Recently, on the runways at New York’s Bridal Fashion Week, the overarching look for most of the collections was “natural and luminous” – with an emphasis on the bride showcasing healthy, glowing skin.
There was widespread use of highlighter, bronzer or face shimmer as well as peachy, coral or pink shades of blush.
Some other trends in bridal hair and makeup are:
Eyes - The smoky eye remains popular, however, this year, it is updated in shades of plum, khaki and grey. The use of mascara and eyelash extensions are also trendy, as eyelashes take centre stage. Lip Colour – If you’re not after the smoky eye look this year, you can pucker up with bold shades of deep mauve, cranberry, red and rose. These vibrant colours are replacing the nude and sheer lips of previous years.
Hair – Two popular hairstyles for this year’s modern bride are the side bun (an updated version of the chignon or ballerina bun - (*see photo above taken at New York's Bridal Market, April 2011, copyright Trinidad Weddings) accented with a flower or hair jewellery, or open hair with lots of loose waves.
Braided hairstyles (some of which are slightly messy and textural), bangs, centre paths that have an updated 1970’s vibe, low ponytails and long, soft curls are also vogue at the moment. These natural and “easy” hairstyles are a stark contrast to the formal, up-do’s of years gone by.
Brides who still favour a more structured hairstyle can choose the very vintage-like finger curls that hark back to the 1920’s, 1940’s and 1950’s or a modern French twist. Many brides are also opting for clip-in hair extensions, in order to have more hair length and therefore, more versatility of hairstyles to choose from.
