The difference between being ‘princess for a day’ and actually being a princess is blurred in the minds of some brides, as we well know. I can only imagine that these are the women who will flock in droves to those shops that will sell a new line of $1,100 to $2,900 gowns based on those worn by the pretty, pretty princesses in Disney cartoons. Well, them and all the Disney enthusiasts out there.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the megagiant company “is using its stable of imaginary princesses as inspiration for a new line of wedding gowns.”
Disney and bridal designer Kirstie Kelly have developed a line of ethereal gowns that pay homage to Cinderella, Jasmine, Snow White, Ariel and Sleeping Beauty.
“They will be high-fashion and very modern,” said Paulette Cleghorn, president of Designer Loft Productions, a New York public-relations firm representing Kelly. “We are modernizing the princess concept. There is a difference between a girl who is inspired by Snow White and one who wants to dress like Snow White.”
Cleghorn said women who buy from Disney’s Fairy Tale Wedding collection are definitely in the inspired category. The gowns, she said, will only vaguely resemble the costumes made famous in Walt Disney movies and storybooks.
Only vaguely resemble them? There go my chances of wearing Belle’s gown, which I have been drooling after since I was in high school. Please don’t mistake me for some sort of Disney-lover, however. I won’t be putting one of these on my cake…
I find it frightening that the reasoning behind Disney’s line of wedding dresses is that since the Disney Princess brand has been so popular with girls between the ages of 3 and 6 why not extend to brides? Huh? I can’t think of any 25 year old women that I know who would want to look like a doll their 6 year old neice has in her bedroom.
Very odd. Although I am intrigued to see these creations. Apparently the Ariel and Jasmine lines are quite scandalous (for Disney!).
“We are modernizing the princess concept. There is a difference between a girl who is inspired by Snow White and one who wants to dress like Snow White.”
The fact that these people literally can’t tell the difference between a grown woman, making the very adult decision to share her life with someone else, and a little girl playing (expensive) dress-up just says it all. Sorry guys, I want to laugh it off and make a “Shell bra and fishtail” Ariel-dress joke, but this really hits on one of my biggest bridal pet peeves!
Those lumpy things on the side of Cinderella’s dress are not going to flatter anyone‘s hips. What’s the deal with that dress, anyway?
I really look forward to seeing these Disney-inspired monstrosities. Please let us know if you find pictures!
I suspect these gowns may make an appearance at Godawful Wedding Crap. when they do, I shall release my vitriol there.
I actually don’t think it’s such a bad idea. I doubt I’d wear one to my wedding (not that I’m getting married). I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with.
Wow, I’m scared and very curious about the wedding dresses. Belle’s dress is the one that seems recreated so much with the puffy skirts and the “cupcake” wedding dresses that are so popular right now. I know someone who probably would have bought one of these dresses when she got married a few years ago. She’s a huge Disney fan!
Considering that someone out there has had a Hello-Kitty themed wedding, I see no reason why some grown woman (with a man who is either whipped or really, really tolerant) would think that having a Disney princess-themed wedding would be a good idea. Many of us have an inner little girl.
That said, I think that my wedding would be a very inappropriate day to let my inner little girl out to play. My dress will be far from princess-y, and there will be no tiara in sight. (Whee, first dress fitting is in less than two weeks!)
the image of the Disney princesses reminds me of something–notice that none of them are looking at each other. apparently, this is done purposefully to preserve their “individual mythologies”, according to an NY Times article i read a few weeks ago. i never noticed this before! ha.
Hmmm.
1. Ok so the dresses for the original princesses that the Disney characters were patterned after contain style elements that frankly won’t go over very well today.
The bustle for one thing.
I realise, as a guy, that women are willing to suffer a very great deal for following fashion. But is there any modern woman willing to wear 18lbs of dangerously spring-loaded undergarments designed to make her butt look really really huge? I mean really really really huge?
2. I’d like the picture of any woman willing to wear Snow White’s dress. Those arm-things would make anyone look faintly ridiculous.
3. If I were planning on getting married and my bride to be insisted on something atrocious like this then I’d insist on dressing like Bluto from Animal House.
Toga! Toga! Toga! Toga!
“Ok so the dresses for the original princesses that the Disney characters were patterned after contain style elements that frankly won’t go over very well today. The bustle for one thing.”
Normally, yes. For weddings? No. Bustles are big for wedding dresses, especially the underbustles.
The bustle is pretty common in wedding dresses–how else do you get a train out of your damn way for the reception (barring a removable train)? There are a whole lot of wedding dresses out there already, non-Disney, that feature bustles as major design features.
My six year old granddaughter wore Belle’s gown for a costume party. She loves it.
But to get married in?
Ed, those aren’t “arm things.” Well, yes, they are in the Disney realization, I suppose. However, in Real Life, what you have is a slashed or paned upper sleeve, revealing the fabric of the sleeve beneath it – a very popular Tudor/Elizabethan theme, and it can be found on the gowns of those women who opt for a Tudor or Elizabethan-style wedding (of whom there are quite a few). I made an Elizabethan gown with paned sleeves for one bride that looked absolutely beautiful. Context has a lot to do with suitability and attractiveness in a wedding gown – and so does execution.
Considering how many brides I’ve known/seen wearing pirate-wenchy wedding dresses and ballerina-like dresses, I think weddings allow brides to play dress-up with a big bang, and these Disney princess dresses will probably fulfill the childhood dreams of many a grown-up bride.
As mentioned in other comments, the features on the princesses’ dresses aren’t unique to those princesses; each dress has bits (peplums, portrait necklines, gathered and tiered skirts, etc.) found on many wedding gowns in current wedding magazines.
I think it is smart of Disney — and to be expected, considering their marketing skill — to begin putting their brand on wedding gowns.
After all, don’t a lot of brides already want to be as “pretty as Cinderella” on their wedding day?