07 Mar 2013
Posted by Aliyah 
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Modesty is always a challenge when it comes to being Jewish, whether you only wear long skirts and long sleeves, if you are just attending your first Orthodox wedding, or a ceremony taking place in a synagogue. The fashion world hasn’t always seen eye-to-eye with the traditional Jewish laws of modesty called tzniut.
This is one of the reasons as the Social Media Director for Ketubah.com I was so keen on starting a “Modest and Modern Wedding Gowns” Pinterest board. Luckily, this season higher necklines, longer sleeves, and full length skirts have become incredibly stylish. (I always thought they were!)
Looking to the Academy Awards red carpet I loved seeing so many gowns, on a variety of women, from race, size, and age, wearing different levels of modest gowns.
Mothers of Brides & Grooms
While Jane Fonda and Meryl Streep are always classy and age appropriate, I’d look to Sally Field who has been lighting up every red carpet this season, and she did not disappoint at the Oscars. In stunning radiant red Valentino gown, which despite appearing sheer is completely covered, from her collarbone, to her wrist, to the floor, yet the dress has a lightness to it. This dress in a variety of colors could glide down any isle.
Bridesmaids
There were so many gorgeous gowns to look towards for inspiration as a bridesmaid. Having been a bridesmaid myself on more then one occasion, I always try to find a dress, fabric, and style that I will not only be able to wear again, but want to wear again. This season I am loving the beaded gowns from designers like Elie Saab and Reem Acra. No one wore this trend better than Adele in a black beaded Jenny Packham gown. This 24 year-old powerhouse singer’s signature black dresses are always figure-flattering, and coincidentally completely covered without looking frumpy. I would be thrilled as a bridesmaid to wear a dress like this, and be proud as a bride to have gorgeous girls around me wearing dresses in a similar style.
Brides
Jennifer Lawrence’s Christian Dior Couture drop-waist ball gown has been predicted to be the #1 bridal-wear trendsetter and I won’t argue with that, but I also think Octavia Spencer’s Tadashi Shoji gown could make a wave this coming wedding season. This elegant use of tulle to cover the shoulders and collarbones is gorgeous and could be placed in a variety of ways, depending on how religious your ceremony is. For a less religious, Reform, or interfaith wedding you could have the tulle off the shoulder or asymmetric, as Spencer is wearing it. For a more Conservative, or Orthodox ceremony, consider having it straight across so that your collarbones are barely showing. A bride could also add sheer sleeves underneath without sacrificing the design. You could even change the neckline from your chuppah ceremony to the reception! Coincidentally I came across this pin which has a very similar look! This cut and style is universally flattering for those short (Spencer is only 5”2!) as well as for more petite to curvaceous plus size women, and everyone in between.
What designers and celebrities are you looking towards for gown and bridal inspiration?
