Monday, June 29, 2009


The "Gluttony" bag was custom built for Twilight Art's group show "Ugly" (this bag is one of a kind, any interested parties contact Twilight Art until the end of July '09). This bag is intended for arts sake and, as such, is pretty much non-carriable due to it's excesses.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

A Guide to Finding Vintage Wedding Gowns

By Scott Nichols

Looking for a wedding dress is no longer a problem now, the only problem you'll encounter is what of wedding gown you like. Vintage wedding gowns are also gaining popularity over the years. Vintage wedding gowns are popular for its style and elegance. These gowns are also known to compliment almost every women. If you are a bride to be and is looking for a vintage wedding gown, you must think of some things first before purchasing any gown.


The Rules

Before buying any vintage wedding gown, you must follow some rules first. First is to make sure that you check carefully that there are no stains or rips on the wedding gown. When a wedding gown fabric has been stained, it is really hard to get it out especially if the stain has been there for years. This is also the case for rips or holes. Fabric and material of wedding gowns today are very different from before. And once there is a rip on your vintage wedding gown, it might be impossible to fix it especially finding a fabric that it almost the same as the fabric from the gown you bought.

The next rule is size. Your regular size for a wedding dress is different with your size on a vintage wedding dress so you will definitely look different in it. The general population has been growing taller and thicker while the clothing industry has been adjusting their sizes downward. That is why when looking for a vintage wedding dress, you need to look for a couple of sizes up so that the dress can fit you properly.

Another rule is keeping away from dresses that are too old because the fabric wears out through time. It is always a must that you take a lot of time when looking for a vintage wedding dress. You can also try stretching it out to see if the fabric is still in good condition. Keep in mind that any dress made before the 1900's is quite risky to buy and use on your wedding day.

One of the benefits of buying is the money you can save. That is why it is always good to have a budget when you shop for a vintage wedding dress compared to shopping for a regular wedding gown. But before you buy a vintage wedding dress make sure it fits your budget and you will not go overboard. With your budget, you will have an idea of which gowns are at your price range or not. This will also help you with the options you can choose from.

The last rule you should keep in mind is to have fun when choosing for you vintage wedding dress. Do not feel pressured and don't hurry in choosing the right gown. There are many gowns that are classic and elegant and one of them is just perfect for you.

CLICK HERE: Vintage Wedding Gowns Find Top Designer Wedding Gown SALES Today!

When Shopping For Vintage Wedding Dresses

By Sarrah Beaumont

There is something good to be said about wearing vintage wedding dresses. They are exquisitely made and amazingly designed considering their age, not to mention that you can actually wear your "something old" and show it off!

Still, shopping for vintage wedding dresses can be easier said than done since you have to contend with various issues like stains, rust and missing parts. Not to worry though if you have your heart set on a vintage wedding dress with these tips.

Check Your Measurements
Vintage dresses are often sized differently than the more modern clothes you shop for. As such, you should be armed with a full set of body measurements, your measurements of course, from your arms to your shoulders.

Better yet, buy a corset or a girdle and put it on before fitting on the dresses. This is because most women for whom the dresses were made often wore corsets and girdles to achieve a sculpted look. Besides, it will look good to have curves on your wedding day!

Check for Stains
Some stains are harder to remove than others. If you think that a stain will not come off and it shows in a very visible area, then you probably should just walk away and look for other vintage wedding dresses.

Some tips to help you remove stubborn stains from your dream vintage wedding dresses, which is assuming that it can be removed without going to a dress restoration expert of course.

* Place your dress in a bathtub filled with either lukewarm or cold water mixed with a gentle liquid detergent. Be sure to remove metal and plastic accessories first as these can add to your restoration problems. Soak it for at least 24 hours to loosen stubborn stains and lessen yellowish discolorations.
* Remove stains with a sudsy spray solution and then gently brushing them with a toothbrush. Just don't apply a club soda solution as it will worsen the stains, even make them settle more into the dress.

Whatever you do, avoid rubbing vigorously on the fabric. It can be fragile that any drastic wringing, rubbing, pressing and cleaning performed on it can make it fall apart. And then where would you be? Perhaps, you will be saying goodbye to anything vintage, wedding dresses or not, and that would be a shame.

Check for Missing Parts
Some vintage dresses may be older than your grandmother so checking for missing parts - buttons, embroidery, ribbons, and other stuff - is a must. If you can find a store that sells vintage accessories, it will be better for your restorative efforts.

If you don't have any knowledge of such a store, try looking for possible replacements. Some stores may even carry reproductions of vintage accessories that you can use to cover up the missing parts.

If you have your bridal heart set on vintage wedding dresses but can't find one that meets your requirements in terms of it being able to withstand wear for more than 8 hours, then you can always ask to have it reproduced. There is no shame in that and you can even pass it to your daughter!

OnlineBridalShop.ca sells bridesmaid dresses - mother of the bride dresses and wedding dresses in all colors. Visit them now!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Walk Down The Aisle In A Vintage Wedding Dress

By Tania Penwell

You will rarely find a girl who doesn't grow up thinking about the big day when she would tie the knot with her prince charming! Every girl loves to imagine how stunning and ravishing she would look on her wedding day! And why not? It is you day and you have every right to outshine all others present in the wedding hall!

While every bride looks special in the night of wedding day, you can make it even more special with the touch of your unique sense of style. Let others swim through the stacks of wedding gowns in the designer stores and juggle between the budget and their choice - you take the easier route to the style statement; go for vintage wedding dress.

So what is a vintage wedding dress?

As with jewelry, in the world of dresses also you will find two terms 'vintage' and 'antique' used side by side creating a good deal of confusion.

There is a little difference between these two terms.

Antique dresses are those made in 1920 or earlier. "Vintage" is a term that is generally used to refer to the dresses that were made 25 or more years ago.

What is special about vintage wedding dresses? Why should you opt for one?

Just recall the scene from Sound of music where Julie Andrews set the screen on fire in her classical bridal get up! The satins, the laces, the flare, the feminine neckline-everything makes the bride look like a character from the pages of fairy tale!

This is precisely the essence of the vintage wedding dresses-they transport you back to a forgotten era!

The vintage wedding dress becomes a must, when your wedding ceremony is based on a historical theme. The bride and groom taking the vow dressed in vintage wedding gowns and suits add drama to the entire ceremony.

Then modern couples are increasingly choosing the castles or other historical palaces as their wedding venues and in that case, only a vintage wedding dress can do justice to the whole arrangement.

There is another case when, the bride and groom go for classic dressing style-when they are passionately in love with the Hollywood classics like "It Happened One Night." These are the likes of movies that inspire today's couples to dress like the stars of the yester years.

But most important reason why you should consider buying a vintage wedding dress is: they exemplify the extra ordinary craftsmanship and exquisite details for half or less prices that you are expected to pay for an off-the-rack dress with comparable detailing.

Things to keep in mind when you are buying your dream dress

Don't get swayed away by the magical old world charm of these elegant dresses-being old means they invariably carry some imperfections like odors, slight strains, missing buttons, torn up laces and so on. But don't get worked up-they are easy to repair. While bargaining, keep these hidden costs in mind.
One thing you must be very careful of and that is the size. Always check the exact measurement; this will help you get the perfect size for your body type.

If you are buying online, deal only with renowned sellers and also read descriptions of the dress carefully.

Looking for the best place to buy vintage wedding dress? Here are some great places to start with:

  • Vintage store or antique stores. Thrift stores for the 70's and 80's fashion.
  • Ebay makes a reliable source for vintage dresses.
  • The Frock.com for higher end items.
  • Vintagegown.com for high end, exclusive items.
  • VintageVixen for budget conscious. One advantage of this shop is they sell deadstock dresses that have never been worn.
  • Isadora's for excellent quality items, but the stock is not exactly large.

So you'll find that it's not too difficult to take your vows in a classic setting for a truly beautiful occasion!

Tania Penwell provides information on vintage wedding dresses and other kinds of wedding dresses & bridal gowns for The Wedding Blogger - your guide to weddings online.

Friday, June 19, 2009

The Modern Vintage Wedding

By Laura Firenze



You may be asking yourself, how can I design a wedding that pulls together the best from the past, while still feeling fresh and current? The answer: a modern vintage style wedding. Read on for ideas on how to combine these two contrasting styles into one fabulous event.



The idea of vintage is to enjoy the best that the past has to offer. That can mean anything from physical elements, such as gowns and flowers, to more esoteric things like customs and rites. Many couples like the idea of paying their respect to the beauty of weddings past, and yet also wish for their wedding to have the unique and personal feeling of today's weddings. The idea is to take your inspiration from past eras without trying to recreate a wedding from a bygone time.



The way to bring vintage and modern together successfully is to mix them shamelessly. For example, a Victorian style wedding gown would be made of lace and have a high collar and long sleeves (a revival that was popular in the 1980s). The updated version would feature a beautiful soft lace, but the cut of the gown would be much more streamlined and pared down, such as a spaghetti strap lace sheath wedding dress.



Your accessories can also give a nod to the past while still feeling fresh and updated. One of the hottest accessories on the red carpet this year was the clutch handbag. This style of bag has been in style in many different time periods, and you can find some fantastic original vintage beaded clutches in antique shops or even on ebay. Handmade wedding jewelry is another detail that is perfect for the modern vintage wedding. Choosing pieces of jewelry for your wedding that are handmade one by one from beautiful gems like pearls and crystals goes back to a time when craftsmanship was revered.



Another great element for a modern vintage wedding is letterpress stationery. This is a very old style that has become very much in vogue over the last five or ten years. You will often find letterpress invitations with cool retro motifs such as birds. The color palettes are also that cool retro modern look; you see lots of brown, mixed with pink, sky blue, or mint green. It is the perfect way to set the tone for a modern vintage wedding.



Your wedding favors are an area where you can have a lot of fun being creative. Pick ones that fit in with the general tone of your wedding, but don't worry about matching too exactly. An easy idea for an updated vintage favor would be the classic Jordan almonds, which symbolize the bitter and the sweet of marriage. Instead of putting them in the ubiquitous tulle bags, which would just look old fashioned, give your favors a more modern twist by placing the Jordan almonds into a glassine bag sealed with a sticker with your wedding motif on it.



For your wedding decorations, you can use wonderful flowers with an old-fashioned look like big bunches of peonies, garden roses, or hydrangea. Casually arranged in less formal vessels such as mis-matched vases, you will have centerpieces that are very pretty without feeling stuffy or overdone. This relaxed elegance is at the heart of a modern vintage style wedding.



Laura helps brides with their wedding plans by offering advice on selecting bridesmaids gifts, reception ideas and other aspects of planning a wedding. For something unique, take a look at handmade wedding jewelry



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Firenze