Even now in some cultures, white is overlooked for other

Elegant And Iconic Wedding Dresses

Elegance is in the eye of the beholder, much like beauty. It depends more on attitude and quality than it does on price. A simple definition of elegance is grace of movement, polished expression and refinement of beauty. If youre determining which wedding dress style is right for you, take a look at some of the most memorable iconic wedding dresses of all time to get some inspiration.

Queen Victorias Wedding Dress

Queen Victoria started the trend of white wedding dresses. Prior to that point, wedding dresses were every color and meant to be worn as the woman's best dress rather than just once on her wedding day.

Even now in some bridal gowns for the mature bride cultures, white is overlooked for other traditional colors. Red is the color of choice for Chinese brides. Indian brides choose brightly colored and richly embroidered saris. And Japanese brides will wear a wedding kimono and often change into a western style white wedding dress for the reception.

So what did Queen Victoria's wedding dress look like? It was white satin accented by nosegays of orange blossoms at the bosom and scattered about the full skirt. Her lace veil was designed exclusively for the wedding. The pattern was later destroyed so it couldn't be used again. Nearly modest homecoming dress 200 people labored for six weeks to produce the lace veil and lace for the trim of her dress. The neckline left her shoulders bare. Sleeves were full, starting off her shoulders and ending above the elbows.

Queen Elizabeth IIs Wedding Dress

This beautiful queens dress was richly embroidered ivory silk with a satin train. The ball gown had a scoop neck, full skirt and long sleeves. It was embroidered with 10,000 seed pearls. The 15-foot train was made of delicate lace embroidered in the same pattern as the dress, including flowers, the white rose of York and wheat heads, a symbol of fertility. The queen wore a veil made of white tulle attached to a diamond tiara. Around her neck she wore a double pearl necklace.

It is said that Queen Elizabeth II had two wedding dresses. The first was worn when she married Prince Phillip and the second at her coronation when she wed the people of the United Kingdom. That dress was designed by Norman Hartnell who also designed her wedding dress. While the original design called for white satin and little embroidery, the final design remained white satin but was heavily and richly embroidered with plants or flowers to represent each of the entities that make up the commonwealth. The embroidery was in pastel colors and accented by gold and silver threads with diamonds, amethysts and colored crystals.

Grace Kellys Wedding Dress

She was a real fairy tale princess whose gown has been a timeless inspiration for brides since her wedding day in 1956. The gown was white satin with a high neckline and long sleeves. The bodice and sleeves were antique Valenciennes rose point lace. Twenty-five yards of silk taffeta and ninety-eight yards of tulle were used. Her headpiece fit close to her sleeved bridal gowns head with a fingertip length veil in front and longer veil in back. Her wedding dress and veil were designed by Helen of MGM studios and given to her as a wedding gift from the studios. She carried a small bouquet of lilies of the valley over a white Bible.

Princess Dianas Wedding Dress

Princess Diana had one of the most stunning and talked about wedding dresses ever created. Actually, there sequin homecoming dresses 2013 was more than one dress designed and made to keep the media guessing as to what she would wear on her wedding day. Immediately, brides all over the world wanted the full sleeved, full skirted over the top style of gown for their weddings.

Celine Dions Wedding Dress

This well known Canadian singers wedding gown was a stunning extravagance of white satin embroidered with crystals and pearls. The ball gown had a full skirt, sweetheart neckline and long sleeves and a 20-foot train. Her crowning glory was literally a crown consisting of 2000 Austrian crystals which weighed seven pounds. Attached to the headpiece was a Cathedral length veil. Before and after the wedding she wore a white fur coat to keep her warm.

Melania Trumps Wedding Dress

When you're marrying a Trump the sky's the limit. Melania Trump's wedding dress is rumored to cost nearly $100,000. Designed by Dior, the dress weighed close to 50 pounds and had a 13-foot train, complemented by a 16-foot veil. The veil was artistically arranged in a swirl pattern to match the swirls in her dress. The dress was in the mermaid style, fitted through the hips and flaring out starting about mid-thigh. While the bride had fittings for the dress, she had never walked in the gown until her wedding day and stumbled a bit when she first started down the aisle. Obviously, that dress was not meant for dancing. Melania changed into a simpler and much lighter dress for the wedding reception.

Wedding gowns have changed a lot since the Victorian ages, but theres still so much inspiration we can glean from yesterdays style icons. By blending your personal style and personality with some elements of these unforgettable wedding dresses, youre sure to have en elegant wedding dress that you and your guests will remember forever.

When Choosing A Prom Dress, Whose Opinion Matters The Most

The prom is an important milestone in a young girl's life, so much so, that she may start thinking about it while still in junior high. What a young girl sees in a movie about proms, may influence her expectations of her own prom. A girl has special memories of her prom night for years, especially when she remembers the dress she wore.

Many teen girls have a lot of fun - and a lot of stress - choosing their perfect prom dress. Hopefully, the fun will prevail over the stress! These pieces of advice will reduce stress and help you get a prom dress that looks good, fits your personality, and fits beautifully.

One problem is, of course, peer pressure and concerns over acceptance and acknowledgment from your peers at school. All girls say they want their dress to be unique. But when they are choosing a prom dress, customers may be afraid of what their friends and others might think, if they select a dress that is truly different. Each girl wants to have her own unique style, yet she wants to fit in with what her peers are wearing as well.

A customer looking for a prom dress usually wants her friends to approve it before she buys it. So even if she loves the dress, and it is the last one of its kind, she will probably not purchase it right away. Getting several opinions about your dress choices is always a wise decision. If you get opinions from friends, be careful and consider the source; whether they intend it or not, friends' opinions can be affected by their knowledge of your normal wardrobe, or their desire to not be upstaged by what you're wearing.

The store sales people will also offer their opinion. Their experience with a variety of styles and body types makes them a wonderful resource, and you should pay close attention to what they say. Though it is also important to consider your personality, the salesperson rarely knows you, which makes it easier for them to offer suggestions to you on styles that differ from your norm. Watch that the sales people don't suggest only the most expensive options for you. They may only have the desire to make a sale on their mind, and could be giving a dishonest assessment of how the color and clothing style work with your body type and skin tone. Look for a store known for honesty and experience. You can really pick up on the honesty of the salesperson, if they are telling you that an expensive dress doesn't really work on you.

Remember that you are the one who is going to be wearing the dress, so the ultimate choice is up to you. Friends and salespeople can be helpful, but YOU must like the dress also! Have fun, don't stress, and make sure that you open yourself to different possibilities when it comes to style. You may be quite surprised at what you come up with. Even if you have a unique style, don't be afraid to express yourself.