Vintage wedding dresses are more popular than ever – here’s how to find your perfect style
Ruben B. Hughes
3 min read
Vintage fashion is having a moment – and its popularity is set to continue, as we all become more aware of our impact on the planet. From Archive Red Carpet Looks on our favorite celebrities for Princess Beatrice reworks the Norman Hartnell dress that once belonged to her grandmother on her wedding day, second-hand fashion has never been so popular.
As a nation, the UK buys more clothes per person than any other country in Europe – and around 300,000 tonnes of used clothes are burned or buried in landfills every year, according to green peace. This has a huge impact on the environment, and we should all be doing better by making more responsible purchasing choices. By choosing vintage, we are able to breathe new life into clothing – and we use what is already available, rather than opting for something brand new, which ultimately leads to more waste.
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celebrities wearing vintage
Much like the celebrity world, shoppers have an appetite for second-hand fashion. Use of the search term “vintage” has more than doubled over Lyst fashion shopping app in the past year alone, with designer brands such as Mugler and Jean Paul Gaultier being particularly popular. It’s also making its way into the bridal industry, with interest in vintage bridal and wedding dresses jumping 39% year over year.
Brides who want to go this route have never had more choices. Used design specialists like Communal changing room, Used Farfetch, William Vintage, 1st Dibs and I hardly ever wore it all make shopping for vintage fashion online easier than ever, while there are also a host of amazing vintage shops dotted across the UK.
It’s worth noting that being responsible doesn’t stop at vintage shopping, as brides are also choosing to rent used pieces. “Wedding rentals continued to generate significant interest on the By Rotate appsays founder Eshita Kabra-Davies. “Our ‘Something Borrowed’ collection saw a 700% increase in views year over year, which we imagine will increase further given the sheer number of weddings planned for this summer.”
“With our pop-up store in Marylebone offering wedding and bridesmaid appointments, many brides have come to try and rent vintage wedding dresses from us.”
If you’re considering following this growing trend, hoping to be more eco-friendly for your upcoming nuptials, follow our tips below to find the perfect vintage wedding dress.
Don’t be afraid of small imperfections
Part of the beauty of vintage is that each piece has a previous owner and an interesting history. That said, it does come with some small imperfections that you don’t get with new parts. When shopping in-store at vintage boutiques, be sure to ask about fabrics and ease of cleaning if there are any stains or marks on the piece – sometimes all an item needs is a freshen up to feel brand new.
“When you’ve invested in a new second-hand item, wash the garment first,” says Frej Lewenhaupt, CEO and co-founder of Steam Stockholma skincare brand that works to extend the life of clothes.
“Always follow care label instructions or, if it’s a delicate material, you may need to hand wash your new treasure.” he advises. “Be sure to wash the garment, remove any pilling, cut any loose threads and spray it. You can end up using a mildly scented fabric spray to give the garment a fresh scent.”
Shopping online is a little trickier because you can’t really get a feel for a piece, so take extra time to read the fine print when buying vintage online.
Video: Bride shares tips for cutting wedding costs in viral video (Newsweek)
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“Be sure to read the description of the dress carefully to determine its condition. Any tears, marks or stains may be difficult to repair or dry clean,” notes Erin Gunn, private client stylist at Farfetch.
Trim and find a good tailor
“An important thing to note is that vintage sizes are generally smaller than regular clothing, depending on the decade,” says Gunn. “So measure yourself accurately first and pay close attention to online size measurements.”
She adds, “Trust your tailor, not many people can buy off the rack without alterations. Going up the size makes it much easier for your tailor to pick something up than having to release fabric.”
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© Twitter/Royal Family
Princess Beatrice wedding dress
Take inspiration from Princess Beatrice and turn a dress into something new that better suits your taste and style. The royal opted to add puff sleeves and removed the petticoats and bubble hem, replacing them with silk trim.
keep an open mind
When Molly Whitehall first got engaged, she knew she wanted something vintage. “I love vintage clothing and I loved the idea of finding a unique dress that had a story and lived a life before me,” she told Us. “Vintage felt like such a special and unique option for a wedding dress.”
Whitehall, who found the dress of her dreams William Vintage (that you can rent here), notes that it is important to keep an open mind. “Try to embrace vintage for all it is – unique, special, full of character and history, enduring,” she says. “He may have his imperfections, but that’s part of his unique charm and story.”
© Divine Day Photography
Molly Whitehall vintage wedding dress
“On the morning of my wedding, when I put it on, it made me think of who might have worn it in the 1930s and I imagined who she was and what her wedding day was like,” she said. she recalls. “The little imperfections are what make it unique and give it its story. That’s the beauty of vintage.”
Michele Côté also went vintage on her big day and echoes Whitehall’s advice: “Keep an open mind for what you want when it comes to going vintage because everything is one of a kind. , it can be fun finding different colors and challenging the definition of what a wedding dress means to you. 1st dibswhich is a great place to look for inspiration.”
Consider Non-Wedding Options
Just because you’re looking for a vintage wedding dress doesn’t mean you can’t expand your search outside of the bride to find this one. Researching different eras and finding styles you like can help make your search more fruitful, rather than generally searching for a “vintage wedding dress.”
“Searching for key terms of styles you might be looking for like crochet, lace, romantic 70s style dresses or designers like Sandstone and others you might like are great ways to discover styles which are not necessarily intended for weddings but will go,” advises Alice Hebrard Lemaire, vintage expert Collective locker room.
“Broaden your search to a broader range of vintage pieces that could work as wedding attire,” she says. “I’m getting married in a 1971 YSL rive gauche trouser and blouse set, which was part of the ready-to-wear collection and which happens to be white, but which is above all elegant.”
“I would also recommend not just looking for labels, but also for handmade pieces. Until the 80s and the rise of ready-to-wear, many people sewed themselves or worked with seamstresses to create unique looks, in very beautiful fabrics, so they are worth looking at.”
