Wedding Fashion Trends 2010: Ruffles!

"This year's wedding season brings with it several old wedding gown favourites, spun in new and exciting twists. One such reborn favourite is the ruffle."..

It was once said that "..the more things change the more they stay the same." This statement most certainly applies to weddings. Bridal gowns, for example, are almost always some shade of white. They are long, and elegant and are rarely confused with any other type of dress. So, if a wedding dress is always just a wedding dress, why do we anxiously await each year's new designs? The answer is simply in the subtle changes. The changes that distinguish one wedding season from another and make the timeless tradition of bridal attire something of a fashion beacon.

Lazaro #3951 wedding dress by JLM Couture

Ruffles, ruffles, RUFFLES!

This year's wedding season brings with it several old wedding gown favourites, in new and exciting twists. One such reborn favourite is the ruffle. Although ruffles are certainly nothing new in the bridal fashion world, their reappearance after many years of long, plain gowns certainly makes them fresh, different and most certainly cutting edge.

For 2010, we see ruffles adorning full skirts, hem lines, bodices, and even jackets and veils. They are simply, everywhere!

What are ruffles?

Ruffles are basically strips of fabric that are gathered along one edge and are used as trimming on dresses, bags, blouses etc.

Ruffled (wedding?) clutch by JCrew

Custom ruffled skirt by by Fancyful Twist

For 2010, ruffles will be used in all aspects of bridal wear; however, their main use will be apparent in wedding dress skirts. Ruffled Skirts will adorn dresses of all shapes this year, from A-line silhouettes, to mermaid skirts and full ball gowns. In order to give brides options, designers have added both horizontal tiers and vertical ruffles to their 2010 line up.

Horizontal Tiers

Tiers create horizontal lines that cut into the long, unbroken line of the dress. They add shape to skirts and as a result, create wider silhouettes.

• Pros: The tiered dress adds character to an otherwise plain skirt and allows the bride to dance and twirl with ease!
• Cons: This style is best suited to tall, thin figures. Unfortunately, full bodied brides would look wider in a horizontal tiered dress and petite brides would look smaller and shorter, especially if the tiers (or ruffles) occur near the hem.

Vertical Ruffles

Vertical ruffles stream down the length of a skirt to create long wavy lines. The look becomes ethereal yet whimsical adding texture and dimension to the garment.

• Pros: This long stream of ruffles creates the illusion of length making this style option excellent for petite and pear shaped brides.
• Cons: Hmmm..a dress that makes you look taller and thinner? We can't think of a con here unless of course you are already tall and thin, in which case, see "horizontal tiers" above.

Less Ruffles?

As with any hot fashion trend, ruffles will excite many brides while others may feel more comfortable in the straighter, simpler lines of seasons past. If you are one of those brides that aren't crazy about all that extra trimming on your dress, you still have the option of choosing a much simpler silhouette: Just add a little ruffle on one little part of your day's attire to make your look hot for 2010.

Fashion trends keep something as time honoured as a wedding dress fresh and exciting and even though we try to stay connected with what is new, we must always honour our body and pick a dress that suits our individual shape, size and style, ruffle or not.

Destiny #1235 by Alfred Angelo

More?

• see Oscar de la Renta's 2010 collection (lots of ruffles here!)
• Eden Bridals as well as Alfred Sung have lots of examples of ruffles done right, too.
• Check out these, plus many more collections in the gown section of our directory.
Happy surfing!

Oscar de la Renta #6 & #9 from the 2010 Collection