Aisle style

Anything goes down bridal path this season

Kim Sunshine, The Knot

Thursday, January 26, 2006

This year's wedding gown designs are as diverse as the brides who wear them. Designers are creating a variety of shapes, with everything from slim silhouettes to sophisticated trumpet skirts. Yet bold ball gowns remain popular, proving that a traditional look never goes out of style. Many designs, in fact, evoke decades past, showing that everything old is new again on the bridal runways. Here's a look at the latest bridal runway trends, which will surely make it to your bridal gown shop. The bottom line? From slim silhouettes to bold ball gowns, pretty much anything goes.

Dramatic bold skirts

From multi-tiered prairie skirts to large pickups and dramatic trumpets, clearly designers are emphasizing the skirt with creative bold details. Many are playing with fabrics and shape to give brides lots of options for the bottom half of their gowns. The huge, bold tulle skirts and multilayered asymmetrical mermaid looks contrast with slimmer bodices. Bubble skirts are moving from the red carpet to bridal runways and were seen in airy fabrics such as taffeta and light silks. Our favorite bold skirts are voluminous, showing bigger can be better when it comes to your bridal gown.

Vintage-inspired gowns

Old Hollywood reigns supreme on the runways with styles reminiscent of Veronica Lake and Greta Garbo. Think The Aviator with a bridal twist. The 1920s were a great era for fashionable gowns, jewelry and more, and contemporary bridal designers are taking note of the decade with flapper styles, ruched halters, deep V-necks and slinky yet sexy fabrics. Charmeuse creates an alluring silhouette, and beading and embellishments provide sparkle on skirt flaps and gown straps. Want the glamour without all the glitz? Keep accessories minimal and make your gown the focal point.

Daring simplicity

There has never been a shortage of unadorned dresses, but this season's are particularly modern. Designers are reinterpreting simple elegance, giving us gowns that are chic yet have a certain effortlessness to them. Halter-wrap gowns with keyhole necklines in jersey fabrics exude sexiness while still remaining demure. Plunging V-necks create attention- grabbing looks and short strapless numbers are meant to show off great gams and buff biceps. Turn this look up a notch with dazzling shoulder- duster earrings or a bold bracelet for eye-catching appeal. For brides who want to be bold but not too bold, a veil worn through the reception is a way to go. Try on a veil with the gown to picture the whole look. - For hundreds more looks, check out TheKnot.com/ fashion.

The boudoir look

Taking a cue from sexy bedroom looks, designers have been creating boudoir-inspired dresses. Soft romantic fabrics like lace, satin and charmeuse make slim sheaths and fuller skirts float down the aisle.

Corseted backs, grown-up baby-doll bodices and soft chiffon numbers show brides it's OK to look sensual on your wedding day. Empire gowns in soft tulle, lingerie tops in Chantilly lace, and embroidered bodices in silk peau de soie are some of our favorite interpretations of the style. Not sure you want to bare that much skin? Not to worry, many designers (Claire Pettibone, for one) are pulling off this trend with coverage to create a sexy-but-soft look for the romantic bride.

Floral embellishments

Your bouquet isn't the only place for flowers anymore. Designers are having fun with flowers whether they go modern by manipulating fabric to interpret buds or literally by creating interesting applique or trim for gowns and veils. Other trends within the trend? Three-dimensional blooms and subtly patterned lace are seen on a variety of gown shapes as details or as major focal points. Flowers come in every fabric, from silk satin to organza overlays. If you love the floral trend but don't want it on your gown, try a flower hairpin, headband or barrette to get that floral touch.

The Knot is a wedding planning Web site, www.theknot.com.