DRESS VERSUS GOWN

Photo by Danielo
Okay, so . . . is there really a difference between a wedding gown and a wedding dress? I mean you hear designers and savvy merchandisers referring to what you wear on your big day as either gown or dress. So which is it?

Defined, gowns are anything to the floor and definitely ones with trains and/or extensions are considered super gown-worthy. For me the gown at its quintessential best is 'Harlowesque' lean-lined and clingy, something Hollywood designers borrowed for evening wear from sexy nightgowns back in the 1930s (hence comes the gown). The dress on the other hand can be any silhouette--even a ballgown--as long as it's ankle length or above. A good example of ballgown silhouette as dress is in the second image. BTW my favorite length and silhouette for bridal wear right now is Ballerina, just above the ankles and very full . . .

Photo: Sweet Light Studios

Dress and gown by Amy-Jo Tatum

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Keeping Your Gown Wedding Day Ready

Sometimes when we give a Bride her gown to take home, she will act almost as confused as Miss Utah.

Bless her heart

And we totally get it!

Having your Wedding Dress in your own safe keeping can be a little stressful.

Brides always ask us if we can hold on to their dress in our back room for them until they need it and even though we would love to, we just can't.

Here's why.

If we held on to every gown we sold for Brides, our back room would look like an episode from Hoarders, but without the gross dead animals.  And the old food.  And the stacks of newspapers.

Ok.

It would be nothing like Hoarders, but it would be WAAAY too crowded!

We sell a lot of gowns and we would hate to misplace or have something happen to your gown, so it's best if it stays with you.

Here are some tips to keep your Wedding Gown looking perfect for your Wedding Day.

1.  Store your Wedding Gown in a room that nobody goes in.  It might be a guest room, an office or if you're like some of us, your workout room.

Oh... you actually use yours?

Yeah, so do we.

2.  Make sure that children and animals DO NOT go into this room!  We once had a poor Bride whose cat decided to do the tango with her dress one night.

You can imagine what happened.

3.  If you have found a room with these requirements, you will want to take the dress out of it's bag, bring the train down and hang the gown high up so that it won't get wrinkled.

Like this

Just make sure that your gown is not in the sun or anywhere that water could get to it.

4.  Need to get a few wrinkles out of your dress and veil, but don't own a steamer?  Just hang them up in your bathroom when you are taking a shower and the warm steam will soften them.  Keep the water away from your gown though.

If you follow these steps we can't promise that everything else on your Wedding Day will be perfect, but at least your Wedding Gown will be!

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Destination Wedding? How To Get Your Wedding Gown There Safely.

 Over the years, Destination Weddings have surged in popularity.  

We would say about 4 out of every 10 brides we work with are getting married somewhere other than their hometown. 

 A question that we are constantly asked is 

"How do I safely get my dress to my destination?" 

Here is how. 

 First off NEVER and we mean NEVER pack your gown in your checked luggage.  

Have you flown Delta lately?  

Pretty sure they lose one of our bags every time we fly with them.  

   See. This kid flew on Delta.

 We have heard of Brides getting their luggage lost and resorting to buying the first white dress they saw when they got to their location.  

You want to take your dress as your carry on and don't get pressured into buying a special piece of luggage for you dress.  Just make sure that you have a breathable cotton-like garment bag to put your dress in.  

Don't get the plastic ones.  They tear easily and always give the gowns a funky smell. 

Secondly, don't let the dress out of your sight.  

Now brides, don't go too overboard on this, but just make sure that you know where it is at all times.  

If you stop by and grab a greasy, disgustingly delicious mess we like to refer to as a "Cinnabon", give yourself a high five and put the dress on a chair next to you until you are finished devouring it.  Don't leave it with your mom or Fiancé to look after it. 

 Third, as you board the plane inform the flight attendant that you have your wedding gown and ask where you should put it.  The key here is to be kind.  If you're not, it's going in the overhead bin.  If you are, they will hang in their little closet that they have for the flight attendants and pilots. 

 

Really American Airlines? 

Remember Brides, you get more flies with honey than vinegar. 

 That's it.  

Not too hard is it? 

 All you have to do is keep your seat backs and tray tables up until take off and you are ready to go. 

 Oh. 

 And does anyone else think it's kinda funny to have a life vest under your seat in case of a water evacuation?  We mean, unless you're flying with Captain Sully, I don't think you will be needing it.

 And don't even get us started with using the seat cushion for a flotation device.  

We think we'll pass. 

Gross.

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Do You Have What It Takes To Be On TV?

So, we got this email from a friend at TLC.

You may have heard of TLC, especially if you're a Bride.

Yes, that TLC.

Well, they are looking for Moms and Daughters that are getting married at the same time.

Does this sound like you?  You have to make sure when you send them your submission that you tell them that you heard about it from The Perfect Dress.  They are only finding Brides and their Bride Mothers through certain Bridal Shops.

Here is the info

Good Luck!

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Private, After Hours Appointments

We know how you feel.

You want shopping for your Bridal Gown to be an experience.

You want your family and friends to be there.

You want an attentive Bridal Consultant to focus on only you and your needs.

It doesn't always end up this way, does it?

We know that it can be frustrating for a Bride and her party to go to a shop where it is so busy, you feel like you can barely breath.  You've made an appointment, but you're sharing the mirror with what feels like 1,000 other Brides.  The chairs have been taken by other appointments, so your party has no where to sit.  And to make matters worse, your Bridal Consultant seems frazzled with everything that is going on.

Well, guess what?  It doesn't have to be this way!

The Perfect Dress is now offering Private, After Hours Appointments.

It's True!

You and as many guests as you like, will get the entire store to yourselves, along with an expert Bridal Consultant to help you choose your wedding gown. 

For all the information about our Private, After Hours Appointments call 

The Perfect Dress 

at

801-568-3737

And you thought Bridal Shops only did this for Stars and Royalty.

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Unveiling a New Bridal Gown

We love designing new styles!

We feel like there are Brides out there that want gowns that are unique, stunning and unforgettable.

You have seen our designs in the past.  Here are just a couple:

And now we are so excited to show you our new style!

This vintage inspired knit lace gown with Peter Pan pearl collar is probably our favorite style that we have designed!

The luxurious pearl collar that matches the edge of the sleeves is removable if that isn't your style, but if it is, you can also wear it with other outfits!  

Hello!

Who says your Wedding Dress can only be worn once!

The pearls continue down that back making real buttons (you have to excuse us not buttoning them all in this photo, that is why they aren't straight).

Would you wear this gown?

We hope you love it as much as we do.

If you have questions about this gown or want to try it on, call us at (801)568-3737

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An Event You Won't Want To Miss

We will be offering Special Bridal Packages and have a Representative from Maggie Sottero to help style you for your special day!      

Visit The Perfect Dress during this exciting event to view gorgeous styles from award winning designer, Maggie Sottero. Experience the unparalleled fit, innovative designs, luxurious fabrics, and hand-sewn embellishments of a Maggie Sottero gown. Don't miss this opportunity to view a large selection of Maggie Sottero gowns. Maggie Sottero. Impeccable Styling. Incomparable Fit.

To schedule an appointment please call 801-568-3737.    Appointments are limited, call today to schedule yours!

And remember, there is still time to enter our Twitter Giveaway!  Click >here< to enter!

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Are you following us on Twitter yet?

You aren't?

Well, you'll want to!

Here's why:

1.  We have Twitter Only Giveaways.  Yeah, that's right.  Twitter only and we'll be doing one next week.
2.  Hear about new Designers and Trends.
3.  Be the first to know about our Special Events, Trunk Shows and Sales.

You can find us on twitter as @PerfectDress1 or just click >here< to go to our page.

*Tweet, Tweet*

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Why Should You Make an Appointment to Try On Wedding Gowns?

If we only had one thing to tell our Brides, when it comes to trying on dresses, it would be to make an Appointment.

Why, you ask?

Well, one of our favorite Bloggers, The Brides' Maid, couldn't have said it better.  Click >here< to read her post on why it is so important to plan and make an appointment to try on Wedding Gowns.  She even tells you what days are the best to go shopping and what days to avoid like the plague.

And when you're ready, call The Perfect Dress at 801-568-3737 to make your appointment.

Happy Shopping!

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Are You As Excited As We Are?

Tell your friends, neighbors, Grandma and that weird guy that lives down the street from you
(well, maybe not him).

Our new Maggie Sottero, Spring 2013 Wedding Gowns are here!!!

I know that we have talked about it before, but there is nothing like a Maggie Sottero gown.  We have yet to find another designer that can fit a woman's body as well as they can and they have been one of the leading Bridal Designers in the Industry.

Here is a little preview of what new Maggie Sottero gowns you will see at our store.

Ok.

Now, pick your jaw up from off the ground, get to your phone and start dialing because it's time to make your appointment to come try these beauties on!

The Perfect Dress
801-568-3737

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SASHES, BOWS, FLORALS, BELTS AND RIBBONS

Gown by Amy-Jo Tatum Bridal

Photo By S1 Studio

There's a wide range of novelty belts, bows, sashes, trims and ribbons introduced into bridalwear lately. Until the 1980s, bridal was a field of little experimentation and typically a bridal gown was pretty but looked somwhat the same as the next gown. If you were a modernist and wanted to express yourself in a suit instead of an A-line, forget finding what you wanted on the racks. Besides, your mom might have freaked out at the prospect. All that's been relaxed thanks to a generation of designers and brides daring to go their own way. By way of ribbons, trims and sashes, designers have introduced color and different textures into the mix . The above gown is sashed in back with silk gauze, a fabric so light, it could be mistaken for angel wings.

Amy-Jo Tatum Bridal

Touches of the spectrum here. Blues and peaches merge to make up a tie-belt cincing the waist of a full skirt . . .

Amy-Jo Tatum Bridal

The best example of a self belt (means made out of the same fabric as the dress). Georgette linen and striped ribbon combine to make up this belt punctuated with a fabric rose.

Gown by Amy-Jo Tatum

Dress by Amy-Jo Tatum Bridal

Photo Stephanie Williams Photography

Above and below images of The APRIL dress from the Dioresque Collection. Gray satin tie belt is embellished in front by a fabric rose. Ties in the back falling the length of the dress . . .

Amy-Jo Tatum Bridal
Gown by Amy-Jo Tatum
A photo of my own wedding gown above shows that I put all the bells and whistles on one dress (and actually got away with it, I think). It had a 5 inch sash doubling around the waist and tying into a side-front bow. Pinned to the sash was a giant silk floral and tassel tie. The shoulder was embellished with handrolled silk dupion florals.

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NEW ON ETSY

Meet Fiona! This is an adaption of my evening gown silhouette clients love so much. Incredibly light and airy, it's made out of silk chiffon and lined in china silk (feels sumptuous on). The train is a diaphanous cloud of silk gauze dappled with tiny hand rolled organza florals.

Ordering this gown is a cinch. It can be found on my site, Amy-Jo Tatum Bridal Couture or Etsy. Best to call me 415.258.8204. I'm in The San Francisco Bay Area. I'll send out a good sized swatch of this fabric and linings. . . .

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UP AND DOWN: ALL ABOUT TRAINS AND BUSTLES

Back in the Middle Ages when fabric was in short supply, the length of one’s train conveyed a person’s wealth and standing. For Victorians, bustling the train was considered an art form with all kind of intricate floral and lace treatments. Today a gown with a train still suggests formality; typically the longer the train, the more formal the wedding. So what is a train exactly? A train is that extension in the back of the skirt that follows when you move. Read more

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BRIDE MAIL: THE PETITE BRIDE

BrideMail@Bridechic.com
I'm 5' and very small boned. Most gowns I've tried on are for women that are 5'6. This means whenever I get in front of the mirror I'm swimming in the dress. Almost any sleeve, belt, print or lace looks magnified on me. What are my options?

One of the most important things for the vertically challenged to remember is scale. If you're petite and in shape, you can wear just about any gown as long as you scale down to the right proportion. Also thinking vertically (up, up, up) it will be easier to figure out which treatments suit you best. For instance, choose a bodice and neckline that draw the eye up to your decolletage. Here's more to consider.

GO FOR

*A gown with a panel or seam(s) running up the front. The unbroken lines give you height.

*Empire waists like the one at left are one of your best options considering you go floor length. You want to keep that vertical line going.

*A V or U neckline will give the impression of a longer neck.

*A mermaid. If you're slim and petite consider this style. It's fitted like an evening gown up top and has all the bounce and swirl of a ball gown below.
*An A-line like the one pictured below. Think of it as your very own scaled down version of a ballgown.

*Sheath and evening gown silhouettes like the one below. Long and columnar, they will flatter you.

*Choose length over volume in your skirt.

*Sleeves that are long and straight like the ones opposite.

*Best proportion is a floor length gown with a veil or train of the same length.

*If you are wearing a gown with a train and/or veil, keep the length just brushing the ground.

PASS UP:
*Any ball gown. The volume in the skirts will consume you.
*Heavy, elaborate fabrics like brocade or any print or design that is large.
*Wide belts, sashes and cummerbunds interrupt the vertical lines you want to create. If you do wear a sash or belt go thin (1-1 ½ inches) and as close to the shade of your gown as you can get.
*Any design with big puffy sleeves or shoulder pads.
*Any train or veil longer than a sweep.


Gowns by Amy-Jo Tatum

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