Strapless gowns still may rule the wedding aisle, but
bridal silhouettes that are less baring with the help of
tulle jackets, cap sleeves and higher necklines are beginning
to elbow aside the popular, revealing look.

The whiff of bridal modesty is wafting over from ready-towear
runways, where for the past two years designers have
fl aunted women’s softer side, with dresses and sheaths and
trapeze styles, and shunned overt sexiness, a domain
popularized by bubblegum pop princesses, such as Britney
Spears. Designers such as Marc Jacobs introduced the fashion
cognoscenti to the wonders of volume in 2005. Vera Wang’s
fall 2006 styles embraced the bubble skirt in soft folds of
organza and chiffon. And, for spring 2007, Alexander McQueen
trumpeted Edwardian formality with high collars and corseted dresses,
and English designer Paul Smith looked to his Victorian ancestors for
inspiration in the form of highwaisted lace dresses and demure satin slips.

“There’s a fashion shake-up happening,” says Renee Strauss,
owner of the Renee Strauss for the Bride, Beverly Hills, whose
gowns have graced actresses on“Reba,” “7th Heaven,” “What
About Brian?” and “The West Wing.” “The fashion infl uence
of ready-to-wear is the new muse for the bridal market that
once was about bare looks. Now, we’re seeing a resurgence
of vintage with more lace treatments and not-so tight-fitting
dresses. It’s not about trendy-but classic elegance.”
The ubiquity of strapless dresses has created a sense
of sartorial ennui with brides-to-be that want their
weddings and photo albums to refl ect their taste
and quest for individuality, say retailers.

“ S t r a p l e s s dresses have been around for
more than 10 years,” says Mara Urshel, president of New York
based Kleinfeld Bridal, a bridal emporium that’s served the
wedding community for 65 years. “There’s a tremendous
need for other dresses — halters, off-the-shoulder looks,
spaghetti straps and those with all kinds of coverage.”

Urshel cites the success of Monique Lhuillier’s couture
dresses paired with dainty jackets. The Los Angeles-based
bridal designer, known for her glamorous satin sashes and
other accessory touches, offers shrugs in linen lace, tulle or
with embroidery, big kimono boleros and high-neck jackets
with long lace sleeves.

“Jackets have really picked up in the last three years,”
says Lori Weil, sales director for Monique Lhuillier, which
also sells to Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom
and other specialty stores, and operates salons in Beverly Hills
and Edina, Minn. “Just like belts, jackets can really personalize a
dress and create a change of mood from the ceremony to the
reception.”

A number of designers also are slipping on the jacket
accessory in their collections. At Alfred Angelo, two of the
top-selling gowns for spring 2007 are those accompanied
by long-sleeved jackets, newly offered in transparent stretch
net or organza. Augusta Jones launched a collection of jackets
for spring encompassing shortsleeve, cap-sleeve and longsleeve
looks in tulle and organza with beading.

“Jackets offer such variety,” says Miki Huang, product
manager for Hanover Park, Ill.-based Jasmine Enterprises,
which offers two lace jackets meant to be worn inside or
outside of the gown. “After the big day, they can still
wear it again with jeans and skirts. Brides like the idea of
practicality.”

Directions also are changing as necklines creep higher and
sleeve lengths drift below the shoulder, invoking Victorian
regality, a motif adopted by Paris-trained designer, Reem
Acra, who opened her show last March with a high-collared,
long-sleeved romantic lace gown. The formality of the look
could signal a new mood for brides, say industry observers.

“There’s much more reserve culturally,” says Theresa DiMasi,
editor in chief of Brides.com, the online companion to Brides,
Modern Bride and Elegant Bride magazines. “Bridal fashions
are referencing 18th-century fashion, and we’ll be seeing
more modest touches. Gowns today are about romance, lace
and feminine ruffles.”

Longer sleeves and higher collars are a new addition to
the couture bridal gowns from Milan-based Atelier Aimee,
which recently opened its first New York showroom on Park
Avenue. Monique Lhuillier offers alternative necklines,
such as thick-strap scoop neck dresses and lace sheaths with
fl utter v-necks, which sell consistently, says Weil. Cap
sleeves are another option, which are strongly requested at
Augusta Jones, along with its detachable strap dresses.

“We added more detachable straps for fall and dresses
with straps now account for 40 percent of our collection,
compared to 10 percent a couple years ago,” says Saundra
Farr, national sales director of Augusta Jones.

The shift in design direction doesn’t signal the demise of
the strapless gown, which can fl atter many figures and
intimidate others.

“Strapless is a staple in bridal and isn’t going anywhere,”
says Michael McDonald, owner of Michael of Boston
Inc. “Sometimes it’s not the right for a bride’s fi gure type
and sometimes it’s a religious issue.”

If necessary, some brides spring for two dresses to
accommodate the settings of their nuptials. One customer of
Junko Yoshioka, the designer of Junko Yoshioka for Bonaparte
NY, chose a lace dress with a dramatic train for her Mexican
ceremony and incorporated some of its lace into a clean,
strapless gown she wore for a simple ceremony in New York.
The fabric grafting was as much a sentimental gesture as one
that was functional.

“I’ve now made it into something she will pass on
to her children, [something] that would be timeless and
appropriate for the church,” Yoshioka says.