BRIDAL GOWNS : Something New: Simple Styles for the Walk Down the Aisle

After years of sporting gowns that were a fuss of pearls and lace, brides are finally saying “I do” to simpler wedding dresses.

Those traditional bridal gowns with huge, puffed sleeves and elaborate trim are being left at the altar. In their place are gowns with clean lines and little ornamentation.

Fine fabrics such as silk, tulle and satin are giving the gowns that needed elegance for the big day. If lace and beading is used at all, it is judiciously placed on the bodice and skirt--not piled on like frosting on a wedding cake.

Such simplicity in bridal wear is a welcome change for bridal designer Janell Berte.

“The clean dresses are coming back, and the traditional looks are starting to fade. That thrills me because that’s always been my look,” says Berte, owner of Janell Berte

Bridal in Santa Ana.

“The gowns went to such an extreme that designers couldn’t take them any further. Scaasi gowns were weighing 50 pounds. What more could they do to them?”

Now, gown designers are pulling back, letting one or two design details such as a basket weave trim or silk roses keep the gowns from looking plain. One of Berte’s gowns, for example, has no ornamentation save for quilting down the front, with beads on the cross points.

“That’s the only decoration, and we’re getting a lot of calls on that gown,” she says. Berte’s gowns average about $1,700 to $2,800.

At The Bride in Newport Beach, one off-the-shoulder gown by Scaasi uses sculpted folds of fabric that form circles around the bodice and shoulders ($2,700).

“There’s not a piece of adornment on that dress,” says Gwen Jordan, co-owner of The Bride.

Jordan attributes the emphasis on fabrics and details to the brides’ changing tastes.

“Brides are a little older and more sophisticated. They know fabrics. They appreciate the feel and construction of a really fine garment,” Jordan says.

Minimalist wedding gowns tend to be fitted to the body and molded at the shoulder.

“We’ve gotten rid of pouf sleeves. Gathers around the armhole are not the thing to do at this point,” Berte says.

Mermaid gowns that snugly encased the body then flared out at the knees now look like fish out of water. Instead, brides are turning to sheaths that just skim the body, or gowns with full skirts.

Some dresses come with skirts of sheer tulle that make the bride appear to float down the aisle.

“The tulle gives the gown a look of elegance,” says Susan Cox, clothing buyer for Ferndales bridal shop in Orange, which has been selling a growing number of tulle gowns.

In keeping with the simple look, color has disappeared almost completely from the gowns, Cox says. Fewer brides are experimenting with pinks or other pastels.

“Everything’s either white or ivory,” she says.

To balance off the gowns, headpieces have also been scaled down. Instead of beads and sprays of silk flowers shooting off in every direction, the headpieces often feature a clutch of silk roses, a single bow or a cap worn toward the back of the head.

“The simpler headpieces have a lot to do with the hairstyles--they’re more natural-looking,” Jordan says. “Often, the hair is pulled to the back. There’s not a lot of froufrou hanging in the bride’s face.”

Tiny pillbox hats with veils attached are turning up at many weddings. One style at The Bride features an intricate crochet design ($560).

“It’s like a work of art. I tell the brides after they’ve worn it they should put it under glass,” Jordan says.

Although it’s hardly romantic, brides’ changing tastes are influenced by the economy, Jordan says.

“The brides usually come in with an idea of just how much they can spend. That figure has come down,” she says.

The Bride has seen the average price customers are willing to spend on a gown drop from about $2,500 to below $2,000. Wedding gowns range from $500 to $7,000 for the priciest gown.

“Right now, brides are very confused,” Berte says. “Maybe their sister got married five years ago and she had an expensive dress, but now the family has got to cut back a little. Unfortunately, where they’re cutting back is the gown.”

To accommodate the range of budgets, Berte created a line of bridal coordinates that feature a set of five sheaths from a plain silk to an all-over lace style. The sheaths can be paired with five skirts of varying styles, including a wrap skirt of sheer tulle and a full silk satin skirt. When combined, the pieces look like one gown but the skirt can be dropped off in the car before the reception.

Her collection also includes a long silk jacket with a camisole that can go with a short miniskirt, palazzo pants, leggings, a long chiffon skirt or a lace tube dress. The coordinates range from $150 for the camisole to $1,800 for the lace sheath.