How to Wear Black Designer Wedding Dresses and Look Beautiful (Not Bewildering)

Your mom thinks you've gone off the deep end. Your sisters think you're hexing your own wedding. Your groom-to-be is confused, and his mom thinks this is one more proof you have a few marbles missing.

But there's no changing your mind, no talking you out of your plan to literally turn heads on your wedding day. White designer wedding dresses may be all the rage, but you're dead-sure they're not for you. You are wearing black, and for you there is no turning back.

Black Is Beautiful
The good news (yes there is a silver lining to this, um, literally dark cloud) is that you won't be the first bride to chuck off traditional designer wedding dresses in favor of something more funky. So, go ahead and wear black on your wedding.

Style icon Sarah Jessica Parker wore black to her wedding in 1997. That trivia may not make much sense to your groom but at the very least, you can now tell your mother-in-law and your sisters (who are convinced you will make them wear - gasp! - teal bridesmaid dresses) you are not committing fashion hara-kiri; you are in fact repeating a trend not too long ago set by the ultimate fashion plate, SJP. Yes, black is beautiful; and what's more, brides have worn them for years! From the wedding dresses in Missisauga to the glam designer wedding dresses of Hollywood, you can bet your favorite pair of stilettos there is a black wedding dress in there somewhere.

Black Up With Care
Of course, black designer wedding dresses are not exactly the easiest to carry off. There is a very thin line between looking edgy and looking like Dracula's bride. You don't want to cross that line, especially not on your wedding day. So you won't go overboard on your goth theme, here are some tips and suggestions for rocking your black dress without OD'ing.

Nix dark makeup. Sure, you want sexy smoky eyes. But you are already wearing black, woman! Very dark eyeliner will make you look like something that just walked out of the graveyard. So, go easy on the eyeliner and aim for a dewy, fresh-faced look instead.

Don't choose heavy fabrics. Nothing screams "I'm a bride who hasn't gotten over her Gothic teen years!" more than black velvet. The best fabrics to choose for your dress are light satin and thinly layered chiffon. Their lightness will provide refreshing contrast to the overpowering darkness of your dress.

Go for clean lines. Black is a very dramatic color, so keep all other details of your dress simple. Look for one with a tight bodice and a flowing skirt or anything with a clean, streamlined fit. Whatever you do, do not incorporate long sleeves into your dress. You're a bride-to-be, not a walk-in for a Bram Stoker film.

Of course, there are more ways to glam up black designer wedding dress. But these three basic tips should be enough to point you in the right direction. Remember, even SJP admits regretting her decision to wear black on her wedding. Wear yours right so you won't end up whistling the same tune.

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