 |
|||||
|
|
 |
 |
|||
 |
 |
||||
 |
|||||
 |
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
Don't miss these recent information-packed articles by Jennifer Butlerr in America's Bride Magazine!
>Style Tips for Newlyweds…Embarking On A United Life
>Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something YOU!
>Choosing Your Wedding Colors: A Strategic Opportunity
>How to Create Congruency and Harmony From Start To Finish
>It's In the Details
>Secrets of the Perfect Wedding Down
>Past Articles Written By Jennifer
Style Tips for Newlyweds…Embarking On A United Life
By Jennifer Butler, Living Colors
One of the first tasks most newlyweds take on is creating a new home – one that accurately reflects the style, personality and preferences of both spouses and children if you have a blended family. This enjoyable experience can be laced with frustration as you realize that your tastes may be opposites. That’s to be expected. In the world of style, opposites do attract: summers to autumns and springs to winters – both with very different color palettes and style preferences. So, how do you create an environment where everyone is represented? It’s not as hard as you think.
I call it “Decorating With Feeling.” Before you pick the paint color – usually what happens first – as a couple go to every room and ask each other, “How do I want to feel in this room? What type of environment makes me feel comfortable?”
For example, your husband may say the dining room makes him feel in charge – he does the grilling, he is the master chef – yet this is a room you share. Ask him to select a favorite item in the room that combines both of your palettes, a beautiful painting or a colorful rug, and use this to build the décor. In every room you share, find the place where your color palettes intersect, perhaps your hair or eye color, and compromise. Take the living room. If one of you has rust red in your palette and one a burgundy, then find a red in between that can be used for the dominating feature – perhaps the sofa. Or, if you both have green then compromise on a green that works for you both. This results in a room you both enjoy and creates harmony in your relationship. Repeat this as you move through the rooms in your home. Always start with the dominating item (furniture, rug, picture) that resonates with you both and with the feeling you want to create.
If you have a collection of cherished items in a palette and style different from yours or your husband’s, consider grouping them using a congruent theme in one area or room. For example, create an antique room to highlight heirloom furniture and accessories. This will allow you to preserve the collection and complete the rest of your home in décor that is a true reflection of you and your husband.
Be sure that every family member has at least one room that is completely their own so they feel fully represented. For the man it may be the den, rec room, office, or the garage. For the woman it could be the living room, dining room or kitchen. For children, it’s their bedroom and bathroom. These rooms should reflect that individual’s color palette and style completely and not be diluted with that of another family member. This is especially true for blended families. Those I’ve worked with start by having their children’s color palettes created to help them establish their own identity and give them a core sense of self. Let them pick from their palettes. You will find that children are usually very specific about what they like and don’t like.
If you can only do one room, start with the bedroom. This room is the sole decorating domain of the woman and it should always be done in her color palette. She is the attracting force in the relationship and in essence, the man has chosen her (it’s still the man who ‘pops the question’ most of the time). The bedroom should be designed to keep the romance alive and typically uses your skin tone or romantic color. If you use another color, perhaps to add drama power or stability (eye color), then add the skin tone or romantic colors with accessories. Most women use skin tones as they feel that the bedroom is sheltering or rejuvenating. Skin tones create this environment by reflecting your self in a very nurturing way.
Where ever your decorating flair takes you, remember to incorporate both of your personal styles. Decorate with feeling, keep at least one room for each of you, and blend colors that you share to create a harmonious environment for your new life together.
Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something YOU!
By Jennifer Butler, Living Colors
Every bride has heard the poem: Something old, something new; something borrowed, something blue. Yet, this traditional ode omits the most important part of the wedding day: YOU!
As a stylist, I advise brides that while it is important to heed old wisdoms and friendly advice, it is more important to make decisions that create their own essential style. Often, this means abandoning traditional expectations like the flowing white gown, formal black tuxedos, and matching bridesmaids and groomsmen.
The whole point of the wedding process is the integration and letting go of the family unit. In essence, that’s what marriage is: acknowledging that you come from one family but are moving in to the next. As such, the wedding, as the most visible symbol of this transition, must maintain a delicate balance between honoring the bride’s own heart and holding on to what she has been given; challenging,
yes; impossible, no. Read on.
Something Old
The minute the engagement is announced, many brides are deluged with heirlooms from jewelry to dresses and veils. When this happens, generally there are only two reactions:
•“The point of today is honoring others – regardless of whether or not it’s my style, I am wearing it graciously.”
•“I cherish this individual and want to honor them, but this is my day and I don’t feel this matches my style.”
Regardless of the reaction, the decision comes down to the relationship the bride has with her generous benefactor. It’s about making choices and in reality, deciding if she will listen to herself – her heart – or to someone else.
If a bride has inherited a dress and she chooses to wear it, most often she seeks out a specialist in altering bridal gowns. The specialist will use the core of the dress but alter parts to be more aligned with the bride’s style. For example, the sleeves may be too short. The bride can choose from any number of options that lengthen the sleeves and integrate her style: lace, a cuff, a contrasting fabric, or a flounce. Or if the gown is too simple she can add lace, pearls or beads to embellish the sleeves, waist, or hemline. If the neckline is too high, it can be lowered with a trim that ties the whole gown together. Many brides go down this path with great success. If a bride chooses this route, she should keep in mind that the point is to change the dress so it reflects her personal style.
Something New
If a bride is just starting to plan her wedding style she might want to follow these tips:
1. The “white” gown – from ivory to antique and daisy to snowflake – should match the color white in the bride’s eyes.
2. Fabrics should flow with the body type:
•Skeletal body types need the most shape - taffeta and stiff satin work well
•Muscular body types go well with fabrics that give
•Molded body types typically need flowing fabrics like chiffon or jersey; mix and match a fitted bodice and flowing skirt of different fabrics.
3. Styles should flatter the skin tone, from peach to mauve. Consider using individual dresses with colors that match the individual skin tone of each bridesmaid and with different necklines each matching the personal shape and proportion of each bridesmaid. Then, use similar fabrics to unify the attendants into a wedding party. This approach both celebrates the individuals and creates a stunning group that visually supports the bride and groom.
4. Time of year – when is the best time to have a wedding? If a bride knows her color palette, she should consider a date in that season. Summer palettes would do well to marry in June, July or August; Autumns in September, October or November. Or, a bride can pick the most magical time of year – many pick dates close to their birthdays. Whatever the choice, it should be a time of year that is close to her heart.
5. Bouquet: The shape of bouquet should match the shape of the bride’s face. Too often we see a beautiful bride with an oval face carrying a circular bouquet which creates discord in the style. The scale or size of the flowers must match the proportion of the bride’s features. For example, a tall bride with small features should use a small organization of flowers. Also consider the complexity of the bouquet. If a bride’s style focuses on simplicity - the dress is simple and the décor is simple – be sure the bouquet is simple as well or it will appear overpowering.
6. Groom and groomsmen: The men’s dress should mirror the level of formality and refinement set by the bride. If the bride has a more casual dress, the men can select a suit or even a dressy or embroidered shirt. If the bride and her attendants are formal, then the men should be as well. Remember however, that formal colors can be navy or gray, not always black. Just as with the bridesmaids, try to use each groomsman’s personal skin tone colors for accessories – cumber buns, ties, flowers, etc. In doing so, match the depth of the tone to the tones used by the women – light to light; dark to dark. In addition, try to tie the color in with another element of style such as the bridesmaids, the table flowers, or other décor.
Something Borrowed
Usually brides borrow jewelry – earrings, pearls, an antique necklace or bracelet. If she borrows a set of jewelry she shouldn’t feel compelled to wear every piece during the wedding. The bride should select the piece that best matches her style, the bracelet for instance, for the wedding, and then use the other pieces for the rehearsal dinner, showers, or “ladies night”.
Avoiding the Blues
You are well on your way to creating your own wedding style. But, how do you avoid the blues when telling a friend, cousin, aunt, or even Mom, that you really don’t want to follow their advice? Focus on the style. For example, a bride might tell Mom:
“Mom, I have been working with a stylist and I’ve discovered that my style requires a lot of detail in a dress. I know that this is much more that you’d like, and that what I wear may be busy for you. But I would love to have you honor my style.”
If a bride objectifies the discussion and references the seven design principles, i.e. this is my neckline because it mirrors the shape of my face; this is the length of earring because it works with my jaw line; the conversation never becomes personal. The focus stays on the bride’s understanding her own design pattern and her willingness to explain it so others can understand. When families and friends learn the design principles they typically let go of their own opinions in lieu of what they can do to honor the bride.
Something YOU!
It’s time to rewrite that old adage to: something old, something new; something borrowed, something YOU! Listen to your friends and family and embrace cherished heirlooms. But, more important, follow your heart as you make choices, hold conversations, and embrace new traditions to create a wedding that is completely YOU!
Choosing Your Wedding Colors: A Strategic Opportunity
By Jennifer Butler, Living Colors
What is your primary intention for you and your guests on your wedding day? Will your primary focus be fellowship, celebration, passion, survival? Most of us don’t really think about an intention or strategy when picking our colors. Color can play a key role in manifesting your intention for the day. Psychologists have known for decades that certain colors have certain effects on our psyche. Often, there are many emotional family issues which come front and center and sometimes even a little chaos with all the coordination of bridesmaids and groomsmen. For some, there have been many days of compromise and negotiation that have lead up to the big day.
So, how do you go about choosing colors for your wedding décor and wedding party? I’d like to suggest that rather than pick your favorite colors to represent this day that perhaps you consider a little strategy. . By using the psychology of color , you can create an environment that is supportive, nurturing, and celebratory.
The following list is a brief introduction of color categories which will allow different forms of expression and intention:
•Your hair color or the highlights of your hair create a sense of stability and groundedness and provides a centering for you and those around you.
•Your eye color is the “mirror of the soul.” It is the color of balance and equilibrium. It balances your energy and the energy of whoever is with you. We choose eye color by examining the lights deep within your eyes, not necessarily the most predominant color. For a brown-eyed person, the lights of your eyes may range from cinnamon to gold.
•Your skin tone is the color of affinity, fellowship, and relatedness. It initiates relationship in a trusting manner. Skin tones range from pink to peach to terra cotta.
•Your romantic color is your “red” tone. When you wear your red, you are being emotionally persuasive and expressing your passion for life and celebration. Wear this color responsibly as it will evoke others’ emotions as well as yours.
•Putting bridesmaids in their shade of red or skin tone creates a beautiful graduation of color. You can pick the same tonal families so that each color is harmonious but each unique and different. The range could be from dusty rose and petal pink to peach.
•Your dramatic color is often in the jewel tone family and creates drama. It draws attention to you and puts you center stage. Wearing your power colors gives you the final say in the matter!
So, my blueprint for picking your wedding colors would be as follows:
1) Check the setting to see what predominant colors already exist. Take a look at the carpets, the window coverings, stained glass, mother nature, wall paint, etc. What colors would enhance the scene?
2) Declare your intention for the day. What color category does this put you in?
3) Determine what colors enhance the time of the year you are getting married?. This is easily determined by talking to your local florist and finding out what flowers are abundant and natural for each season. By seeing what flowers are naturally grown that time of year, you can mirror mother nature in your color palette.
4) The colors of Spring are lit with sunshine. The colors of Summer are lit with twilight. The colors of Autumn are lit with Firelight and the colors of Winter are lit with moonlight. Find a picture of each season during the different times of day mentioned above and study natures color palette. Mother nature is the most authentic guide you can have.
5) The final consideration in selecting your colors is to consider the level of formality of your wedding and the time of day. Formality is traditionally determined by the bridal gown. An elaborate traditional gown would dictate a formal wedding, whereas a tea-length dress might dictate something less formal. In terms of color, the jewel tones are much more formal as compared to the pastels of summer.
Now that you have set your intention, selected the time of year and the location, and you’ve decided on the formality of the wedding, you can begin narrowing your color choices.
The next consideration is what colors to pick for the groomsmen and mothers. When picking for groomsmen, the first thing to consider is the level of formality of the wedding. The men’s suits range from black, navy, dark gray, to dark brown. The basic color is first determined by the formality of the brides’ wedding gown, and therefore, the formality of the wedding. The cumber buns and tie can either compliment the bridesmaids’ colors or be a complimentary color. A complimentary color is the opposite color on the color wheel for example, the complimentary color to forest green would be burgundy.
Mothers of the bride and groom should have a softer look than the bridal party. If the bridal party is wearing very dramatic colors, then the mothers should be in a medium value not in the same level of color value as the bridal party. If they choose not to match the color theme of the wedding party, then I would recommend wearing a lighter value of their hair color which can range from café ole, to honey beige, to champagne or wear a value of their skin tone i.e. the pinks, peaches, terra cotta, etc I do not recommend prints for the mothers dresses primarily because they don’t photograph well and can be distracting from the wedding party.
How to Create Congruency and Harmony From Start to Finish
By Jennifer Butler, Living Colors
There are many activities prior to the wedding day which provide an opportunity to build rapport, create harmony, and initiate a festive and loving celebration. You have the Bridal Shower, the Rehearsal Dinner, and lets not forget, the Bachelorette Party. Here are three opportunities for you to dress in a way that ‘s just as exciting as your wedding day. Let’s start with the Bridal Shower.
Since someone else is usually responsible for the planning of your bridal shower, you will not have much control over the theme of the shower and what colors are being chosen to represent you on your big day. What you do have control over, however, is what you wear.
This is such a fun day where you get to be center stage, so what do you wear? Let’s start with color. I suggest that you wear a combination of two different color choices:
•Choice No. 1: Create balance and harmony and fellowship by wearing your eye color and your skin tone.
•Choice No. 2: Put the attention on you, front and center, have a strong voice, yet still create a sense relatedness by wearing your power color with your skin tone. (Your power color is the strongest color you can wear, and is generally within the vivid ranges of greens, blues, and purples.)
In Choice No. 1, I would select your slacks or skirt in your skin tone, your shrug, jacket or sweater in your eye color, and your T-shirt, camisole, or blouse in a darker or lighter variation of your skin tone or eye color. Feel free to layer two camisoles together. These pieces will be your basics. In Choice No. 2, I would select your slacks and jacket, shrug or sweater in your skin tone in varying fabrics and textures. Your top could be in your skin tone or power color. It’s best to accent your outfit with your power colors through your accessories.
It’s very important not to stop with color. To make your outfit stand out and be interesting you must add the texture through lace, weave, shine, or print. People often wear their outfits all in the same texture i.e. all smooth. You can add so much interest with different textures. Remember, metallics are in so you can always add some sparkle (and texture) with sequins, rhinestones or metallic threads.
It’s important to review the texture of your skin and hair, the size of your facial features vis a vis the size of your head, and the contrast between your hair and skin, skin and eyes, and eyes and hair when selecting your clothes. Make sure that the shrug, jacket, or sweater mirrors the texture of your hair. If you have smooth hair and smooth skin, your fabrics should be smooth. If you have shiny skin and very shiny hair, mirror that in your fabrics. If you have multi colored hair, curls, and freckles make sure you have lots of texture in your fabrics. If your top has a pattern to it, be sure the pattern is related to the size of your facial features. Small features need small patterns, large features need larger patterns. (The size of your head versus your facial features determines whether your features are small, medium or large.)
Finally review contrast. If you have blonde hair and light colored eyes, and fair skin, then keep the colors shades close to each other don’t get the darkest version of your eye color or power color and mix it with the lightest version of your skin tone. Go for the lightest version of your eye or power color and mix it with the darkest version of your skin tone. This would be just the opposite for people with dark hair and very fair skin.
Your accessories should also reflect either a smoothness in texture or complexity in texture based on your hair and skin texture. Many people wear jewelry that is too small for the size of their facial features. If you are trying to wear a special pendant that was given to you but you know that it is to small or simple for your level of complexity and feature size, you could add a scarf around your neck, a brooch, larger earrings, or add another strand or chain with the necklace. Don’t forget the bangles or bracelet. These are fun and polish off your look.
Purse and shoes can be in either color and should also match the texture of your hair and skin.
The Rehearsal Dinner is the ideal place to build rapport with the families, as well as, the wedding party. This is the ideal opportunity for you to wear your skin tone all over. Mix the textures! This is your opportunity to use lace, satin, silk, sequins or brocade to really make you stand out in the height of your femininity. You might wear a flowing silk pant, lace top with a long brocade jacket or a more structured pant, with a satin top and a velvet cut-out jacket. There so many options for you to look beautifully yourself! Just mirror your features in your clothes and accessories and you can’t go wrong.
The Bachorlette Party is the perfect opportunity to wear your red! It’s celebrating your relationship with yourself, passion for your friendships, and a new life with your husband. Remember red is different for everyone. For Autumn’s red is rust or orange, for Summers red ranges from dusty rose to burgundy, for Spring red is often coral to bright pink and Winters vary from deep burgundy to bright red. I find the easiest way to determine your shade of red is to examine your face for the area that contains the most red. It could be your cheeks, lips, ears, nose forehead, or any combination of these areas. If you have difficulty seeing any red, or blush color, gently pinch or pat your cheek, pay attention to the color that emerges. Start to identify this color through inquiry. Is it peach, coral, rust, burgundy, cinnamon, or bright pink? Once you have a clear picture of this in your mind, go to the make-up counter at a department store and match your “authentic blushing color” with a blush. One of the make-up artists can help you with this. This will give you the tone to work from. You can go as light or dark as you wish in color, as long as you stay in the same tonal family. You can also do this with your skin tone… your foundation being your lightest tone and your bronzer being your darker range. Ask the make-up artist to tell you what the primary underlying tone is for your foundation i.e. peach, taupe, champagne, mauve.
A final note, many weddings are followed by a morning after gathering before the bride and groom leave for their honeymoon. You can count on still being photographed that day so even if you are just relaxing, you can still look good on camera, with a little bit of effort. I recommend a designer T-shirt and jeans. Jeans don’t just have to be blue. Jeans in your hair color are absolutely fabulous and still carry on the theme of being grounded and centered for you and those around you. There is no better time to buy jeans in your hair color than now. You can find almost any shade from pecan to bronze and taupe to black.
It’s In the Details
By Jennifer Butler, Living Colors
You’ve made all the important decisions. The flowers and wedding cake have been ordered, and the food, location, and entertainment have been finalized. Now all that’s left is final fitting of your wedding gown and choosing the accessories that will add the finishing touch.
So, there you are at your final fitting, looking in the mirror at such a beautiful vision. How do you bring it all together so that you are radiant? Let’s start at the top; should you wear a hair ornament, hat, or veil? The first question you have to ask yourself is how formal is the dress your wearing? If you are wearing a formal, more traditional wedding gown, then a veil is appropriate. The less formal and less traditional of a gown, the more casual a headpiece you can wear.
Whatever you choose, the veil or headpiece should mirror the complexity of the design in your gown. If the bodice of your gown is very detailed, then this level of complexity should be mirrored in the veil or headpiece. If the gown is sparsely decorated or simple in design than your veil or headpiece should be simple. Follow the design of the dress and repeat the motif already established. It’s important not to have the veil overpower the gown. If you are wearing a very formal gown and do not wish to wear a veil, but rather a simpler headpiece, wear a more dramatic earring to add weight and drama to the overall look. If you are wearing a less formal gown and wish to wear a veil, keep the veil shorter in length.
It is important to make some of the decisions regarding your hair, prior to finalizing the selection of your wedding gown. Since the details of your dress are mirroring the complexity of the texture of your hair and skin, then it’s best to try your wedding gown with your hair in a style that is close to how you plan to wear it on your wedding day. Are you wearing your hair up or down? Are you going to straighten your naturally curly hair? Are you going to curl your naturally straight hair? If you are doing something to your hair that is opposite from how you normally wear it, then be sure to try on gowns with your hair as close to the final style as possible. The key to your radiance is in the congruency of your overall look. You don’t want any one feature to be overpowering but all in harmony. If you have straight hair, and are deciding to wear it in cascading curls, you don’t want the dress to be too simple for your new complex hairstyle. Your hair may begin to overpower the dress. If you have selected a dress with very complex details and then make your hair straight and smooth, the dress may begin to overpower you.
Once you’ve chosen your hairstyle and headpiece, then the next consideration is the jewelry. If you have a long neck, a choker and drop earrings might be appropriate (given the neckline of the gown allows). If you have a short neck, simpler earrings are most flattering.
The final touch is in the shoes and purse. If you are wearing a high neck gown with long sleeves, you’ll want to select a closed-toe shoe. If you are wearing an open neck, sleeveless, or short-sleeved gown, then an open-toed shoe is most appropriate. Be sure to match the shoe color with the exact white of the dress. To select the right shade of white for your dress, choose a shade of white which most closely matches the whites of your teeth and eyes. If you choose to carry a small clutch or purse at the reception, it should selected with the same care as you did in selecting your veil. The purse should mimic the complexity of design and color of your gown. In choosing the shape of the purse, this is determined by your face shape. If you have a square jawline, you’ll want to select a clutch or purse which is more square in shape. If you have an oval face, you’ll want to select a purse that is longer than wide.
Secrets of the Perfect Wedding Gown
By Jennifer Butler, Living Colors
On this day of days you want to look better than your best. You’ve been dreaming about this your entire life, and now it’s finally here – your wedding day! When loved ones remember this day, it’s you they should remember not the setting, the location, the band – not even the decorations, but y ou. One of the most important features of the day is the moment when the organist strikes up, Here Comes the Bride, and all eyes turn to you. What will they see? A bride whose beauty transcends the gown, or will they see a gown wearing a bride?
How can you ensure that your gown is perfect for you?
Every bride should know the following:
- What’s the right shade of white for my dress?
- What style would flatter me and still be appropriate?
- What kind of neckline should the gown have?
- What fabric would most enhance my features?
- Details on the gown – how much is too much?
Shade:
Usually a soft white or ivory is best unless the bride’s skin tone is unusually dramatic (eg.. olive skin tone, etc.). It’s best to compare the shade of the dress to the bride’s teeth and eyes.
Style:
The three most popular dress silhouettes carried by bridal shops are:
Mermaid (inverted triangle)
Hourglass (princess)
Rectangular
1. Mermaid body shape:
Larger shoulders
Narrow hips
Carries weight in the middle
Mermaid dress silhouette:
Broad at the shoulders
Tapered at the hips
Flared at the bottom
2. Hourglass body shape:
Small shoulders
Small waist
Carries weight in hips
Hourglass dress silhouette:
Detail at shoulders
Small waist
Full flared skirt
3. Rectangular body shape:
Straight from top to bottom with no waist
small top
disproportionate bottom
Rectangular dress silhouette:
Falls straight from shoulders
NOTE: The bride will save much time and frustration by knowing which of these body types she is; simply ask to see gowns of your particular silhouette!
What is the best neckline for my gown?
1. Study the shape of your face in a mirror – notice your jaw line and length of neck. If you have a long neck you should wear something that will fill in the neck, such as a high lace collar, or a choker.
2. Usually the neckline reflects the shape of the face.
Oval face – oval neckline
Round face – round neckline
Square jaw – square neckline
Triangular jaw – “Sweetheart” neckline
3. A face that’s large for your height calls for a larger neckline, If you have a low bust line, create a lower neckline.
Fabric:
The fabric must flow that way that the body is structured – either skeletal, muscular or molded.
Skeletal: thin, with a structured/defined frame – complemented by stiffer fabrics (velvet, stiff satin, raw silk)
Muscular/Athletic: complemented by definition at the shoulder and bodice. The main body of the garment needs movement, such as a crepe, panne velvet, silk charmeuse
Molded/Rubenesque: curvaceous – needs a fabric which flows, such as Chiffon, Georgette or silk Jersey.
How much detail should my gown have? All-over lace? Lace borders? ...or lace accent? Use the following chart to find your level of gown complexity:
| Straight Hair: | Wavy Hair: | Curly Hair: |
|---|---|---|
| Hair of one shade | Medium number of tones | Lots of highlights |
| Features all one size | Features with some variation in size of tones |
Variation in size of features |
| Features nearly identical in shape | Some variation in shapes of features | Much variation in shapes of features |
| Skin is one tone all over | Some variation in with skin tone | Skin is textured pigment variation |
If your answers are from...
- the left column, you need simple design for your gown
- the middle column calls for a medium amount of detail
- the column on the right indicates that a great deal of detail is needed
Answers from a combination of columns suggests a need for a simple bodice with complex skirt, or vice-versa.
Past articles written by Jennifer include:
"Secrets of the Perfect Wedding Gown" October, 2005
 |
 |
 |
 |