Original 'vintage' wedding dresses are enjoying a revival right now and many Brides are opting for an era gown over a what is often more expensive designer gown. Why? The reasons are varied, but more often than not, Brides are after that sense of a 'one-off' that designer gowns can't guarantee. There is something so alluring about a dress steeped in often unknown history and that has collected small imperfections over the years, that adds to it's overall character and uniqueness. If I had my day again, I would most certainly have opted for a vintage wedding gown over a designer gown.
So, it was with great delight that I discovered Heavenly Vintage Brides recently, and made a connection with vintage dress buyer and restorer extraordinaire, Helena Butler. Helena has worked in fashion for over twenty years, in all areas from hairstyling for international fashion shows, to professional footwear and accessories design and the range of her experience has given her a great eye to spot a hidden gem, as well as the technical skills to completely transform a vintage piece, restoring all its original beauty…
"It was my own wedding 20 years ago! I knew I wanted something really special. I’d looked at modern dresses, but just couldn’t see that perfect one. So I worked with my sister Anna to create a wonderful 50's dress from a vintage pattern and an original 50's ivory silk satin. I received so many compliments and requests to do the same again.
At the time there was very little genuine vintage available. Now that it’s in fashion all these amazing dresses that have been stored away in chests for up to 100 years have literally come out of the closet! And if you know the right places to look, there are some wonderful finds – although they do need a bit of loving care to make them "shine" again!"
Love My Dress Wedding Blog – Photography Copyright (c) 2010, Heavenly Vintage Brides
What a stunning vintage wedding dress above, just absolutely beautiful.
"I love all areas of fashion but my real passion is for vintage, for the grace and glamour of each bygone era – whether its the elegance of the 30s or the prettiness of the 50s.
I work from my studio in West London, where I have around 50 stunning vintage wedding dresses at any one time. Clients are always welcome to visit me and to try any on…"
"All vintage dresses – from any era – have a subtlety and glamour in contrast to the stiffer, heaver weight and feel of many contemporary wedding gowns.
I particularly love the 30s slipper satin, bias cut gowns with their deceptively simple, elegant pared-down aesthetic. I can't resist the allure of the flirty 50's full skirted prom-style dresses. And as a child of the 70's myself, I can't resist the floaty romantic maxis of that decade. But there are great styles from every era – there's even aspects of the 80's that are fantastic, their figure-hugging draping can be so glamorous and sexy.
Really, I just look for dresses I'd love to wear myself! The great thing about vintage is that every era has something special to offer – whatever type of wedding you're dreaming of, I can show you a beautiful, glamorous style to help you look fabulous on your day. And my brides look so beautiful on their special days – that's incredibly rewarding to see. I'm always thrilled when I get photos back from a client, and see one of the special pieces I've carefully and lovingly restored brought to life by a radiant bride."
"Many people are surprised at how affordable high-quality vintage is. I can show you really unique and special dresses starting from around £350/£500 – for example gorgeous floaty 70's maxi dresses, or short, cute 50's cocktail styles. At the top end of my price scale even the most exquisite pieces are a fraction of what they would cost new. For example, the stunning 60s Dior dress on my blog is £1,250 , while a new Dior dress of this quality could cost several times that.
Another favourite of mine is the most astonishingly beautiful 30's transparent dress with a silk slip underneath for £1500, still less than most new bridal gowns, and it is a truly remarkable dress. Most of my dresses are priced somewhere in the middle, with stunning examples of 30's satin bias cut gowns being around £800/£900."
"I try very hard to find dresses which are special and distinctive so each of my brides will be wearing something completely unique. And sometimes the history of a dress is fascinating; I have one beautiful Victorian dress which I bought from a young woman in the USA – her grandmother had worn it in the Wild West as a pioneering bride 100 years ago, yet it looks so simple and elegant it could be Chanel!
Another favourite is a the 60's short silk crepe dress with maribou trim, made by christian Dior. This lovely dress was worn in a Hollywood film, and has a simplicity and beauty which is very rare.
Gorgeous vintage lace – I have such a thing for it!
What a great insight into the mind of a passionate and highly experienced vintage wedding dress restorer.
For further information, visit the Heavenly Vintage Brides website, blog or email Helena directly.
I'm keen to know, are you going 'vintage'? And what are your reasons for doing so? Do leave a comment below, I'd love to hear from you 🙂
Much love and see you again tomorrow morning 🙂
Annabel xXx
♥
Annabel View all Annabel's articles
Founder of Love My Dress. Passionate Podcaster and Editor. Annabel lives in rural North Yorkshire with her husband and business partner Philip, their two daughters and menagerie of furry hounds. She loves photography, meditation, walking, being outdoors and star gazing. She is fierce when it comes to championing talent within the wedding industry and when she's not working on Love My Dress, she supports her husband Philip in the running of the family's sustainable flower farm and floral design business, Moonwind Flowers. In 2013, she became a published author.
