Preloved wedding dresses are growing in popularity, with brides-to-be considering sustainability alongside finding a gown that’s unique and beautifully-made. Claire Paterson, owner of Edinburgh boutique, Those Were the Days Vintage Bridal, gives us the lowdown on all things vintage bridalwear
What to consider
Vintage wedding dresses are reflections of the fashion and wedding styles of the time. Our dresses are internationally sourced and date from Edwardian times through to the 1990s, which means that they’re often quite modest and covered up compared to more modern styles. People’s weddings weren’t the big parties we have now, so the dresses were designed to reflect this.
A 1940s pink lace wedding dress. Credit: Anneleen Lindsay Photography
Brides should also bear in mind that vintage wedding dresses are often lower in price than many modern wedding dresses. Our collection ranges in price from approximately £300 to £700 for a short dress and £500 to £1,000 for a full length dress, with a few rare pieces priced up to £1,500. A beautiful vintage wedding dress can save you money and make you feel like a million dollars.
Try to consider what era, style, fabric and colour of dress you might like, but don’t get too hung up on what you think you want. With vintage bridal dresses we always recommend being open to any suggestions your bridal stylist has for you. They’re experienced and know what styles will work for your body type.
Sizing and material
Vintage bridal fashion is of a very high quality compared to a lot of today’s fast fashion bridal styles. Vintage items were made expertly by hand with high quality fabrics. This is why they’ve survived in such good condition for so long.
We try very hard to have the widest selection of sizes available in the boutique, but true vintage wedding dresses, i.e. dresses dating over 30 years old or older, tend to be a lot smaller in size than modern dresses. This means that most of our collection ranges in size between a modern UK size 6 to a size 14.
Credit: Melody Joy Co
Vintage perks
There are so many advantages to shopping for a vintage wedding dress, ranging from their marvellous uniqueness and beautiful designs to the fact that you’re shopping sustainably and helping to protect the environment. When you choose a vintage wedding dress you can set yourself apart from the crowd and showcase your individual style. It’s a special piece of fashion history and in a way, it comes with its own romantic story. It’s exciting to trace the origin of a dress and to be able to conjure up wonderful images of its past life.
More info at thosewerethedaysvintage.com
