Focus on the back!

It seems to me that most brides search for their perfect gown by focusing mainly on the elements of the gown that can be seen from the front view; they worry about the neckline, the waist, the silhouette, the fabric...everything except the back of the gown! In fact the more I thought of it I realised that after looking at hundreds of completely different bridal gowns, somehow they all seemed to look identical from behind. Many wedding dresses share features at the back such as a standard lace up corset, hidden zips and neat rows of microscopic buttons. These thoughts led me to write the article Behind every great gown..

If the red carpet has taught us anything at all, we have learnt the importance of a dress that looks great from every angle and not just the front. This is because real photographs are not as forgiving as magazine shots of models and mannequins, they show all the different sides of the dress so it makes perfect sense to spread the glamour of the gown more evenly so that there are exquisite details on the front as well as the back. Of course this doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with a gown that has a simple back; it really comes down to the personal taste and choice of the bride. Just as long as it is an open minded choice rather than a blind following of the 'boring back' tradition.

The beauty of back detailing lies mainly in the element of surprise; people always expect the best of the gown to be apparent from the front view, it is not until the bride has walked past or maybe even taken her veil off for the reception that they get to see the extra touch of glamour at the back of the gown where it is least expected. The back detail could be anything ranging from criss-cross straps, to lace cut outs or even over sized bows.

Intricate detailing on the back is best for gowns that are ultra simple in the front, if the gown has too much detailing on both the front and the back it will look busy and overdone which is never the look to aim for. Brides who prefer to cover their upper arms and back can go for high necked gowns like the bateau neck and then compensate with a deliciously chic open back. Open back gowns often straddle the line between classy and trashy, if the opening in the back is too wide, too low, or poorly fitted, the gown will look cheap and tacky. Whenever in doubt about overdone embellishments and over revealing gowns, opt for less of both.

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