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Everyone has an opinion about wedding dresssleeves – some love them, some hate them and others couldn’t care less aboutthem. Most brides-to-be have an idea about what they want from their dress andthis will determine how they feel about long sleeves.
While long sleeved wedding gowns can bestylish, chic and sophisticated, they can also be hot and uncomfortable. Here’sa look at the pros and cons of a long sleeved wedding dress and if it’s theright style for you.
Pros of Long Sleeved Wedding Dress
- It gives a classic and regaleffect effortlessly
- It is appropriate for a winterwedding
- It draws attention to your face
- It can be embellished to addmore beauty to you look
- It can be rocked without abracelet or necklace
Cons of Long Sleeved Wedding Dress
- Sleeves with heavy coverage arenot suited for warm weather
- Ill-fitting sleeves dampen thelook and are uncomfortable
- It can overwhelm your look
What to Consider When Choosing Sleeves
There are a range of sleeves to choose from for your wedding dress, but when we say long sleeves, we mean the kind that reaches to your wrists. Long sleeve wedding dresses are usually preferred by those who want a classic look. They are also one of the best choices for weddings in the winter. When worn in warmer seasons, sleeves are usually made of lighter fabric and can be intricately embellished.
There is a misconception that long-sleevewedding dresses can make the bride look too mature and old-fashioned but wecouldn’t disagree more. A long sleeved wedding dress can be stunningly modernand make a bride look fresh and confident. With a plunging back or a daringv-neck line, a long-sleeve dress can give off a modern feel.
Bride with long sleeved dress by Alex Veil Bridal. See it here.
When deciding on whether or not you wantsleeves, consider the following factors:
- The weather – If it is going to be warmduring your wedding, you likely do not want to wear a sleeve made ofthick fabric due to the heat. There are dresses with illusion or tulle sleeveswhich are light and comfortable perfect for such weather.
- Embellishments – Do you want embroideryor applique to reach down to your wrists? A long sleeved dress will allow theseembellishments, making your dress gorgeous all over.
- Time – Sleeves almost always requirealteration as they rarely every fit right the first time. If you’re short fortime for your wedding, you may not have sufficient time to have the sleevesaltered. In this case, it’s probably best to skip the sleeves.
- Prominence – How prominent do you wantyour sleeves to be? Sleeves can be large and puffy like we’ve seen on PrincessDiana’s wedding dress or barely there like this.
- Detachable or attached – detachablesleeves are a big trend as they allow you to change your look between theceremony and the reception.
DetachableSleeves
Sometimes, you find a dress that is just sobeautiful that you can’t get your mind off it but it might be strapless and yousee yourself wearing sleeves. If you can’t decide whether to choose either astrapless or a long sleeved dress, I have good news for you. You can have both! A dresswith detachable sleeves will be just perfect. You can put on the sleeves forthe ceremony and switch things up at the reception or after-party by takingthem off.
Alterationsfor Sleeves
It is unlikely that the sleeves of yourpreferred dress will be a perfect fit when you first try it on. All sleeves canbe adjusted to fit just right if you get the right seamstress to work on it.
It will interest you to know that you canchange the sleeves on a dress or add sleeves to a strapless one if you so desire.Visit a bridal salon and try on different sleeves and dresses. Try to combinedifferent sleeves with different dresses to see if they look like what youimagine yourself wearing. Some of the most amazing dresses that you have seenwere born out of alteration.
Best Fabrics for a Long Sleeved WeddingDress
Lace sleeved boho wedding dress by Wear Your Love. Check price here.
The sleeves of your dress will typically bemade using the same material as the rest of the dress. Synthetic fabrics areusually less breathable than natural ones. However, they wrinkle less and aremore affordable. The fabrics used in making wedding dresses are chosen based onthe design and the bride’s budget.
- Crepe is a crisp fabric that may be made of wool, silk, or syntheticfibre. It is commonly used in making sleeves for dresses to be used during thewinter or fall. It provides the warmth that the bride needs to keep hercomfortable throughout her day.
- Satin is another fabric which works for different parts of a weddingdress. Sleeves made from satin will provide warmth, if your wedding is duringthe cooler seasons. Satin may either be made of 100 percent silk or it may be ablend.
- Chiffon is a superlight fabric which is a better alternative for sleeveswhen the weather is warm. It is usually used to underlay heavier fabrics in adress. However, if it catches on to something sharp, it can tear easily.
- Lace makes any gown look regal and most women prefer to have it on theirwedding dress. There are numerous intricate patterns, light and heavy alike.Lace can also snag easily.
- Tulle is that light, net-like fabric that is used to make tutus forballerinas. It is a very delicate, open-weave fabric and it can be embellishedwith lace designs. It is not uncommon to see this on sleeves of weddingdresses. From a distance these sleeves make it appear like the lace designs aremagically attached to the bride’s skin.
- Organza is another delicate fabric. It looks like chiffon, except that ithas a more defined structure and drapes rather poorly. It is very light andpulls off the dreamy feel that is usually associated with wedding dresses.Dresses made of this fabric are good for weddings in warmer weather. It is notuncommon to find long-sleeve dresses with sleeves made from this.
- Charmeuse can be made from silk or synthetic material. It has a fluid feeland glossy look. This fabric is usually cut diagonally and is perfect forcolumn dresses which look great on tall, slender figures. It drapes nicely andspeaks class.
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