You choose your bridesmaids for lots of reasons and using a variety of metrics. Sometimes, they are your actual family, your sisters and cousins. Back in the day, brides were pressured into adding family members to the attendant brigade and girls often resented it. Those were the days of 12 bridesmaids. Now we see Best Woman and Man of Honor along with smaller numbers of attendants and a mix of dearest ones. Bridesmaids are often also longtime childhood friends, coworkers, college roommates, people in your hobby group or others you just love. 

But here's the truth:
Whether they are all sorority sisters and share a likeness, or your bridesmaids are a motley crew of pals from different chapters in your life, they all have distinct personalities (and tastes!, and body types!, and preferences!!). Remember that! And apparently, brides are embracing the concept and making a choice to provide leeway for their best girls. If a bridesmaid is willing to pay for her dress, EVEN THOUGH IT IS YOUR DAY, rewarding her with options can be the deeply cool thing to do.

The prevailing wisdom these days is that there are some basic categories and guidelines for mixing it up from the bridesmaids' lane.
1 - Choose the same color, but let style be up for grabs.
2 - Choose the same dress, but let brides choose their color from a limited palette, shades of blue let's say.
3 - Mix colors, shades and style.
4 - Make it a free-for-all within limits.

Brides are cautioned to guide their brides with a set palette, a limited choice of textures, hemlines and fabrics and a gentle reminder that the stand out in a group should still be the bride. 

Brides should also tie disparate looks together with consistency elsewhere. Keep the bouquets identical. Have bridesmaids all wear the same accessories. If the feel of the wedding is boho, allow hairstyles to be different but in that theme. No tight, austere buns or architectural hair dos should be found among the loose braids and whimsical waves. This will allow guests to see that there is structure vs. chaos in your day's planning.

Whether you go with a traditional look with all maids wearing identical styles or a complete reversal of The Rules, everyone in your wedding party should be comfortable and feel loved. Ultimately, that's why you chose them in the first place: they're special.

"It's in the details." This is true in design, it's true in baking and it is most definitely true with wedding gowns. Even if you choose the sleekest, most minimal sheath to wed in, you'll be making that choice based on details (or lack thereof). So let's talk sleeves.

Whether you're marrying in the heat of summer or around Christmas, the shape and length of sleeves can say a lot about your approach to the day and your own personal style. You may be speaking casually and showing a little more skin vs. saying, "I'm more traditional and want more coverage." Either way, once you start noticing sleeves we defy you not to have opinions. ​

Shorter sleeves, like cap sleeves, can convey a sense of freedom, a light and airy sensibility and a willingness to show off a little skin. If you have beautiful arms, cap and short sleeves are flattering. For the uninitiated, cap sleeves cover the top of the shoulder without extending below the armpit and are extremely feminine.

There are other options if you want a bit more coverage, but still a boho or cottagecore look. Off the shoulder sleeves are flirty, feminine and currently extremely popular. Fitted versions hug your arm and flutter versions are more dynamic and romantic.

Detached sleeves provide flexibility with your look of course because they can be removed for dining at the reception, but added for photos or for dancing. They switch up the look and the vibe of your ensemble. Imagine either of the gowns above without the belle or poof sleeves, and now add a faux fur bolero for winter or a cathedral veil for a summer garden wedding. You'd have two other entirely different vibes and styles.

We like to say these days that Lace is Queen, so long sleeves are a perfect choice if you want more coverage and more territory for lace. Below is an example of a gorgeous gown with lace sleeves that complement the other lace elements. 

Regardless of your style, your shape and your wedding theme, you have options, ladies. Our team is always ready to help you surprise yourself by trying something new, so don't be bashful about zigging when you thought you might zag, ... in the sleeve department.

Of course we have them in the form of lovely hair adornments, earrings, and robes. We also have ties and socks for the guys. You can purchase more than a few items from our shop - taking them completely out of context - and they are still glamorous and cool. 

Happy Valentine's Day to you all and if you do nothing else to celebrate this year: call your parents. They loved you first.

Have you heard about cottagecore? This trend is fast catching up with BoHo as the look to acquaint yourself with. The Urban Dictionary spells it out like this: "Cottagecore is a niche aesthetic based around the visual culture of an idealized life on a Western farm. Common themes include sustainability, gardens, farm animals, rural living and nature."

Lovers of Cottagecore want to immerse themselves in nature, they bake, they embrace Celtic folk music, love rusticity, are thrifty dreamers and take care to move slowly and romantically through life. 

There is an escapist, wistful quality to cottagecore that makes it appealing to Gen-Zers. It's nostalgia for "the old ways", but without the cultural misappropriation, race or gender judgements or cruelty. Those who appreciate and participate in this trend would rather needlepoint, wander in the woods with a journal, sit quietly and listen to birds than grab their laptops and head to the coffee house. Think "made from scratch" and you'll see them light up. In terms of fashion, think peasant blouses and dresses, hand-knitted sweaters, and silk head scarves.

In bridal gowns, this trend carries over the essence of ease, nostalgia, and a lost time. It is manifested in balloon sleeves, flowy skirts, backless details, off the shoulder and even corseted bodices. Wrap your milkmaid braids up and add some wildflowers and you're all set. Cottagecore wedding gowns scream romance and a carefree, earthy take on a timeless celebration of marriage. 

If tall structured and architectural gowns represent modern, this is the opposite. These dresses have an element of nature, freedom, easy movement, deep nostalgia for the old days and comfort. And if we have to say it, we will: the Cottagecore gowns we've seen are exquisite and we would love to show you what we have and can get at Bridal Traditions. Read up about Cottagecore over a cup of tea and homemade tarts and then come see us.

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