by The resumption of a wedding ensemble is an idea that most of us could only dream of. Shifting trends – not to mention the decreasing probability of maintaining your own bridal body – means that wedding dresses and suits often be chic to stay in the back of a wardrobe or to limit it to a box, little more than a memory of a happy day that is saved for the descendants.
Not so for the queen, who arrived in the Italian parliament the dress she wore for her civilzemony in 2005. Ending the look was a broad hat by Philip Treacy, which contained ivory tip and feathers.
When she and Charles mark their 20th wedding anniversary in Rome, Camilla returned to the first of two looks, which she wore on the important day-the second was a floor-length embroidered blue and golden coat, which was carried over a chiffon dress. Both were designed by the designers based in London Antonia Robinson and Anna Valentine, who then worked under the name Robinson Valentine.
It is not the first time that the queen reproduced the Guildhall dress. In 2007, just two years after the wedding, she broke up with tradition by wearing it again for the opening of the National Assembly for Wales. This time the Silk Chiffon dress by Anna Valentine for the Royal Rewear was changed with additional embroidery by Beth Somerville from the King’s Foundation. The slices from the original were replaced by visible seams that run vertically in the dress, which results in a flattering effect.
Of course, the British royals are no strangers to resume winning ensembles. There could be no better figurehead for the power of the outfit repetition than the Princess of Wales, who is rightly admired for her ability to prove the endurance from everything from Zara dresses to Alexander McQueen -Mäntels. King Charles himself is known for repairing and recycling his clothing, of which he had for a few decades (remember the strikingly repaired gray double breast suit, which he attracted in 2013).
But a wedding dress, not once, but twice, is a bit more daring. You have to welcome Camilla’s commitment to saving an estimated piece before approaching dust, not least because it is impressive that she can pull it off for 20 years.
Another remarkable case that you have worn your wedding dress more than once with the kind permission of Keira Knightley. The actor wore the tailor-made Chanel Tulle dress for the first time, which she finally wore for her wedding 2013 with James Righton for a pre-BAFTA-Bash in 2008. Then there was Emma Stone, who gave the Louis Vuitton mini dress, which was especially for her wedding fafter party in 2020, especially for her wedding after the game, a new life in 2020.
Only mortals occur on the act, since the reprocessing and adapting of wedding dresses are becoming increasingly popular. “Your wedding outfit doesn’t have to live in a box forever,” says Daisy Harvey, founder of the Upcycling App Loom, who will soon start working with The Fall Bride. “There are so many different ways that your wedding dress can be new or updated. We have helped brides to transform their by coloring, embroidery, the length or even turn into something completely new.”
Rosie Boydell-Wiles, advisor to the bridal style, who has transformed her own Vivienne Westwood wedding dress into a more portable separate corset and a skirt, has some advice for those who want to emulate Camilla.
“First think about what you will use the most – if this is a dress, then great, but if a top is more portable and the construction allows it, this is sometimes a better route,” she says. “If you do not fit into your original dress, it can help the dress to be the hem/train if the most damaged part of the dress adds a lace -up corset panel in the back, the dress can be a more portable MIDI another good step.”
Regardless of whether you have a royal commitment or not, there is clearly a convincing case for wearing your wedding ensemble long after the big day is over.
