Tuesday, May 17, 2011

News: Wedding Fashion Not Just for the Bride

Here in the Philippines, wedding fashion is definitely not just for the bride but for everyone involved. It's an interesting contrast to Korea, wherein wedding fashion is just starting to flourish. Here's the latest article from the Korea JoongAng Daily:

Wedding fashion not just for the bride

What was once been a casual private ceremony for stars has now turned into a pseudo red-carpet event. With a slew of recent celebrity marriages, photos of well-known wedding guests are splashing the pages of fashion magazines. Stars pose at the wedding for photos just as if they were walking down the red carpet of a film premiere, while fashion gurus sift through a list of the best and worst dressed guests.


And the public is taking note as to what is hot and what is not. Unlike banquets or award ceremonies, weddings are a part of everyone’s life at one point or another, so the fashion worn there can be easily adapted by ordinary people. Fans are running out to buy their favorite actor or singer’s dress or tux, so that they too can be the “It” girl or guy at the next wedding they attend. Here are some tips to add a touch of celebrity to your own wedding guest attire.

Add edge to the classic feminine dress

The textbook guest attire for women is a feminine dress or skirt. But being typical is not the trajectory that celebrities with a cut-above edginess take. Lee Su-mi, curator of fashion consulting company PFIN said that flamboyant dresses with frills and ribbon decorations are not a tempting choice for stars. 

“While ordinary women put on ladylike looks, stars prefer wearing luxurious yet chic [clothing],” explained Lee. 

For example, both actress Kim Min-hee and singer Lee Hyo-ri opted for wide pants instead of wearing fluttering skirts to recent weddings. The two fashionistas wore plain shirt-like blouses. 

Actress Shin Min-a also broke the golden rule of wedding-guest style by wearing a peach tuxedo jacket with short pants at the wedding of actor Jang Dong-gun and actress Go So-young. The jacket she wore was copied and is selling like hotcakes as the “Shin Min-a jacket.” 

“Putting on a tailored jacket or pants makes you look like a professional woman from the city,” stylist Choi Hye-ryun said. “But it would not look pretty to wear short pants if you don’t have slim legs.” 



 

1. Couples can get in the wedding spirit by matching the colors on the man’s tie or shirt with the woman’s accessories.
2. The key to wearing all black is to make it look fun, and not too dour like you are going to a funeral. A sleeveless, low-cut top or short skirt in black are perfect for spring or summer weddings.
3. You can wear the taboo white if you spice it up with a colorful bag or shoes. Black and white together are great for a more sophisticated look.
4. Wearing a jacket and pants in light pink or beige will make you look bright and seasonal

Finding the right combinations with black and white

It has long been taboo to wear all white to a wedding out of consideration for the bride. Instead, it is better for wedding guests to pick light pink, blue, ivory or beige. Notwithstanding, when it comes to wedding outfits chosen by stars, white is often a frequent choice. 

Stylist Choi said that whether white looks good depends on how you wear it, adding that a combination of white and another color can look smart. 

For example, actress Han Ga-in wore a white blouse with black pants at the wedding of actor Kwon Sang-woo and actress Son Tae-young. At Jang Dong-gun’s wedding, actress Kim Nam-ju’s white skirt matched well with a blue blouse. 

The key to wearing all black is not to look too stuffy or serious, like you are going to a funeral. One way to avoid this is to select a sleeveless, low-cut top or short skirt. 

“Adding a slightly different material like leather or satin will lift a dull mood,” stylist Seo Jung-eun said. “Picking bright shoes or a bag is another option.” 

Open-toe shoes are also a savvy way to make black look far lighter. 



Couples go with subtle color matching

Star couples often come to weddings matching. By harmonizing colors, a couple can get in the wedding spirit without looking too identical. 

At Jang Dong-gun’s wedding, actor Kim Seung-woo wore a sky blue jacket with blue pants that matched with his wife Kim Nam-ju’s blue blouse. Actor Yoo Ji-tae and actress Kim Hyo-jin always go with a “black and white” wedding-guest look. 

“If it is too much to wear the same color, take advantage of accessories,” stylist Park Man-hyun recommends.

Ladies can choose to match the color of their shoes with their partner’s trousers, or men can match their tie to their partner’s dress. 

Luxury brand sponsorship

Though weddings are private events, the attention paid to guests’ fashion has turned the wedding into another neck-and-neck race of style. 

“Stars cannot help but care about their looks whenever a camera flashes,” Park said. “More and more stars are getting advice from professional stylists.”

Luxury brands looking to get in on the trend are using wedding-guest fashion to promote their clothing and accessories. Celine, a French luxury fashion brand, has been a leader in this area. Actresses Shin Min-a, Son Tae-young and Ha Ji-won wore the brand’s products as wedding guests, and the clothes these stars put on sold out not long after the weddings. 

“Those who were not aware of Celine came to know the brand, and it helped [with sales],” a brand spokeswoman said.

Whenever a celebrity wedding is announced, luxury brands compete to sponsor star guests. A stylist who works with a celebrity guest might receive clothing from a slew of brands that want to sponsor the guest, but will choose only a few of the items to wear. Luxury bag and jewelry designers will often get word of what guests are wearing to an upcoming wedding and then suggest accessories.

Some celebrities, however, will try to hide the fact that they were sponsored by a luxury brand. They will mix and match different brands together to avoid rumors that they are promoting a certain brand of clothing. 

While luxury sponsorship is not an option for most people, there is no shortage of look-alikes for the fashion conscious. 

By Lee Do-Eun and Kwon Hyuk Jae


Source: Korea JoongAng Daily


No comments:

Post a Comment