Wedding gowns and dresses come in myriad lengths, and the one you select is a personal choice which may connect directly to your personality, budget, venue, activities and the event itself. Often, the late-in-life wedding or a second or third wedding precludes the traditional, long wedding gown. While a gown is defined as a "long, formal dress especially for a special event," the bridal consultants at Molle Bridals embrace the ubiquitous wedding "gown" of all lengths.
SHORT ~ You can raise the bar on sassy, sexy and saucy by raising the hem. New lines of short 'n chic wedding gowns portray stylish sophistication. The short dress is great for beach and outdoor weddings. There's no worry about dragging the hemline in the sand, on the grass, picking up mulch tidbits on a pathway or ruining the bottom of your dress. It's chic with a bang and shows off not only your legs, but dreamy shoes, snazzy sandals, new or already-worn-in favs for cowboy boots or any footwear you like. One way to ramp up interest throughout your Big Day is to change your shoes a few times.
The hemline itself can be an interesting focal point for an asymmetrical line, a lace or fringe edge or an uneven hemline dubbed "up-and-down" in fashion circles. From a form-fitting sheath or A-line to the full circle skirt in the dance finale in "Dirty Dancing", your shortness on the bridal dress hem carries an attitude of confidence and independence, maybe a spot of rebellion. "Short bridal dresses can be less expensive without sacrificing style or quality," states Jen Molle, proprietor of Molle Bridals. "Many brides go short because they can wear the dress for years to come, toning down the wedding look by adding color with scarves, capes, sweaters, jewelry, hats and fancy footwear."
MIDI ~ The tea length or midi gown comes from the turn of the 20th century [before the roaring '20s short styles] when hemlines went up a few inches for afternoon tea and in-home semi-formal day time events. This calf-grazing wedding gown has an allure all its own for being undeniably attractive while offering practicality, especially for an outdoor wedding. Again, your shoes are a more visible part of your look, and the flash of leg is haltingly sexy.
Audrey Hepburn exuded Hollywood glamour in a midi in the 1954 movie "Roman Holiday," and you can capture star quality as well. "The tea length is popular for outdoor weddings, and lets the bride relax about her hemline not collecting blades of grass or grains of sand," states Jen. "We have many brides who opt for an outdoor wedding on one of our amazing Florida beaches. With the midi, they don't feel like they are sacrificing the wedding gown angle, but love the convenience of dancing barefoot in the sand."
LONG ~ You simply cannot top the long gown for classic, timeless elegance and the total princess look and feel. "Once a bride settles on long - and most of them still do when they come through the door - she shows us her favorite styles while we evaluate her body type, budget and dreams," Jen explains. "Some want the flashy, long sheath like Marilyn Monroe wore when she sang 'Happy Birthday, President', and others are looking for the Princess Diana full ballroom gown. Most want something between those."
The ber elegance of a long wedding gown radiates gracefulness and enchantment. "We familiarize ourselves with the bride's venue and movements of the day, to be sure she will be comfortable in a certain style," Jen adds. "Some ceremony and reception locales are more conducive for particular skirt fashions than others, as are body shapes." The bridal experts at Molle Bridals are exceptionally knowledgeable in how short, midi and long wedding gowns look and perform for every bride in all kinds of weddings.