In our series of highlights from Fall 2014 Bridal Fashion Week, we'll start with the style that has been the bread and butter of wedding gowns since the late 1990s, at least: the strapless gown. Strapless necklines flatter most body types, offering a glamorous display of décolletage. But it almost seems as though, since the style's spike in popularity, a strapless neckline has been viewed as quintessentially "bridal." It's just what's done.
I appreciate that strapless gowns are demurely bare, that they emphasize the graceful lines of shoulder and neck. But I tend to feel turned off by their ubiquity. Here, I've found a group of strapless gowns that improve upon (sometimes quite gloriously) the convention of their forebears. These gowns nod reverently to tradition, and then strike out boldly on their own. Complex, sometimes layered, textures and meticulous detail blaze the path forward.
We'll begin with the strapless sheath gowns. The gown above is our first (well, really, second) featured gown from Naeem Khan's inaugural bridal collection. If you have followed Khan's couture collections, filled with exemplars of monochrome genius, namely, the highly-textured tonal masterpieces that are his trademark, then the bridal collection will come as an unsurprising delight.
The gown below, from Monique Lhuillier, gives a boost of several notches to the the not-uncommon strapless-with-all-over-beading concept. It showcases impossibly fine, precise beading (note how the beading around the middle creates an hourglass illusion, nipping in the waist) with layers of gossamer tulle at the bottom.
The look below, another from Naeem Khan, brings the hugely popular nude gown trend to bridal. White sequins offer sheen without overt iridescence.
Below, another look from Naeem Khan. The bodice here seems both solid and fluid, like woven river grasses.
This gown from Kenneth Pool carries metallic beading into the fitted, dropped-waist bodice, through length of the dress. We've seen dropped waists before, but the seaming and the swishing skirt here remind me a bit of Kate Middleton's black lace Temperley gown.
Now for the mermaids. First, we have another of Naeem Khan's confections, in which the designer has created rich texture using ribbons and ruffles. With such a simply-shaped gown, a very modest take on the mermaid, the textural movement does not overwhelm.
Below, is another of Ms. Lhuillier's looks. Again, the all-over motif (lace, this time) is one of the more traditional styles in our line-up. But the scallop peeking up above the soft sweetheart neckline and the flawless fit put this one over the top. The floor-length veil doesn't hurt, either.
This Kenneth Pool gown, with stellar metallics, would be lovely for a winter wedding.
Now, onto the fuller-skirted sisters. You may notice from this selection that I appreciate a bustier combined with a high-waisted, A-line skirt. This is today's ball gown. First, we have tip-to-toe lace from Monique Lhuillier.
The bodice of this gorgeous Naeem Khan gown reminds me of pearl-studded armor.
This pretty belted version from Romona Keveza features youthful point d'esprit.
Finally, the line of this Christos gown wasn't quite straight enough for the Sheath category, but the slightly sharper cut of its sweetheart, paired with that little bit of lace overlay, won it a spot on our list, anyhow.
What do you think of strapless wedding gowns? Would the ones here merit mention in your favorites from Fashion Week?
Stay tuned for the next installment of our series on Fall 2014 Bridal Fashion Week! Tomorrow, we'll look at sleeveless, tank-style gowns.
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