Off-the-shoulder chic
By Never teh Bride
As you no doubt have already guessed, I love all things classic. If I think a dress or a necklace or a shoe would have looked appropriate on my two favorite style icons (Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe), I’ll usually buy it.
So it is no surprise that designer Shannon McLean appeals to my sensibilities. Her wedding gowns look like the came out of the closets of my favorite starlets of bygone eras. Ruffles, lace, old fashioned (yet still daring) necklines, bows, and beautiful fabrics define Ms. McLean’s feminine bridal collections.
The unique and sexy dress above (named Coco, from the spring 2005 collection) features a one-shoulder draped fitted bodice accented with a bow. While I’m not usually partial to off-the-shoulder styles, this dress, which accentuates the back and comes in white or blush English net or silk gazar, gets it right. All I can say is yummy.
May 31st, 2006 at 12:16 pm
Oh, but the bow! The bow! How could one wear one’s heirloom necklace with a bow like that? And what kind of veil?
I can only hope that it’s a misfired link, as that dress leaves me a little cold.
Back to work with me now.
May 31st, 2006 at 12:43 pm
Who needs a veil when you’ve got a big, honkin’ bow?
Well, better than a giant butt bow, anyhow…
May 31st, 2006 at 3:18 pm
Oh, I was married in the sad era of giant butt-bows. It was the worst of times.
I really like the Vivi from Spring 2005: it’s so unusual! You’d definitely have to see it on; but I’ll bet that if you were a skinny or beyond-skinny little thing, it’d look very chic. If you’re not-so-skinny [like I am] or busty, it might not work as well; but the extra-wide middriff band would surely accentuate a small waist/lower ribcage.
May 31st, 2006 at 4:38 pm
That’s the thing that bums me out about Shannon McLean’s creations, jenny. Though I love most of them, I don’t think I’d look good in any of them!
June 2nd, 2006 at 12:05 am
ooo- thank you for sharing her- I LOVE some of her halter dresses- fabulous!
(the bow appeals to me in a way that butt bows NEVER did)
August 11th, 2006 at 12:23 am
Does anyone know if Shannon McLean is still designing? I ask because the Web site is no longer there. . . . I hope it’s just due to nonrenewal of the domain name or something, because I love this designer’s work! But I can’t find any recent press, or any mention of a 2006 line.
I’m dying to know what’s going on!
August 16th, 2006 at 1:30 pm
Never fear, Lawri! She simply changed her URL. The new site can be found here.