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Wedding Planning > Hair
& Beauty
The
Total Bridal Look
By
Gretchen Maurer
Let's
look at the "Art" of the wedding. Buy that I mean all
of the visual aspects that make up your wedding style. Your
gown, flowers, reception location, style of photography, your
shoes, hair and make-up as well as the bridesmaids dresses and
the presentation of the food are all elements that make up the
"Art" of your wedding.
These
visual elements when put together become the total look; they
elicit a certain mood and help define the image you and your
fiancé would like to share with your guests. Let me address
specifically your beauty needs and the elements involved in
pulling together your personal style. All the elements of your
dress, hair, make-up, nails, and headpiece need to work together
to become the "art" of your "Total Bridal
Look."
ELEMENTS
OF DESIGN
Let's
look at a few important elements of design that are relative
to style. Understanding each of these elements will make it
easier for you to use them when creating your "total
bridal look." Whether you are working with your
florist, caterer, or consultant you need to be able to
translate your wishes to them that will pull together a
great "stylish" wedding experience.
Line
Size Shape Position Density Texture
Line:
The
line of a hairstyle, floral centerpiece, or the composition
within a photograph has a direction either horizontally or
vertically. Horizontal lines broaden and shorten with the
eye following the width. Vertical lines slim and elongate.
The line can be dramatic and sophisticated or soft and
romantic.
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I
remember a very slender and petite bride who was wearing
a slim fitted narrow gown. Perfect for her because it
made her look taller. But the gown shop suggested a
wreath of flowers. Just as the eye was drawn up, the
wreath cut off the illusion of height. The horizontal
line of the wreath cancelled out any help the vertical
gown accomplished in making her seem taller. It took
some convincing and a visual demonstration but I got her
to change her headpiece.
The
line of the dress should match the hair. A long slim fitted
wedding gown is complemented with a narrow bob tucked behind
the ears or a bunch of curls piled high on the head. The
line of a traditional full-skirt wedding gown is horizontal.
This style is complemented by a softer romantic and wider
hairstyle, perfect with a wreath headpiece.
Staying
within these design parameters is a general guideline for most
brides. However, a bride with flair for the dramatic and a
strong personality can certainly carry off a total look that
does not "match". A slim fitted gown with sexy wild
hair may be your flavor.
Size:
The
finished size of a hairstyle and veil depends on a few
factors: How much hair you have, how tall, petite or full
figured you are plus the overall line, size, detail, and
fullness/length of dress. As an example, apply this size
"element" to the flowers. The size and volume of a
bouquet should not overpower a petite bride or table
setting.
If
you choose to wear a slim suit for a daytime wedding it
would be important to keep your hairstyle compact and
simple. If a full skirt or bustled wedding gown is your
style, then go for a larger headpiece and hairstyle. Again,
try to match the overall size of dress to you, and size and
line of hairstyle to balance.
Shape:
The
shape of the finished Updo or hairstyle needs to complement
the shape of your face as well as the proportions of you in
your dress. The shape is the outer line a hairstyle makes.
Visualize a wide bob haircut making the outer shape of a
triangle. A shag or layered cut has the outer shape of a
rectangle. A wedge hairstyle has the shape of a
diamond.
Some
shapes are reminiscent of periods like the teased crown and
flip of the sixties. The feathered back hair of the
seventies complemented bell-bottom pants. The narrow shape
and closeness to the head of the roaring twenties hair was a
visual match to the bound breasts and slim body hugging
clothes worn at that time. The next time you see a picture
of a Victorian lady in her bustled gown notice that her hair
is bustled up in the back as well.
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I
had a bride request an Audrey Heparin "look"
to her Updo, complete with the chic little bangs. I
incorporated her mother's headpiece from the early
sixties into the style and she wore a slim sheath. This
created the very slim, vertical "retro" look
she wanted.
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