Lovely Leo in a perfect 1950s wedding dress - the inspiration for my vintage-style wedding dress 'Blanche'

Dear Reader

Over the last couple of weeks, we've been admiring lace dresses here on my vintage wedding blog, so I'd like to show you one of my very favourites - as worn by real vintage bride, the lovely Leo.

Leo looked wonderful in this perfect tea length, champagne coloured, late 1950s wedding dress. 

Brides sometimes ask what kind of dress I love the best. Well, I think my perfect vintage wedding dress is an elegant, well-balanced shape in a beautiful fabric, complemented by a carefully-chosen trim. And sometimes, a dress comes along that really stands out for its simplicity. This was just such a dress. 

In fact, I loved it so much that I used it as one of the models for my own vintage-style lace dress 'Blanche'.

Ultimately, I strongly believe the dress is there to bring out the most beautiful features of the brides. And as you can see from how stunning Leo looks, in her perfect choice of vintage wedding dress, this one certainly succeeds. 

Thanks to Leo for sharing these lovely photos of her happy day. If you'd like to see more real vintage brides, take a look on the real brides section of my vintage wedding blog.

You can see more of my own Heavenly Collection of vintage-inspired wedding dresses here on my blog. And more original 1950s lace wedding dresses here.

Thanks for dropping by today.

Love
Helena 
Heavenly Vintage Brides

To complement the perfect vintage wedding dress.... a beautiful vintage-inspired headpiece.

Dear Reader

I am often asked for advice on the perfect accessories to complement vintage wedding dresses. 

Here we teamed 'Butterfly', one of our beautiful vintage-style lace wedding dresses with a lovely headpiece by Abby at Cherished.

Abby makes each exquisite piece using original vintage materials: this one was cleverly created from an original paste dress ornament, combined with vintage 1920s gold bugle beads and ivory satin glass beads.

You can see the full range of Abby's beautiful vintage-style accessories on her website, or her Facebook or Twitter pages.

Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

Photograph c. Robert Lawler

Say "I DO" 1960s-style! Beautiful vintage wedding dresses, Mad Men style, from the glamorous 60s.

Dear Reader

Just a little tease today... 

On Friday, I'll be posting all about 1960s wedding dresses. This gorgeous decade is sometimes overlooked when considering vintage style dresses. 

But 60s dresses have so much to offer. From the sassy styles of the swinging sixties, to the sheer glamour of Mad Men styling.

Here's just a few pictures to set you thinking...

1960s glamour - Betty Draper style!

1960s vintage style wedding dress 'Stella' from the Heavenly Collection

1960s vintage wedding dresses - sheer glamour

So please do visit on Friday, for my guide to the ultimate 1960s vintage wedding style.

Love
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

All photos, thanks to Robert Lawler

www.robertlawler.co.uk

All hair accessories, thanks to Abby at Cherished Vintage. 

www.cherishedvintage.co.uk

Vintage-Inspired Wedding Dress of the Week... in dreamy original vintage lace. How romantic is this?

Dear Reader

I hope you've had a good week and have exciting plans for the crisp Autumn weekend ahead...?

Yasmin, one of my heavenly brides, is getting married tomorrow in a pale pink lace 1930s dress, which we've matched with a stunning Biba marabou feather cape. She looks radiant.

I'm sure you'll join me in wishing her a wonderful day!

Now.... drumroll please, heavenly ladies... I'd like to share the first ever pictures of my newest vintage-inspired design, 'Angel'. We only finished this lovely dress earlier this week, so this really is a super-sneak-peek.

ANGEL 1930s vintage style wedding dress - dreamy fluted lace sleeves 

I've called her Angel as she is very dreamy and romantic. She is very closely modelled on a lovely 1930s lace dress, with just a few small design tweaks for a super-flattering fit.

ANGEL 1930s vintage style wedding dress - gorgeous lace back detail 

ANGEL 1930s vintage style wedding dress -  elegant fitted bodice 

I chose this dress to show off one of my happiest finds: the uniquely beautiful lace. It's made exclusively for me by a small family lace-making atelier in Nottingham - the traditional home of English lace-making. Now run by two brothers, the company was established by their Grandfather and handed on to their Father. 

It really is part of the famous history of English lace-making, acknowledged to be among the very best in the world.

I was so excited to discover this pattern in their original catalogue. It has been out of production for many years, and uses a skilful old-fashioned lace-making technique called 'English Net' - really an embroidery onto tulle.

This lovely company also make the wonderful lace for my 'Butterfly' dress. (Angel can also be ordered in that type of lace, which is the same lovely light weight.) 

ANGEL 1930s vintage style wedding dress -  dreamy and so romantic!

Angel comes with its own satin slip - shown here in a deep ivory. But a pale gold, or a delicate blush colour would look equally dreamy and show off this special lace while keeping its romantic feel.

And lastly, see how prettily the skirt drapes - two godets (carefully positioned inset panels) give it movement and another godet at the back forms an elegant train. Just imagine how gracefully it would swish down any aisle... 

If you'd like to see more, I'd love to show you at my West London studio. 

ANGEL 1930s vintage style wedding dress - stunning godet fishtail train

Now, if you have time, I'd also love to show you two new variations on my other dresses. First, 'Chantilly'...

CHANTILLY 1950s vintage style wedding dress in fine French lace

Chantilly is shown here in palest champagne, with a three quarter sleeve in delicate French lace - very feminine and flattering. 

The lace is the same ultra fine French Chantilly lace as in the original 'Chantilly' dress. But the new lighter colour underneath gives it a delicately airy, floaty feel. Don't you agree?

CHANTILLY 1950s vintage style wedding dress design - pretty and floaty

This sleeve can be adapted to any preferred length. It is super-pretty short, and very elegant worn full length. The skirt shown here is 'tea length', which generally means just below the knee. But it can be adapted to the most flattering length for my heavenly client. It is amazing as a ballroom-length dress.

CHANTILLY 1950s vintage style wedding dress in tea length

This summer, one heavenly bride chose Chantilly in the prettiest pale dusky pink, and another ordered it in elegant ivory. Both brides were equally beautiful. It really is a special dress and can be perfectly customised to make it unique to its wearer.

And finally... 'Blanche'.

BLANCHE 1950s vintage style wedding dress in deep ivory lace

Blanche is shown here in a deeper ivory colour, with a three quarter length sleeve. This used to be called a 'bracelet sleeve' and is a very vintage and pretty sleeve length. 

The skirt is Ballerina length (rather than the shorter tea length) - perfect to show off a shapely ankle! Ballerina length does tend to suit taller girls but there are always exceptions to the rule. 

I've made Blanche in several types of lace now, to personalise it for my heavenly girls. Here, it's reworked in slightly heavier, 'corded' lace that has a lovely three-dimensional effect making the dress really tactile. You just want to touch this gorgeous, rich fabric... 

BLANCHE 1950s vintage style wedding dress in 'Ballerina' length

All these dresses can of course be tried at my studio in West London. Just email me with an idea of your requirements, and the date of your special day.

Now, I hope all this heavenliness hasn't worn you out, dear reader. And I wish you a wonderful weekend.

Look forward to seeing you next week, and thanks for stopping by...

Love, 
Helena
Heavenly Vintage Brides

All photography © Robert Lawler Photography 2013

THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VINTAGE WEDDING DRESSES remodelled as a new collection

Dear Reader,

I have so much to tell you. I hope you'll forgive my absence these last few months... I've been busy, busy, busy! Choosing, restoring, and designing the most beautiful vintage-inspired wedding dresses - based on gorgeous original vintage bridal gowns from the 1930s, 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. 

But now it's time to turn over a new (Autumn) leaf: I promise to post every week! New dresses, new ideas, and so much to share with you. I do hope you will join me.

To begin, I'd like to show you the full 'Heavenly Collection' so far. Eight gorgeous new wedding gowns, all closely modelled on the prettiest, most elegant and most timeless original vintage wedding dresses.

Each of these gowns can be personalised with a range of carefully chosen options in sizes, skirt lengths, sleeve lengths, colour of dress and underskirt, and fabric - making your dress unique to you, and perfect for your special day.

Whether it's scarily soon, or still a distant dream, take a moment to enjoy picturing yourself on your Heavenly day...

Love, 

Helena

Heavenly Vintage Brides

BUTTERFLY
A romantic dreamy dress made using stunning Nottingham lace, it has a soft mermaid shaped skirt, and a waterfall frill on the neckline. This dress was copied from a 1930s lace wedding dress, and the elegant proportions have been kept exactly the same. 

STARLIGHT

This elegant gown is also modelled from a classic 1930s dress, and has a sensual 'Movie Star' feel. It has a  very low cut back with cross over straps, and fine pleating under the bust. It is handmade in flattering drapey silk satin with a wonderful texture.

VIOLETTE
A beautiful sophisticated style, based on a 1930s original, this time with a slightly updated neckline and a sweet petal-shaped sleeve. 

The beautiful Art Deco seam patterns make this very special, and the bias cut heavy silk satin gives a 'slinky' feel. The skirt ends in small train.

BETTE

Inspired by the glamorous stars of the 1940s, this dress is based on a gorgeous evening gown. It is very well cut, and is a really figure-flattering dress. The silk crepe fabric has a lovely heavy drapey quality, and the soft pleats on the upper section of the skirt create a small peplum effect. It has a subtle cowl neck at the front and a low back  with sparkling ivory and silver beaded trim. A small belt - sparkly or simple - completes the look.

BLANCHE
Based on a perfectly proportioned 1950s dress, a sweet flirty shape in gorgeous French lace, with a pretty sweetheart bodice. The dress has  a boat neck, low back  and flattering short sleeves. This lovely shape flatters most body types.

CHANTILLY
This super-pretty dress is based on a classic 1950s shape. The lovely swishy skirt is made in a really special Italian silk organza, and comes in a range of lengths. The bodice is made from fine french Chantilly lace with a contrasting mocha lining for a pretty vintage colourway. 

STELLA
A classic chic 1960s style, which  flatters many body shapes. STELLA has a boat neck and low back, with a French lace overlay and a neat ribbon bow on the waist.

AUDREY
A beautifully shaped, neat cover-up, AUDREY works particularly well with STARLIGHT and BUTTERFLY. 

The fabric is embroidered silk organdie - made in England by a family firm who have been lace-makers for three generations. The jacket hem is edged with a vintage-style beaded leaf trim.

For more information on any of these dresses, and information on how to order,
please see my 'Heavenly Collection' section.

All photography thanks to Robert Lawler Photography.

The Heavenly Collection

Heavenly Vintage Brides' first reproduction line of Vintage style dresses is almost here! After over a year of designing, tweaks and finishing touches, the new collection will come together for our photo shoot on Monday 27th August.  From breathtaking Chantilly lace, to alluring silk... we can't wait to show you! Watch this space and our Twitter for behind-the-scenes shots and sneak peaks.

Heavenly Vintage Brides

A GUIDE TO VINTAGE LACE WEDDING DRESSES Part 2: the story of modern lace

Dear Reader

I didn't realise how much I love vintage lace until I started sourcing the perfect fabrics for my own collection of vintage inspired wedding dresses. 

My search took me to specialist ateliers all over the world, where I became completely absorbed in the beauty of the vintage and reproduction lace I saw.

On my vintage wedding blog today, I'd like to share a little of what I learned and show you some beautiful examples.

The best lace is a blend of cotton and synthetic fibres. Cotton keeps its shape and colour over time and gives a firm feel and structure. Synthetic fibres add strength. This marriage of beauty with strength is perfect for recreating vintage wedding dresses. 

'Audrey' lace cover-up, from the vintage-inspired Heavenly Collection

Lace first became fashionable during the 1500s, when all lace was handmade, and was highly prized for both men and women as it was so labour-intensive. An extravagant gentleman's lace ruff (popular in Elizabethan times) required over 40 metres of lace, which would take one person a whole year to make. No wonder it cost the equivalent of several acres of good land!

Ornate lace ruff, from a painting by Spanish Renaissance artist, El Greco

Fashionable ladies made their own, and the skill of lace-making was a very desirable attribute in a wife! It continued as a rich lady's pastime or a 'cottage industry' for over 300 years, until the Industrial Revolution.

In the 1800s, lace-making machines were invented in England. Suddenly lace was available on a wider scale, and Nottingham became the lace-making centre of the world. My Butterfly and Angel dresses, below, use lace made specially for me by one of the oldest family firms in Nottingham. This original vintage style from the 1930s used to be called 'English Net'.

'Angel' from my Heavenly Collection of vintage-inspired wedding dresses

'Angel' vintage-inspired wedding dress

'Angel' vintage-inspired wedding dress

'Butterfly' from my Heavenly Collection of vintage inspired wedding dresses

'Butterfly' from my Heavenly Collection

By 1809 new machinery could replicate hand-made lace. But in 1813 came the biggest change of all: John Leavers invented the 'Leavers machine' in Long Eaton in the East Midlands. Lace became affordable, and a thriving industry sprung up making 'Leavers lace'. 

Leavers lace is still the kind most used by couture houses, notably Dolce & Gabbana, Christian Dior, Etro, Yves St Laurent, Paul Smith and even Vivienne Westwood. 

Lace dresses c. Dolce & Gabbana

The next development happened when the Leavers machine was smuggled to France - broken up in parts disguised as scrap metal! This made lace even more popular as the French competed with the English lace industry, and created an amazing variety of patterns. 

Detailing on lace dresses, c. Dolce & Gabbana

Today the French lace making industry is still centred around a small area of Northern France, in towns like Chantilly, Valenciennes, Alencon and Cluny. The industry has been kept alive by the passion of its local workers, who have stepped in to buy the machinery themselves when faced with closure. 

In turn, the machines were sold to Far East producers and lace production in France was scaled back. Now the Far East creates wonderful lace too. Amazingly, all modern Leavers lace is still produced on the same machinery, invented 200 years ago!

And English lace has become a luxury once more, with just a handful of small companies producing it. For more on the modern English lace industry, there's an interesting BBC feature here. 

For my Heavenly Collection of vintage inspired wedding dresses, I use lace from all these different sources - choosing the best from ateliers in Nottingham, France and Japan.

I've included some of my original vintage wedding dresses above, too, to show a variety of lace. Some of these are no longer available - but I always have lots of beautiful lace vintage dresses at my studio in West London (as well as my own collection of reproduction vintage dresses). Do come and have a look! To make an appointment, just contact me here. 

Thanks to Abby at Cherished for the loan of her beautiful headwear, to the lovely Robert Lawler for photography. And to you, dear reader, for stopping by today!

Love

Helena 

Heavenly Vintage Brides