Few weeks ago I was wandering among the stalls of a vintage fair, when I was so lucky to find original bridal sewing patterns of the sixties, what a treat and what a step back in time.  The 1960s saw the effects of Mary Quant's miniskirts and the dramatic 60s fashions worn by Twiggy that highlighted the bust, reflecting on bridal style too.

The first iconic wedding gowns of this era which pop up to my mind are short, late in the sixties, Audrey Hepburn, Yoko Ono, Sharon Tate, Cilla Black to name a few.

 

Audrey Hepburn for her marriage to Andrea Dotti in 1969, worn a simple yet stunning, wedding ensemble created for her by Givenchy, a light pink mohair and cashmere jersey mini dress, high collar, tight long sleeves with ruffle cuffs. A coat of pale pink wool twill, double breasted, above-knee length and a matching kerchief in the same color and material.

 

On the left: Cilla Black in 1969 worn a white mini dress with ostrich trim to wed Bobby Willis.

On the right: Yoko Ono married John Lennon in 1969, wearing a crepe mini-dress over high-knee socks and white tennis shoes and a big white hat.

 

 

A fashion must during the heady days of the 'swinging 60's' with the women's movement happening,  brides opted for the popular shift dress silhouette, a simple tubular shape that allowed them more freedom of movement and make them look fabulous.

 

On the left: An original bridal sewing pattern of the sixties.

On the right: 1960s Ivory Off White Raw Silk Shift Dress – Photo courtesy 1stdibs.

 

 

On the left: 1964 Elizabeth Taylor married Richard Burton ( for the first time ) in a canary yellow babydoll dress with a stunning floral bridal hairdo.

On the right: 1969: Britt Ekland on her wedding to Peter Sellers wearing a babydoll style wedding gown.

  

 

On the left: Raquel Welch wearing a crochet little dress on her wedding to Patrick Curtis 1967.

On the right: 1960s Pink and Ivory little Lace wedding dress - Photo courtesy 1stdibs.

  

 

On the left: An original bridal sewing pattern of the sixty.

On the left: Jackie Collins in 1960 wearing a tea length white satin wedding dress.

 

 

On the left: An original bridal sewing pattern of the sixties.

On the right: Frances Shea wearing a neat ivory satin bridal gown on her wedding day to the infamous Reggie Kray in 1965. Only few months ago I saw the movie Legend on The rise and all of the criminal Kray Twins, who terrorized London during the 1960s, I immediately recall the actress Emily Browning wearing simply-chic wedding dress on the movie, curios as I am, I had to find the photo of the real wedding of Frances and Reggie.

 

 

On the left: An original bridal sewing pattern of the sixties.

On the right: 1960's Maggy Rouff Crisp wedding gown – Photo courtesy 1stdibs.

  

 

On the left: An original bridal sewing pattern of the sixties.

On the right: A real wedding from the sixties, the sullen little girl is me, my first wedding.

 

 

On the left: An original bridal sewing pattern of the sixties.

On the right: Sandra Dee on her wedding day to Bobby Darin.

 

Thank you all for joining me in this leap into the explosion of sixties fashion and get a bit of taste of it. I wish I could talked about two of my favorite weddings of the sixties, keep in the loop, I will as soon as I get enough fresh new archive materials.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is now known that the vintage wedding dress is not only a matter of fashion, it is also the perfect choice for those brides-to-be who love to stand out and make a statement of personality.

What is the secret to achieving the perfect vintage look? Find the perfect vintage dress itself is very challenging; it should be an extension of your own personality and also belongs to your “favorite era”.

Once you’ve made this important choice, it is only the beginning that will lead you up to the delicate choice of the accessories.

My brides-to-be can enjoy the Vintage Consulting Service which will assist them until they say “Yes, I do”.

Here, for you some of my suggestions …

 

  

Let us start from a basic rule, which is: always match a vintage dress to one or more modern accessories, we need to balance in perfect harmony all the elements to make them look fresh and contemporary while retaining the imprint of yesteryear;  Following this rule you will avoid to look a way too outdated.

As an example, we can see some of the choices made by my brides-to-be …

 

  

Would you take a wild guess? Which is one of my recommendations that have far more success undoubtedly? Yes, you’re right we are talking about shoes: Pairing vintage clothing with decidedly modern shoes might be the right solution to give a modern twist to your vintage wedding dress. Few examples, as a match to a fifties style wedding dress we can wear a stiletto pumps or a flat ballerina shoe, if the heels are not making you at ease. If you’re into the seventies mood, the right shoe for you has a wide heel and platform height. If you want to add an additional classy touch to your Vintage look, a pop of color in your shoes it could do the trick; Marta in the picture above, opted for apple green, to match her enchanting late sixties wedding dress.

 

 

Another accessory on which you can rely to balance the vintage-modern harmony, it may be the shrug, perfect to be worn in a religious ceremony. It May be different from the wedding dress both in style and fabric, depending on the season. In the in the picture above, Luisa wears a lace and tulle fifties wedding dress, It is early April, in the countryside; we chose an angora shrug in the same white hues of the lace.

 

 

Last but not least, the wedding accessory par excellence: The veil. Timeless, always in fashion It has origins that date back to ancient Romans, flame-colored,  it was called the flammeum. The veil adds a touch of classic romance and can make any gown a wedding gown. You can really indulge in finding the appropriate veil to your wedding dress. Mixing a vintage wedding dress and new veil, cathedral length veil or a short veil it is up to you, wearing vintage and new separates in a way that is both very modern and entirely unique, like Karoline from Oslo, she wore a “fabulous twenties” silk satin wedding gown pairing it with to a long and dramatic veil, all-essential and brand-new.

 

 

For the “total vintage” look lovers, who can’t give up the appeal of garments  and accessories of the past decades, a quick and smart solution it will be an outstanding blazing red both for the nail polish and the lipstick.

 

I look forward to seeing you all soon, the more the merrier, on:  “Le Vintagerie Wedding by Esterita”  … Stay tuned.

 

Esterita Di Cesare.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every day, in the world, there is an anniversary to celebrate, something to remember, due to all the occurrences went on since ever.  For instance today, June 29th, in Rome, we solemnize the patrons  Saints Peter and Paul, but in Haro, Spain, they have the famous “La Batalla del Vino” (the wine battle) and in Milan, my friend Laura will turn her 40th birthday… In New York, exactly 61 years ago, in June 29th 1956, a worldwide celebrity Marilyn Monroe was getting married to the playwright Arthur Miller: one of the most famous wedding Hollywood can remember!

 

Photo from the Movie Box

 

There was a total media frenzy surrounding the relationship between Marilyn and Arthur Miller. They met in Los Angles in 1951, when he felt in love with her at first sight. After that they didn’t meet again for the next four years.  The first time Arthur Miller spoke about his intention to marry the actress; it was during the hearing before the Committee on Un-American Activities. The hearing ended on June 21th 1956, eight days later they got married in secret at the Westchester County Courthouse in White Plains, New York, with only two witnesess. She wore a pencil brown skirt topped by a beige sweater and no hat.

 

Photo from the Movie Box

 

Marilyn already converted in Hebraism a few days before, so the couple could celebrate an intimate Jewish ceremony, with Miller’s family and some friends:  that’s when she wore one of the most famous wedding dresses in fashion history, designed for her by Norman Norell and costume designer John Moore.

In a light beige muslin with a satin sash belt, the gown had the iconic line of the 50s dresses, magnifying her perfect goddess body shape. As she couldn’t find the right veil to match the dress, she dyed it in coffee -American coffee, not expresso, of course!-. The short length and the impalpability of the veil allowed admiring her characteristic blonde hairstyle.

 

 

Photo from the Movie Box

 

In 1953, on “Gentleman prefers blondes”, she wore, together with Jane Russell, another amazing iconic wedding dress, calf ankle length, in refined lace and tulle. In one of the many displays of my vintage bridal atelier, I put coincidentally the two styles together. Both the dresses, originally from 1950s, received a lot of appreciation by the customers, who said they reminded them of the movie “Gentleman prefers blondes”!   Isn’t that funny?

By for now and stay tuned on “Le Vintagerie Wedding” for more and more about vintage bridal!

 

Photo from my own copy of DVD

 

Who is in to be like a style icon, just for one day? An original vintage Pencil line, ankle-lenght, cream-coloured Silk shantung with two small fabric belts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summer is at the door and so the perfect time of the year for weddings. Actually, for country weddings…

So often, nowdays, we hear about ‘boho’, ‘shabby’, ‘country’ wedding, but…why? The reason is probably due to a need of our society to go back to a more simple life, more in touch with Nature, loose from all these conventional and formal cerimonies where we have to respect unconfortable etiquettes.

 

Shari and Adams, in a Vintachic 1980s wedding dress, in a northern Italian vineyard.

 

However, a country wedding does not mean to exclude good manners, of course: many Personalities and Celebrities solemnize their own wedding in a bohemian style. It’s just a way to feel more freer and comfortable spending a beautiful day out of the city, in a perfect vintage style.

 

Photo courtesy of Green Tea Photography

 

The french word bohémien borns in 19th century, as a gipsy style of life, representing a nonconformist lifestyle which, a century later,  from Woodstock, in 1969, throught all the 70s, will be called hippie! This decade is famous for that boho-chic  fashion,  still so beloved and current, especially for bridal gowns.

 

Vogue Italia, January  1972

 

Many of my brides-to-be - who have already decided to get married in true vintage wedding dress- are in search of a bohemian style gown from the 70s, to celebrate their big day in a delicious countryside location, set up in a perfect shabby taste, so that we recently had a “farm bridal shooting” and here some of our proposal  for a perfect hippie-country-style bridal dress…

 

Photo courtesy of Elena Gaetani

 

This dress, sophisticated and sober at one time, made of cream lace and silk organdy ruffles of our vintage collection, is a pearl of Italian tailoring from 1970s.

 

Photo courtesy of Gianluca Serrago

 

This is a real one of a kind: a silk organdy white dress with water lily applications, another masterpiece of a famous Old Italian atelier in Venice, dated 1960s.

So, for all those future brides who are inpired about having a vintage style pitched wedding party, I will be available for any suggestion, advice or wedding dress proposal.

 

Best wishes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many blogs talk about wedding and many of them about vintage wedding. This is why I thought it was the right time for me to introduce “Le Vintagerie Wedding by Esterita” which is supposed to be one of a kind, as the blogger besiside to be an excellent knower of Vintage, is also the owner of a vintage bridal boutique, VINTACHIC, with a collection of over 300 gowns from 1880 to 1980, that makes the store unique in Europe. My future Brides not only will certainly find a unique wedding dress, but they will also benefit of my vintage consulting.

 

 

This first time we’ll go back in  1940s, excactly in the WWII, inside the movie “Allied”, a Robert Zemeckis movie with Brad Pitt and  Marion Cotillard. As you know, during the war the crisis was very deep and it was a hard time for any kind of expenses, especially for a wedding dress. It was also a dramatic moment to have a party, therefore any kind of celebration needed  to be extremely sober.

 

 

The very few brides that were lucky enough to get married in a proper wedding dress, were used to gift a  less fotunate girl by giving her their own gown, after the wedding, and so on and on so that a single dress was going to be used several times… Some other bride got married  simply in an elegant dress, usually in a solid color enriched by a beutiful headpice or hat: just like Marianne in the movie. The result was lovely even so, as 1940s were so glamourous that a woman was charming by wearing even a simple overall!

 

 

Marianne dress was amanzigly glam, in that light blue/grey silk chiffon, mid calf lenght and long sleeves. After all nothing more than a tea dress, but the canonical little flowery headpiece in the hair, and the small bouquet made of it a unique Bridal Dress!

 

 

The very moment I saw the trailer of “Allied” and the wedding scene, the dress reminded me of one of the vintage wedding dresses of my collection, the same color, the same fabric and a very similr shape except for the lengh, as mine is floor lenght. Put the pictures closed and see yourselves: isn’t it quite the same?

 

 

It could certainly be an ispiration for your bridal dress, if you are a sophysticated and refined type, otherwise keep on reeding this blog as I’ll talk about other decades!