Ok, so I’m going to let you in on a very strong opinion of mine, one that you may or may not agree with. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, right, and they’re not always right or wrong. But in this case, I feel a bit more right than wrong. I’ll explain why.
I loathe sleeveless wedding dresses.
Loathe.
But the thing is, it’s not your fault. You. The bride, it’s your blessed day, and these crap wedding designers are apparently incapable of making sleeves. SLEEVES.
Now, from a sewer’s point of view, sleeves are a pain. A major, major, major pain. Seriously. They are the point of discontent amongst designers and sewers. They’re tricky buggers where one might go in with ease and no new gray hairs, but that second sleeve. OH, that blasted second sleeve. Dream on. It won’t fit, it’s too big, it’s too small, the armhole is different, the fabric is fraying. The list goes on and on and on. Damn you sleeves.
But I’m an amateur. If you’re making commercial, designer, expensive wedding gowns, you better know how to put a damn sleeve in. Or at least be able to hire a seamstress who does.
I am sick to death of strapless wedding gowns and even gowns with little straps. Plus, I really don’t think they’re all that flattering for most body types. I am a busty girl, and a strapless dress/top is tricky business. It doesn’t stay up very well, and then you get these weird fat rolls under your armpits which make you look like a total porker. It’s not a good look.
If you’re thin, then strapless isn’t so miserable, but do you really want to look just like all your friends, sisters, cousins? Just because you have a princess neckline compared to your cousin Jenny, it doesn’t really make it all that different.
Again, it’s not your fault. It’s the designers. Every wedding I’ve been in or went too, the bride was either in spaghetti straps or strapless. These girls are my best friends. I love them, and they’re all fashionable and well dressed. They looked beautiful on their days, but I can’t help but to be irked by the fact they didn’t really have a huge option of sleeves.
But luckily, I have been doing some research on wedding gowns with sleeves. Blessed, hide everything (i.e. jiggly arm bits we all loathe). I also want to send a personal loud thank you to Princess Victoria of Sweden, who wore little cap sleeves on her amazing wedding gown this June. It was fabulous.
Ok. Enough complaining. Now to the pictures! And I do understand if you don’t like some of these. That’s not always the point, it’s to show that there is now becoming a wider selection of wedding gowns with sleeves, that don’t make you look like you’re a grandmother or like a Renaissance Faire reject (not hating on RenFaires, I’ve attended many in my day, I’m just commenting on the bad costumes…I have a degree to validate my opinions. Honest!).
This is great, because if I ever manage to get my sambo to get hitched, I am not wearing a strapless or sleeveless dress. I want my sleeves!
I die. Princess Victoria of Sweden. Obsessed. Perfect off-the-shoulder with little sleeves. Antique lace veil and Empress Josephine’s crown from Napoleon. All together now, *sigh*.
Even little sister Princess Madeleine wore off the shoulder lace sleeves.
Well, I think we now understand why designers went with the strapless/sleeveless look. 1980s…awesome. Plus, is that a young Cindy Crawford?
Duchess Kate Middleton at the Royal Wedding. Dress by designer Alexander McQueen. At least she’s not wearing a silly British hat.
And finally the Lauren Bush Lauren wedding gown.
Well, now we all know how I feel about this…what do you all think? Any opinions? I’m sure someone disagrees with me…or agrees with me….anyone?
Later!
<3 CWG
Okay, that last dress… there’s a reason it was in the 1980s, hideous!
But the dress Princess Victoria wore, gorgeous. And the first photo in the Jane Austen, also lovely.
I think lengha and sari tops can look beautiful with sleeves, not the standard cut, but something unusual.
Really? I thought the last dress was by far the best dress. 😛 And to further my push for sleeved dressed, can we discuss Nicole Richie’s gown? Holy Cow!:)
Oh, absolutely, SLEEVES! Your wedding is NOT the time to advertise what a sex bomb you are! You have already GOT a husband – are you REALLY STILL trying to find ANOTHER man? Ok, I’ll stop laughing.
For more examples of classic, sleeved brides, how about Sophie, Prince Edward’s bride? Sleeves! Mette Marit – sleeves! I guarantee you Kate Middleton will be wearing SLEEVES! Now, ladies, who do we want to follow? Royalty, or the brides who wear the Pnina gowns, that all look like huge-skirted underwear? Hmm?
On an even more serious note, most weddings are held in a place of worship – shouldn’t we be respectful of that?
And, lastly, except for the shape of the sleeves (mine were sleek & yes, pointed!) & those little show-girl beads at the neck & bodice, that last dress was MY dress. Ok, I had more beading all over the bodice, a plainer skirt, but that was my dream dress. And, 18 years later – still is!
That Valentino Sposa dress (and model!) are wonderfully beautiful. The lengthy sleeves? Absolutely gorgeous.
I have to say as a woman with curves who has been shopping for a wedding gown, I am SICK of sleeveless dresses. They do not flatter anyone unless you are slim with hardly anything up top. Totally agree with the stupid bulge that hangs over the top of the sleeveless dress, just makes any bride like a little bulkier. Also, I am a little more broad shouldered and just makes me look like a brick. But all the gals at the bridal salons swear that girls a whole lot bigger say the same things and end up loving the sleeveless dress (personally I think they must be blind). I haven’t found one sleeveless dress that I liked and the options for added sleeves are horrific or just bolero style jackets.
Thankfully I have a dear mother who can sew, so we are designing my dress and toying with different sleeve ideas (the sleeves are going to be from lace material). I love that some of the more classy brides (not hollywood and tv people) are bringing sleeves back. Just wish designers would catch on as long as they don’t go back to the 1980’s style!
FINALLY! Someone who shares my hatred for wedding dress sleeves! I truly thought I was the only one. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m sure if I had a model’s figure I would be perfectly comfortable donning a strapless dress without any worry about it falling down/creating the infamous flab rolls you mention! But I (and most women) do not. And I think designers should definitely start taking that into consideration.
I really enjoyed your article! And the Valentino Sposa dress is absolutely beautiful. Exactly what I would envisage in a wedding dress!
Suzanne and Holly, amen!
Did you ladies see the Lauren Bush wedding gown with sleeves. The lace and embroidery are just beyond beautiful!
Yeah! You go girl! I love the trend back to sleeves. The strapless ones all look the same too! Thanks for the frank talk.
At last some girls actually like sleeves! I so agree with you. I think that no matter what detail/design/price tag is on a strapless wedding dress they all look the same to me! Its ridiculous – cant remember the last time I was at a wedding and the bride had sleeves.Oh well actually I do – my own ! (first time long time ago!) Anyway I am getting married again in June and I am really struggling to find a dress with sleeves. Perhaps I will end up having it made!
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH YOU! You are spot on!! LOL! Love long-sleeve stuff!
Sleeveless dresses are kinda trashy, anyway. I might be a white girl, but I really love the styles of a lot of those Indian dresses. They’re a lot more interesting and aren’t so color restrictive, either. I dream of purple at my wedding and I’m stuck wearing white!! LOL But I LOVE LOVE LOVE the dropped waist gown. 😀 It’s exciting to know that people make dresses like that!! Thanks for sharing!! @Holly I feel the same way!!!
Wait! OMW sorry not Holly, Suzanne. My bad. LOL!!!
FINALLY! I feel exactly the same way about sleeveless wedding dresses as you do!! (I thought I was the only one all this time.)
I’ve been wondering when sleeves were gonna make a comeback. I agree with everything you said here. Honestly, sleeves look so much more classy, not to mention the look of individuality.