wedding!

Maggie Sottero Kayla

Thirdly, if your trouble spot happens to be the tummy, we recommend going with a ruched bodice! This beautiful Ella Bridal gown is a fabulous find for anyone who is looking for a tummy-hiding gown and is also available at our boutique!

Ella Bridal 5530

Last by not least, if you are a bride who wants your waistline to look small(and what bride doesn’t want that), go with an a-line gown! Different accessories such as a sash or belt, will help to show off that tiny waist of yours! A great option available here would be our Badgley Mischka gown!

Badgley Mischka Keeneland

What is your favorite silhouette?! xx

The Perfect Style for Your Body Type

In a previous post I broke down the six basic wedding gown styles from mermaid to ballgown. (Check it out here!)  Each style fits every girl completely differently, so how do you know what style is right for you? Just like there are six basic gown styles, there are four basic body shapes for each one of us. Here we go…

The Four Basic Body Shapes

Apple: Someone who has a typical apple shape has broader shoulders and upper body with narrower hips and thinner legs and thighs.  In this case, a destination or ballgown style will do wonders (especially if a dress has a low back or tiny straps adding length to your upper body).  The destination style will give you a tiny waist and elongate your upper body (unless its an empire waiste).  In the case of a ballgown, the volume of the skirt will balance out your top giving you the desired “X” shape. Plus the bigger the skirt the tinier your waist will appear.  If you still desire a more fitted gown, search for gowns which have corset backs.  This will give you the opportunity to pull in the gown at the exact spots you would like allowing you to change your shape … as long as you leave room to breath 😉

Banana: This body shape is also refered to as a “straight” shape.  A bride who has this shape has measurements that are typically even from her bust, waist and hip giving off a “straight” silhouette. If you aren’t going for a curvy look, sheath gowns are perfect.  They have a straight down feel to them, similar to a destination gowns-which would also work.  A-line gowns are great because they show off your shoulders and waist while giving you volume towards your lower body creating the illusion of a curvier shape.

Pear: A bride with a pear shape has narrow shoulders and a narrow waist with wider hips.  If you are loving it and proud of it flaunt those hips in a nice curvey mermaid or trumpet! If you are more sensitive about that area, A-line’s are great.  Modified A-lines give off that traditional look while being slightly tighter towards your hips, but not toooo much. A ballgown will give off a similar look, so if you want more poof, go for it! 🙂

Hourglass: Some might say this is the most desired shape. If you weren’t born with this shape, there are many ways to achieve it! A girl with an hourglass shape looks like, well, an hourglass.  Her upper body and hips are relatively the same measurements while her waiste is smaller.  If you feel like you might be too curvy (ps no such thing 😉 ) any ballgown style or A-line will be perfect. But, if you want to show it off there is nothing better than a mermaid.  This gown style is made to highlight your curves as much as possible.  If you feel like it might be too tight, a trumpet will have a similar effect.  If you want to achieve an hourglass figure, corset tops are great!

 

Ok, so all of that might seem confusing as a lot of the gown styles can be worn by any body shape.  In the end, try on each style.  You might realize how amazing your curves look in a mermaid, or how tiny your waist looks in a ballgown.  You might even discover a newfound confidence about something you are self-conscious of in the right dress.  Or, you might just reaffirm that perhaps you were right and a certain shape just isn’t working. Try them all on during your gown appointments.  Your consultant should actually point this out and help you find the perfect style leaving you with no doubts and what ifs about other styles. And most importantly!!! HAVE FUN! xx

Dress Styles: From Mermaid to Ballgown

There are so many different kinds of wedding gowns, but among all of the unique designs there are basically just 6 styles to choose from.  Their different variations might be confusing, but your sales consultant will be able to pick out the correct shape/style that you need.

Mermaid Style

Lets start with the tightest! Mermaid.  The mermaid style is the shape hugger, hugging each and every curve.  The style is mermaid because it hugs your body right up until your knees where it flares out, like a mermaid fin 😉 . Sometimes they have trains (ironically called fish tails), and other times no; that’s when it depends on the dress.  I have noticed they are harder to walk in and boogie down, but for most mermaid lovers, its all about the beauty and look.  The rest of her comfort is optional hehe.

Trumpet Style

If you love the fitted look but if you do want to dance and feel less constricted, the trumpet style is your best bet.  This style has the same affects as the mermaid where it shows off your gorgeous curves.  BUT, instead of hugging your body until your knees, it begins to flare out around the mid-thigh area.  At times, it resembles a trumpet. Creative right? 🙂 Sometimes both, the mermaid and the trumpet, are just generally characterized as fit-and-flare.  Make sure to be specific if you prefer one over the other.

Destination Style

Next… the complete opposite: Destination Style (or goddess, or as our brides say, ‘flowy”).  We call it destination because most of our local brides live in an area that is considered amazing for “destination” weddings.  Many times, due to the chiffon fabrics, brides love these gowns for beach weddings.  What’s nice is that lately destination gowns do not give off that pregnant look because they have an empire waist.  Those that come with a corset definitely show off a tiny waist and then the fabrics cascade down.  They are nice and lightweight perfect for hot and humid areas.

Sheath Style

Sheath style gowns have a similar function as the destination style does.  They are very straight down, unlike the flow you get with a destination, with minimum “hugging”.  These are perfect for our amazing brides that find beauty in simplicity.  Many beach and even garden brides gravitate towards this style. Most of the time their trains are minimal and their tops are empire waists with thin straps or strapless. But keep in mind, even the most simply shaped gown can have beautiful details making it a true wedding gown.

A-line Style

The next two shapes are the next two competitors.  First we have the A-line, and the name stems from its literal shape. It creates a letter “A” shape.  This is a wonderful classic look that will never go out of style.  Unlike the other shapes, there is no clean cut line between the top or bottom.  Most A-line gowns have a smooth flow between the bodice and skirt. Although many believe they look traditional, be open minded, you might be surprised.

The Ballgown is the next step up.  They have the biggest skirt VOLUME. There are different variations, especially with the bodice.  You can maintain the traditional look with a high waisted top, or you can sexify it with a very fitted top that has a dropped waist.  There are so many variations of the ballgown,

Ballgown Style

that your view of  Belle from Beauty and the Beast is not the only option.  I have seen so many awesome couture designs lately that shows how the ballgown has been revamped.  Besides, you can always wear a sexy dress, but you can’t pull off a ballgown too often.  I don’t see any girls rollin’ up to the club rocking a ballgown, do you? 😉