Want to add a little vintage glamour to your big day? When planning a wedding, words like romantic and classic inspire style. Vintage wedding accessories add a timeless touch of glamour.
While wishing a bride ‘good luck’ is an etiquette no-no, brides traditionally incorporate many good luck charms into their attire. And family and friends often provide these tokens of something borrowed, something blue. But brides can also make new memories with something old, found at flea markets. Dress head-to-toe in love with these 5 vintage bridal accessories.
1. Veils and headpieces
Lengths and styles change, but the veil evokes an iconic image of the bride on her wedding day. With decades of fashion to choose from, finding the perfect headpiece to complement your look is easy.
Veils can allure without hiding that radiant bridal glow. Lacey caps from the 20s and 30s, for example, have flowing veils attached at the back. Or opt for 50s birdcage and blusher veils with peekaboo netting. Move away from veils altogether with options such as fascinators, Juliet caps and pillbox hats.
2. Jewelry
Bridal jewellery can be passed down from generation to generation. And whether worn or used as a decorative embellishment, jewellery is a versatile vintage wedding accessory. Ruby Lane is a great place to shop online for vintage and antique jewelry.
Pearls are quintessential bridal adornment. But brides throughout the eras have also accessorized with various gemstones, diamonds, rhinestones and crystal glass. Novelty jewelry, or pieces made from plastics like Bakelite, create colorful jewelry bouquets.
Exchange vows with wedding bands found at flea markets and estate sales. And let’s not forget the groom. Vintage cufflinks and lapel pins tie his-and-hers style together.
3. Purses, gloves and wraps
Accessories add elegance, but they are also practical. The beauty of vintage purses is their attention to detail. Beaded clutches with kiss clasps and metal mesh purses make decorative storage for lipstick and tissues. Engraved sterling silver compacts and coin purses, though smaller, hold mirrors for quick touchups.
Autumn and winter weddings offer additional options. Fur stoles and gloves work well with bridal gowns and will keep you warm. If you are planning a formal ceremony, full-length gloves are an enduring classic. Wrist-length gloves, also known as ‘shorties’, add a graceful mid-century charm.
4. Shoes
Finding vintage shoes that fit can be tricky. Sizes are often small and tight. To widen your options, try colours other than white. A touch of blue or pink can even make the dress pop.
Online marketplaces such as Etsy sell many styles of authentic vintage shoes. Antique Victorian and Edwardian shoes are rare, but silk and satin Art Deco pumps are a little easier to find. More common, however, are peep-toes and T-strap heels from the ’40s onwards. Add vintage flair to newer shoes with brooches and clip-on earrings.
5. The wedding dress
Unique, well made and often affordable. The benefits of a vintage wedding dress are many. Unlike the stark white of contemporary dresses, vintage dresses come in flattering pearlescent shades such as champagne, blush and peach.
Similarly, there’s a variety of silhouettes to choose from when shopping for vintage. From the drop waist of the Roaring Twenties to the empire waist of the Swingin’ Sixties. Or the columnar shapes of the 30s to the flowing boho styles of the 70s. Choose the look that’s so you. And the fabrics go beyond silk and lace to include chiffon, tulle and crinoline.
What to pay attention to when shopping for vintage wedding accessories
When shopping for vintage wedding accessories on sites like Etsy, look out for potential fakes. It’s easier to identify authentic vintage pieces when you shop in person at flea markets and estate sales. However, many online marketplaces list vintage-inspired reproductions.
Authentic vintage wedding dresses are likely to have some imperfections. Large holes, moth damage and severe yellowing may be beyond repair. While there are at-home cleaning remedies, dress restoration experts may be better suited to treating vintage fabrics.