Not that champagne, silly. I’m talking about champagne (or sand or gold) gowns. Put me in white and I look like I’m dead. It’s sad, but true. Furthermore, I don’t tan and I look ridiculous with even the most realistic fake bakes. Surely, I’m not the only one. I don’t look particularly healthy in off-white shades, either.
What’s left? Champagne, gold, etc. And how do you know if a non-white gown (like the French taffeta number from Bonny shown above) is right for you? Just ignore the ferocious look of the model in the picture, first of all. Then consider your skin tone and undertones (thanks, RZA!). If you’ve been “blessed” with fair, yellow-tinted skin like I have, you’ll most likely look your best in warmer natural colors. Those with medium skin with yellow undertones also look great in sands and champagne.
Yummy!
I think I may have to disagree here. I am extremely fair (Casper-colored), but with dark hair and dark eyes, and very pink undertones in my skin. If you put me in a bridal gown that is cream or champagne or anything other than a true white, I look like death-warmed-over (actually, anything in those colors will do it). It just sucks all the color out of my face and emphasizes any circles under my eyes. But pure white looks really lovely, as long as I wear a tiny bit of blush. My skin seems to glow next to it, like pearls. I think that whether you look good in a true white versus a champagne/beige/ivory depends a lot on the undertones of your skin, rather than how fair your skin is.
I’m the same as RZA – gostly white with dark brown hair, too, and have the same problem with certain colors really bringing out the lovely purple color under my eyes when I’m tired (hello bright red!). White never seems to do that.
I got married in a stark white gown that actually gave my skin a bit of a boost, color-wise. When I tried on off-white and beige they actually made me look sallow and sickly, almost emphasizing my paleness instead of complimenting it.
Good point, ladies. And let’s not forget that all the color charts in the world are no substitute for actually trying on a gown!
And also be aware that your off-white gown might wash out to white in the pictures, as mine did.
There’s no substitute for trying things on, is there? That’s a very pretty color gown. If that color works on you, I say go for it.
Hm, is that model pouting like a spoiled brat, or was her collagen-lip-session a little too vigorous? Nobody wants a bride to look like a bitch on wheels.
I think she’s just unhappy that her dream destination wedding is being accidentally held on one of the planet sets from Star Trek, Jezebella. ; )
SHE COMES IN PEACE! LIVE LONG AND PROSPER!
Firstly, Her hair looks like a rooster w/o a head.
Secondly, I agree with this notion. My cousin is deathly pale and did not look that great in white IMO. Her sisters are quite browned by the Florida sun and looked stunning in their yellow satin gowns (different style but same colour – fab concept). A lot of Asian people would benefit from knowing this early on b/c most of us have olive and yellow undertones in our skin. It’s also good to know this in general for us just b/c it would save us a LOT of effort in finding the right makeup, wedding or otherwise. Most makeup in the US market is targeted at women w/ pink undertones, not yellow so it ends up looking a bit strange on us.
Champagne and different “tinted” gowns are quite the rage now. I’m also a fan of the “gradient” type gown, similar to what Gwen Stefani wore for her wedding.
I’ve got wildly pale skin with yellow undertones and I, too, look wretched in white. I’ve got a few white t-shirts and button downs, but I never wear them if need to look my best. Makeup looks like it’s floating on my skin and I look downright vampiric.
Since I’m not exactly the traditional type, I’m actually looking a dresses a full shade darker than the champagne (a sort of fawn color).
I say color! It’s your day, wear what you want. If white is something you never never wear, something you dislike, or something you hate, then chose something else. Don’t feel that you need to stick to the relatively narrow spectrum of white, ivory, & champagne. Even my grandmother, a relative stickler, admited that she enjoys the flexibilty of weddings these days – “It’s nice to see people using traditions in their own way… weddings aren’t so cookie-cutter anymore.”
Besides, if you choose a great color & style you could always wear your dress again to the opera, the ambassador’s ball, or an awards dinner!
Damn right, Kourtney. Heck, my gram was married in purple!
White wedding dresses are a pretty recent innovation anyway. 19th century Americans just got married in their best sunday-go-to-meeting dress – brown, blue, pink, whatever. *And* they kept wearing it.
Purple sounds just about right, if you ask me.
I’m actually rather excited about it. When I spoke with her recently she said she still had her dress and would show it to me next time we had a visit. Squeee!
I’m wearing silk white, which isn’t quite white white, but only because when we went to pick the fabric, the white white polyester satins all looked rather cheap, pure white suits me though as I am also pink skin toned. I’ve also benefitted from having my colours done so I’ve known for a few years now that White suits me
I’m deathly pale, like RZA, with pink undertones. I freckle. I burn. I peel. But I don’t tan.
Anything with yellow undertones makes me sallow and my freckles the focus, though. And most other shades of white? Well, I wash out.
Honestly, I want an ice blue or rum pink dress. I tried the rum pink on and omg, it’s gorgeous next to my skin. And the blue? Well, I have pale blue eyes, and blue is fabulous on me. A silver would work too.
Now, why is it that none of the dresses I like come in anything other than white or ivory? I need color, darnit!
Count me among the embalmed-pale, yellow-toned brides who went with straight white. For some reason, ivories/champagnes/etc. make me look bilious and exhausted.
And does anyone besides me recognize that bride’s bangs? If I were to take an educated guess, I’d say that they’re straight out of 1988. And along the lines of “the smeller’s the feller,” YES, I did have bangs just like that in 1988. How do you think I was able to date them so accurately?!
Around here we call those bangs the “Utah Claw.”
I think anything looks great depending on your skin tones!