The

Sit ti

Pring

BRIDE

Wedding gowns tend to be all-season
but certain details are hallmarks of spring.

■

BY BARBARA PASH

R or spring 1991 bridal
gowns, simple styling trans-
lates into sensational looks.
"Simplicity in gowns
means more fabric interest — draping,
cut and detail," says Martine Aerts-
Niddam, fashion and beauty editor of
Modern Bride magazine. "The focal
point is the shape — of the dress
itself, or of a detail like the sleeve or
neck.
"Simplicity also means less beading
and less decoration," Mrs. Aerts-
Niddam continues. "It all adds up to
a more sophisticated look. I don't
know if this trend is because brides
are older or because the bridal mar-
ket has been saturated with heavily
beaded gowns for many years."

F

Rachel Leonard, fashion editor of
Bride's magazine, sees the same trend.
"A cleaner, refined wedding gown
look:" she describes it. The focus is
on the neckline and on framing the
face."
Of course, bridal gown manufactur-
ers are not putting all their eggs into
one basket. Brides will still find an
array of attire, from frilly belle-of-the-
ball gowns that would delight Scarlett
O'Hara to fitted mermaid gowns that
would make a splash with Madison.
Indeed, according to Ms. Leonard,
there are more wedding gown
options now than ever before. "Manu-
facturers are aware of the range of
brides. There are more designers,
more diversity." Manufacturers have

become more price conscious, too,
she contends, although designer
gowns now start at $1,000 and even
local bridal stores report that the
average spent on a wedding gown is
$850. "Prices are coming down a bit,
even on the high end gowns," Ms.
Leonard predicts.
Mrs. Aerts-Niddam agrees. "The
average price for a good gown is
$850 to $1,200," she observes. "But
prices are coming down. There's a big
the
by
underway
effort
manufacturers."

National Trends

Wedding gown preferences vary
across the country. "I hate to gener-
alize," says Ms. Leonard, "but there

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