If there’s one thing that’s trending out there in the wedding blogosphere at the moment, it’s the short wedding dress. Design heavyweights Oscar de la Renta and Vera Wang have already got in on the act, launching short dress collections. We brides-to-be can’t seem to get enough of 1950s-style tea-length gown either, and while floor-skimming gowns are perennially popular, the short dress seems to be out to give them a run for their money.
Economics
There is a long-held economic theory that links prosperity with shorter skirt lengths. It surmises that during boom times (like those in the Flapper era of the 1920s and the mini skirt trend of the 1960s), ladies are more inclined to wear shorter skirts. Basically, as stock markets trend upwards, so do hem lengths. That clearly is not the cause here, as recession-hit brides buck the trend, and – it has to be said – a somewhat unscientific economic theory.
And if economics can’t explain the new retrospective fashions, that just leaves us with good old aesthetics and practicalities. On an aesthetic level, they certainly hold their own. Ok, if you are not comfortable showing your legs off on the big day, it may not be the style for you. It is still an iconic style though, made most famous by the eternally chic Audrey Hepburn in the 1957 romance, Funny Face.
Practicalities
Short wedding dresses are generally easier to move around in and more comfortable than their longer counterparts. A train is a beautiful addition to a wedding dress and really adds a show-stopping touch to the ceremony, but after a five-course meal and a few sups of champagne the focus of the wedding turns to the music, and short dresses are so much easier to move around in on the dance floor.
Shoes
Like the characters of the TV cartoon of the 1980s, many current brides-to-be are Shoe People. Fluctuations in dress size never affect your ability to wear shoes or handbags, so a pair of amazing shoes is a much better investment than the dress that is only worn once. A short dress draws attention to the shoes and therefore it’s a great choice for girls who are more concerned about their footwear than their gown. They are perfect for showing off ornate or detailed footwear that can be worn time and time again on special occasions in the future.
