AMELIA GANTT

April is the month of bridal fashion shows. Warmer months means outdoor weddings! After analyzing designers that took over the Spring Bridal 2020 New York Fashion Week, we have found all of the lastest trends. Whether you are the bride or a wedding guest, Pulse Magazine will help you find the perfect look for your exciting day!

Bohemian

A new-wave bohemian style was the center of Temperley London’s dress collection at the Bridal NYFW, and you can spot the influence of this illustrious style in many more designers’ (like Laure De Sagazan) collections this season. London introduces the idea of an off-white color scheme; the fabric of many dresses or veils in this collection is leaning towards gold, and the majority are laced with dots or flowers and golden beading. These dresses are loved because of their ethereal, earthy and authentic aspects; leaning away from a ball-gown style, these dresses are a naturally beautiful A-line to emphasize the natural form. Interestingly, these designs also seem fused with a vintage feel, hinting towards 1920’s France or the Italian coast of the ’60s.

Lace, Lace, Lace

Lace is back! Perhaps because big, princess dress ball gowns are becoming less popular, and a simpler cut of dress is in style, designers are focusing on the intricacies of each dress. Vera Wang’s and Monique Lhuillier are showcasing their immense detail in a new way: decadent crochet lace on sheer tulle with another light layer of tulle above. Going further, many dresses are almost completely sheer. Designers are making ethereal lace the forefront of their dresses by showcasing sleeves and rising necklines of their detailed lace, adding a beautiful exterior texture to the simply elegant gown itself.

Plunging Necklines

A new bridal neckline is in town. It’s what’s called the “plunge neck” and designers are using it at every turn. It’s a low cut that works best with that A-line cut and one that implements a high waist drop. This is a very modern cut, but it can be paired with a light and flowy, fitted, or a poofy bottom and always works. One incredible look from Vera Wang’s 2020 collection uses this cut on an all tulle dress with a ballgown bottom that looks the opposite of heavy; layers of the softest tool and a loose top make the dress look effortless yet intricate. It’s a modern Cinderella story.

Silk

Silk evocates a very specific emotion. Soft but mature, sexy but elegant. Designers are using the vintage elegance of silk in many ways this year; Caroline Herrera’s collection featured an all-silk trumpet cut with a bow, another with fabric layover on the bodice, and a ¾ sleeve A-line with a low back and a high-to-low train. An example of its power: every dress in Carly Cushnie’s Spring 2020 collection is silk! One of the most noticeable in the collection is a fitted gown with a square neckline and a train attached at the waistline. Cushnie seems to be influenced by that old Hollywood glam style that never gets old.

A New Tulle

It’s the fabric that shows up in almost every collection: tulle. This spring has brought dresses of elegance and effortlessness, but an airy quality can we see in all of them. If you don’t want the gigantic silk ballgown, designers have layered the lightest tulle to make a fairy-tale dress. Many of the dresses in Vera Wang’s collection are entirely this light, sheer, tulle, which creates a structure that is defined by the woman wearing it. Marchesa uses the sheer tulle to layer beautiful beaded designs over thicker fabric below. Herrera pairs a poofy tool bottom with a sheer, lacy, corset bust.

What to Wear to the Wedding

Maxi/Midi Classics

No more tights! Midi and maxi lengths are fashionable with any genre of wedding: for a black-tie event, choose an elegant, darker jewel-tone silk maxi, for the more casual outdoor, a flowy, floral midi dress is everyone’s favorite. For this season, check out the new styles of layered or pleated midi dresses.

The Wrap Dress

This is my favorite cut for outdoor weddings. Although it’s a staple of more casual dresses, what’s great about this cut is that it’s fashionable and looks great at every occasion. The nature of the wrap gives off a delicate and breezy feel, perfect for the springtime. A wrap bust leading into a more structured skirt would be a great feature at a more formal, indoor wedding.

Delicate Florals

The past couple of years have been the years of floral. Delicate daisies to large orchids can be found (and would be gorgeous) on every cut, color, and structure of dress on this list. This year’s trends of bridal dresses also show how influential elements of nature are on wedding attire (flowers in the hair, beaded or laced flowers and fern patterns on the dresses) especially for Spring!

Bold Colors

Cherry reds, royal blue, bright orange, and electric violet, these colors are finally in season! But, it’s not 2012 anymore and bold colors are being worn in a new way. Still influenced by the wave of 80s/90’s nostalgia, hints of bolder hues with a modern touch are all the rage. Look for modern cuts with a colorful twist. If attending a more formal wedding, you can absolutely rock an eye-popping color, but try to find a dress of a solid color, while at an outdoor function mix and match as many hues together as you could imagine!

Rock the Fit

Don’t be afraid to draw a little attention. Helping you do so is the in-season, empire, drop-waist cut. This design doesn’t fall all the way to the floor, so although the shape is breathtakingly elegant, it looks almost effortless, molding to your shape naturally with a peplum hem at the bottom. Even though this cut is so unique and eye-catching, I’ve seen many designs with every type of pattern, as well as solid bold colors as well.