Opinions on strapless wedding dresses

[NotHRH]

Originally Posted by HRH Princess Sonya

Okay I have seen some beautiful strapless wedding dresses. However the truth of the matter is not everyone can wear them. That style does not flatter every woman. Secondly the wedding dress market was just flooded with strapless gowns that's all wedding dress designers were making. All of a sudden a wedding dress with sleeves looked old fashioned. I guess my wedding dress is now considered a relic. I was married in 1995 & my wedding dress had long lace sleeves. Maybe Kate's dress will make sleeves popular again.

A bride's sense of fashion and taste are the most important criteria to deciding wedding dress. Obviously, a deciding on a sleeveless dress has nothing to do with the ability to 'wear' or 'not wear.' Most people should and many do wear what they choose these days.
I do understand that your last post stated your opinion, and I understand where you are coming from. Frankly, most people these days do not hesitate to wear a style that does not flatter them. Unfortunately, for our sore eyes, it is all relative!

[MetalLaLa]

I'm getting married next October, and I will happily admit that I CANNOT STAND strapless wedding dresses! I understand its the prerogative of every bride to wear what she wants, and if it is a strapless one, then that's fine, but I feel like every bride I see in magazines, on tv, the internet etc seems to wear one. I'm still choosing my own wedding dress, and I have looked into the various royal brides of the past and present and I find it to be great research into the style I might go for, but it will definitely not be strapless! I for one do not want to have as the most memorable part of my wedding day to be constantly pulling up the front of my dress in fear of exposing myself to my husband and my guests

[Moonmaiden23]

The only time strapless wedding gowns really bug me is when they are worn in church..I think it is inappropriate, disrespectful and tacky.

Basically I agree with mommabee...they mostly all look the same.

[lady of hay]

Or loosing it like the daughter of a friend of mine almost did !!

[Sancia]

Originally Posted by MetalLaLa

I'm getting married next October, and I will happily admit that I CANNOT STAND strapless wedding dresses! I understand its the prerogative of every bride to wear what she wants, and if it is a strapless one, then that's fine, but I feel like every bride I see in magazines, on tv, the internet etc seems to wear one. I'm still choosing my own wedding dress, and I have looked into the various royal brides of the past and present and I find it to be great research into the style I might go for, but it will definitely not be strapless! I for one do not want to have as the most memorable part of my wedding day to be constantly pulling up the front of my dress in fear of exposing myself to my husband and my guests

I totally agree with you. Thanks God I found a not-strapless wedding dress when I married and it wasn't easy. I would have prefer a shoulder-covered wedding dress but it was almost impossible, so I chose a "bolero jacket" to get with.
Very few women can wear strapless gown and it is generally not flattering at all.
Furthermore, in a church, it is a lack of respect.

[Sternchen]

Didn't Princess Tessy of Luxembourg wear a strapless dress?

[KittyAtlanta]

Originally Posted by Moonmaiden23

The only time strapless wedding gowns really bug me is when they are worn in church..I think it is inappropriate, disrespectful and tacky.

Basically I agree with mommabee...they mostly all look the same.

I agree. Charlene might have a strapless or one-shoulder affair, but I'm sure she will wear a shawl or jacket when she lays her bouquet, if she goes into St. Devote Church.

[Mirabel]

Originally Posted by KittyAtlanta

I agree. Charlene might have a strapless or one-shoulder affair, but I'm sure she will wear a shawl or jacket when she lays her bouquet, if she goes into St. Devote Church.

Oh, I hope she doesn't wear strapless.
I used to like the style, but now I'm sick of seeing it. But it's hard to find anything else!

Why do all the designers continue to churn out strapless wedding dresses?
Don't they want something a little bit different from what everyone else is producing?

[KittyAtlanta]

It's "supply and demand." I have no preference as to what Charlene wears, as it is not inside a church building. However, I am hoping that she goes for something other than white or ivory. Buttercreme or very light gold would be wonderful, IMO. I think she will wear white (not bright white), tho. We'll see in just 2-1/2 days!!! I can't wait.

[Mirabel]

Originally Posted by KittyAtlanta

It's "supply and demand."

It can't be entirely suppy and demand, because some women are complaining that they'd like more variety, but can't find anything but strapless in all the stores.

And if you page through a magazine like BRIDES, every single dress pictured is strapless! Even if you'd like something else, it's difficult because there are so few alternatives.

[KittyAtlanta]

Few alternatives, yes. But, there are always dressmakers. As for "every single" wedding gown being strapless, that is not true. I accompanied my best friend and her daughter to a bridal shop that had plenty of gowns with all sorts of sleeves and then those that were strapless. The bride-to-be chose a strapless gown and then a custom-made over bodice made of a heavy lace with all those teeney covered buttons in the back. There are alternatives if you step outside the box.

[grammas26]

I made 2 bridal gowns for my daughters and it IS possible to find patterns with sleeves or variations thereto. Dunno what the fascination is with no tops to dresses...do they make it up with a superdeluxe train? In fact, I had a lot of fun making those dresses and the girls had input at every stage!

[IloveCP]

@Sternchen,yes she did.

http://xxllashes.files.wordpress.com...ssy-aniton.jpg

Sorry,I could not find a full picture.

[lancchick]

A video from the NYTimes talking about the wedding dress styles in New York this season and how it's still pretty much strapless despite Kate's fabulous lace sleeved dress. On the Street | Wedding Season - Video Library - The New York Times

[Sancia]

Dressmakers aren't easy to find and their dresses can be rather expensive, so many of us have no other choice than buying what the stores think we like.

[oliiesrabbit]

hmmmm, had to weigh in- as a clothing designer...( and an occasional wedding dress designer- )BUT there are SOOO many options in necklines- strapless or not- and I really do not think the ONLY option is strapless. I'm shocked how many people profess a hatred for them here! My gosh! they can be gorgeous- full of variety....etc.
Personally, I love strapless dresses and strapless wedding dresses for most any occasion ( that's what a cover-up shrug or jacket is for!)- but there are a million other styles I like ,too. In short- I love many different options..sleeves,etc....I can even go for sexy too- ( although too much cheap white fabric and shiny sequins kinda turns me off)...
-I actually wore a strapless wedding dress for my second wedding and I was 47 years old!- but I wasn't in a church,either.
- I would hope that any bride chooses what she wants-wear a church cover-up if necessary or desired and not worry about all the people that perhaps she imagines people are going to say about her! ( Just now- after reading this- 3 years later- should I be worried about how many people thought badly of me for wearing a strapless wedding dress?! lol! )
- As for royal weddings- I think that it is within the realm of possibility to wear a gorgeous strapless for certain royals- ( with a cover-up ,of course, for church,because adherence to religion is very important at those occassions....) -
but it IS the 21st century!- and I think royal families that totally ignore that are running into problems today!

[Mirabel]

Originally Posted by oliiesrabbit

hmmmm, had to weigh in- as a clothing designer...( and an occasional wedding dress designer- )BUT there are SOOO many options in necklines- strapless or not- and I really do not think the ONLY option is strapless. I'm shocked how many people profess a hatred for them here! My gosh! they can be gorgeous- full of variety....etc.

I don't hate them, or think they are tacky as so many people do; I am just very very tired of them.
And maybe you need to be a designer to perceive the variety, because, as someone mentioned, everyone looks the same...an extra ruffle on the skirt really doesn't change the style enough for people to take heed.

(And really, looking at that video, most of the women pictured would look much better in another style, imo. But I imagine they settled for strapless because they had little choice). Also, I don't like those shrugs or jackets, they seem like an afterthought.

[Renata4711]

Olliesrabbit As a clothing designer, what did you think of the Grace Kelly and the Kate Middleton designs ?

[chelly]

Originally Posted by Mirabel

I don't hate them, or think they are tacky as so many people do; I am just very very tired of them.
And maybe you need to be a designer to perceive the variety, because, as someone mentioned, everyone looks the same...an extra ruffle on the skirt really doesn't change the style enough for people to take heed.

(And really, looking at that video, most of the women pictured would look much better in another style, imo. But I imagine they settled for strapless because they had little choice). Also, I don't like those shrugs or jackets, they seem like an afterthought.

I am going to have to agree. I also didn't find any of the dresses in the video appealing. I am a little confused on why the narrator was calling them princess gowns, those are not what I would picture as a princess gown. The only one I would consider a princess type gown is what The Duchess of Cambridge wore.

[Ravine]

Hey Guys,
I personally didn't have a strapless dress, but it was sleeveless. I don't have the right shoulders for a dress like that but if I did I would have worn one because I love them, for me it reminds me of a fairytale dress. The princesses of Sweden often wear strapless dresses and I think they are both gorgous.
Princess Sarah al Feisal of Jordan had a strapless dress for her wedding, although to point out she had a more traditional wedding dress for the main ceremony. To be honest not completely sure which ceremony was which. Anyway she looked really beautiful in both dresses.
Also I cannot wait to see what Charlene will be wearing, my 3 year old daughter keeps bugging me to see the dress, she doesn't understand she's gotta wait like everyone else LOL.