Fashion is fascinating

Around 70 years ago, wearing a hat was an everyday occurrence for both men and women, even a trip to the shops or out for lunch absolutely meant wearing a hat.

During the 50s and 60s there was a huge evolution in fashion. The second world war had given women a freedom never experienced before, and they were loath to give it up. You only have to look at films or pictures taken at that time to see how girls were loving the gorgeous full skirts with lots of petticoats in the 50s; rationing was over, and they wanted to celebrate, have fun and move on. Hats were not worn as much, hairstyles including the beehive became popular and the Capri pant and pony tail was another trend.

The 60s were probably more of a revolution in fashion terms, it was love and peace, psychedelic prints, mini skirts, bell-bottom trousers and tie-dye. Fashion became much more casual and relaxed, hats were generally not so popular apart from the Biba floppy hat or Mary Quant’s PVC baker boy styles as worn by Twiggy.

However, fashion is forever updating, changing and moving on. Millinery has been in decline generally for decades. We may wear a hat for practical purposes, to keep warm in winter or a sunhat on holiday if it is very hot.

Enter the 21st century and with the Royal marriage in 2011 we saw what must have been the most amazing assortment of millinery entering Westminster Abbey, ever. It was an absolute joy to see all the designs and how they were coordinated. Even the creation Philip Treacy had designed for Beatrice had its own Facebook page with thousands of comments, most of which not very favourable. Maybe a lesson in how to stand out for all the wrong reasons!

Whether you are a fan of the young Royals or not, millinery has once again become very popular, especially to wear to a wedding.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Sophie, Countess of Wessex look stunning in hats and have contributed to the growing desire amongst girls in their twenties and thirties to look elegant and beautiful even if it just for a day. A kick back maybe to our usually very casual lifestyles?

The races have always encouraged the wearing of hats and often the bigger the better. More definitely seems to be more at these events, with the hat being the star of the show, bringing a real sense of fun to dressing up.

As a note, the rule for the Royal enclosure at Ascot require you to have a minimum 10cm covering for the head and then any other decoration extra to that. The Grandstand is less rigid and even fascinators are acceptable. 

Millinery etiquette

The Mother of the bride and groom should wear a hat or fascinator to complete their outfit. This is such an important and happy day for a mother and it really is essential to look and feel good, think of all those photographs being handed down for generations! If the wedding is very informal or has a theme where hats are not required this should be stated on the invitation.

As a guest at a wedding you too should compliment the bride and groom and make an effort to look special. Always take your outfit with you when shopping for a headpiece. This is not only for colour matching or co-ordinating but also for style to see what will suit you and the outfit. Sometimes a colour will “pop” out and look fabulous and it is often not the one you thought of. There are no hard and fast rules about matching accessories, it can vary depending on the outfit, this is why it is important to have your dress with you when choosing your accessories.

Don’t take husbands, boyfriends or even best friends when shopping unless they really understand fashion and have a good eye!

ohemian weddings have long been popular, but recently there’s been a subtle shift in how couples are interpreting the theme for their weddings.

Rustic is out in favour of more ‘woodsy’ vibes, with many more opting for outdoor settings, prompting a rise in barefoot brides. Relaxed, natural weddings are no longer just about being on trend, but seen as the easiest way to showcase who you are as a couple and to bring your personalities to life on the big day. A combination of personal values and the desire for more informal, relaxed settings has made downto-earth weddings the trend to follow for 2018.

Relaxation on laws surrounding marriages in Jersey will not only see gay couples marry on the island this year but allow ceremonies to take place in outdoor locations, where before they had to be in or attached to a residential dwelling. Cue surfers’ beach weddings, folky woodland unions and island elopements for visiting couples. It’s an exciting time for wedding suppliers and event planners as the floodgates of opportunity open out onto Jersey’s landscapes, leaving us to colourfully imagine how to interpret this season’s wedding and bridal trends in a very uniquely way.

One in five engaged couples opt to have a green wedding today. Sustainability and being kind to the environment have permeated fashion generally over the last few years with shoppers being made to consider their purchases more carefully. As we try to not be wasteful with our fashion, there is perhaps nothing more wasteful than the indulgence of a wedding dress. A dress that for most, is worn once and never again.

Designers such as Livia Firth have already launched eco-friendly fashion lines with the number of bridal designers following suit rising steadily. Using fair trade and sustainable materials, designers look at up-cycling dresses and repurposing second hand ones to reduce the impact to the environment. Long gone are the days where such a commitment would have resulted in an itchy and shapeless hemp sack, now designers use zero waste cutting techniques to produce visions to rival the leading designers.

For those looking to incorporate nature into their wedding dress, florals are set to be bigger than ever in 2018 bridal wear collections. On the runway for this season, there was homage to earth brides with designers making the bold move of using colourful floral motifs on their wedding dresses. Rather than the silk and cream blooms we are used to on gowns, Naeem Khan took a risk and sent models out sporting colour blooms from head to toe. Temperley London took a softer take on floral decoration with pastel embellishments, whilst bridal royalty Carolina Herrera dipped her lace gowns in grass greens with white bud accents.

The interpretation of bohemian this season is much more elevated and striking than the rustic feel of previous years. Colours will be deeper and textures richer, giving an edgy feel whilst still being romantic. It’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream meets Moulin Rouge. The colour of the year is most certainly burgundy, a strong and vibrant hue that is shown through a variety of textures such as velvet and silks.

Dresses should be styled to create a romantic, dreamy feel in fabrics that allow easy and free movement like crepe. Hairstyles were relaxed and undone, with textured updo’s incorporating braids and ponytails worn high and wavy. Crown braids had started to become overused with festival goers replicating the style everywhere, but Temperley London makes the look fresh once more for this year’s brides.

Accessories are made to fit in seamlessly with outdoor locations with floral crowns an absolute must for earth brides, the bigger and bolder the better. Barefoot brides should look to incorporate floral ankle cuffs, replacing the need for showy designer shoes. Planet conscious couples will also make lesser used flowers resurface in bouquets this season. There is no longer the wish to fly in exotic flowers, but instead to use what is locally and readily available on island. Daffodils, irises and daisies will be blooms of choice with a growing trend for more lush greenery meaning you could almost ditch the need for flowers altogether.

Shannon Leahy of Shannon Leahy Events agrees that the biggest trend for this season is “bold and dramatic floral patterns! From the tablecloths to paper and the dance floor, we're seeing dramatic floral prints with saturated colours on black backgrounds as a huge trend right now.” Greenery won’t just be limited to floral bouquets but used in place of fabric drapery to create a dramatic and green wonderland setting. Think clear tents with lush greenery installations to bring in that natural element and really make things feel organic. Wooden accents will still be a strong feature, with personalised wooden signage and lighted wooden letters.