80's Wedding Fashion

It has recently been brought to my attention what the fashion of weddings were in the 1980's. Now, an important detail of this post is that I was not asked to look into the fashions of the 80's (I can just look into my mother's wedding album or any of my dearest friends parents' albums). Actually, it is in defense of all the WOMEN out there who got married in the 1980's. Fashion is fashion. There will always be style trends we wish we could forget. However, the little invention of the camera has captured this time period and will forever be in history and in our lives.

I am sure we have all had to wear our share of hideous bridesmaid dresses. All good friends know two rules: Never say you hate it (even is it is 28 years later) and that yes, you will be able to wear it again, even when you know you will not. This is or was their day, not yours, mine, or the sister-in-laws (no matter how much she wanted to take the show). You wore it and better have liked it (or at least pretended and still should be pretending).

The fact of the matter is we may look back to 1982 and see the dresses and possibly vomit in our mouths a little, yet, this was the epic time of hideous bridesmaid dresses and brides dresses. There is no getting around it. These girls who were so excited about the up coming nuptials made due with what was out there.

I have scoured through images of dresses galore and have not found one decent dress from that era. To be quite honest, the dresses of 2010 made for bridesmaids are barely any better.

The 80's re-invented layers of taffeta and tulle, bell sleeves and collars, bibs and lace, hats and gloves. Think of it as an ode to the southern belle on acid. Classy but yet a hint of trash. Think of Pretty Woman and what her wedding would look like without Richard Gere and all his lawyer money.

If you have found a piece from this time period and think I am utterly off my rocker, please try and prove me wrong. I love a challenge.

For the record, my mother's dress was the most decent one I have seen from that time. I am not being bias here either. She knows that I am the first to criticize her apparel. But all in all...it's the truth.