Bridal Style Tips, Featured

9 modern dresses to escape the traditional bride look

 Here at the Mews, we are all about breaking away from tradition! It’s 2020, whatever is going to make you feel the most beautiful and the most like YOU on your wedding day is the most important thing when it comes to choosing your dress.

With a dedicated team of forward, thinking fashionista and style lovers, we are always trying to incorporate fresh ideas into what a wedding dress can be. From unique accessories to ultra-modern dresses, we love nothing more than seeing the wonderfully creative silhouettes our talented french designers come up with every season.

So, If you consider yourself quite the dedicated follower of fashion then why not push the boat out when it comes to your big day? There is no point going for a Grace Kelly Esq dress if you’ve always been a little more princess Margaret. Embrace your inner fashionista and forego the unnecessary pouffes for structured skirts and contemporary cuts.

That’s not to say modern can’t be without its own dramatic flair, the styles included in this list are modern but definitely bring something different! And, while there will always be the romantics in all of us that adores a classic bridal look (don’t worry we’ve got them all), we can’t help but love these totally unique takes on what the modern matrimonial fashion can be.

Knoxville by Rue de seine 

Rue de Seine, French Bridal Couture, Modern bride, Bridal fashion

First up, we have Knoxville from Rue de Seine. Knoxville is absolutely perfect for all of you modern free-spirited brides.

Featuring a fresh take on a traditional bustier shape and a fitted waist that cinches you in, this dress provides an amazing silhouette while the built-in bustier gives you support and smooths out the hourglass shape. 

 The dress features modern elements such as the unique cross front bodice, which is both flattering, clean and contemporary as well as the separate armband details – ideal for all of you who love the off-the-shoulder style but still want to be able to move your arms! 

Knoxville is a great mix between sexy, modern and elegant, the top detailing keeps it fresh and young while the fuller skirt adds a demure finish to the look. The entire dress is made from a mix of embroidered silk and embroidered mesh, style with funky jewellery and big boho waves for a full Rue girl look. 

Debbie by Rime Arodaky

Rime Arodaky, French Bridal Couture, Modern bride, Bridal fashion

Obviously, we can’t talk about breaking away from bridal traditions without talking about the most rock’n’roll bridal designer out there, Rime Arodaky.

Rime is the absolute queen of modern bridal design and this couldn’t be more obvious than when her 2020 stardust collections were shown.

We absolutely adore the Debbie dress, featuring a high waisted dress in crepe and embroidered tulle appliqués. The dress has been separated into two individual pieces then connected at the midriff with beautiful embroidery detail, which is featured throughout the rest of the dress’s design.

The cut out is incredibly sharp and strong adding a really edgy element to a classic bridal style, we also can’t help but love the nod to the 90’s vibe with the delicate spaghetti straps and high raglan neckline. With this style, you can definitely pull some serious statement earring or a bold lip. 

Inxs by Rime Arodaky

Rime Arodaky, French Bridal Couture, Modern bride, Bridal fashion

Ok, so this is one for all of you that are looking for something with a bit of modern vavavoom. Inxs by Rime Arodaky will make you feel like the most glamorously seductive bride that has ever walked down the aisle! Some time to make things a little untraditional it is great to embrace your sexier side.

This gorgeous dress looks absolutely divine on curvier brides as the shape and fit are so elegant, structuring the body wonderfully, cinching you in and creating a fantastic waist illusion with its edgy cut-outs.

This style definitely gives us old Hollywood glamour feels but in a new and exciting way— the fitted gown has been made in luxurious crepe and adorned with stunning 3D embroidered tulle on the sheer cutouts. There is also a very sexy open back and large flowy train with the corresponding embroidery. 

The neckline of this dress is perfect for styling with small but stand-out jewellery. 

Purple top & Rain skirt by Rime Arodaky

Rime Arodaky, French Bridal Couture, Modern bride, Bridal fashion

Ok, so in all honesty, it’s hard for me not be biased about this next look… it’s my absolute favourite piece in the entire Mews studio right now!…Not that I don’t absolutely love everything else, this just so happens to be my fave.

The Purple top & Rain skirt by Rime Arodaky might be some of the coolest bridal wear construction I’ve ever seen. If you’ve been wanting to show a little (or a lot) of skin on the day, then Rime has you covered. Her two-piece ‘Purple & Rain’ set features a very high slit on the belted skirt, a retro cut and plunging neckline that fully embrace the 80’s style it was inspired by. The retro trend has been big for a while now and seeing being done in this way is incredibly refreshing, who would’ve thought a wedding dress inspired by the decade that brought us Rolling Rick Astley could be so chic!

This look is clearly a lot of fun (Rains high skirt split means you can easily kick it on the dance floor) and definitely one for brides who really want to show up and show out for their bridal look. Super refined and structured but with a great ability to move and breathe throughout the day and night.

This set is perfect for all of you modern brides, mixing structured lines and funky silhouettes for an alternative approach to bridal styling. Go all out 80’s on the final production of the look with big earrings and bright individual shoes. 

Saly by Margaux Tardits

Margaux Tardits, French Bridal Couture, Modern bride, Bridal fashion

This striking Margaux Tardits full-length gown is the epitome of alternative no traditional bridal. The contemporary lace patterns and lightweight structure remind us of something red carpet-worthy while still staying true to a bridal heritage with its shape and colour.

An Ivory embroidered tulle wedding dress with pagoda sleeves, this style features a crew neckline and full back. An ode to the famous Senegalese beach we can see how Margaux was inspired by the roaring Saint Tropez in the fifties, picture gigantic sunglasses and even bigger sun hats, and we simply adore it. This graphic dress turns the female body into a complete work of art and is a fantastic option for brides who adore not just the styling of fashion but admire the construction as well, the details are so intricate and beautifully created this is really a dress worth showing off.

As this dress has such a striking look to it, try to keep your styling very minimalist with delicate and colourful pieces that will work to let you and the dress shine. 

Anthuria by Mademoiselle De Guise

Mademoiselle de Guise, French Bridal Couture, Modern bride, Bridal fashion

Mademoiselle de Guise uses heavy crepe, geometrical laces and chiffon to create romantic, flowing and graphic couture dresses that fully embody the ‘“less is more” concept. Anthuria, from the permanent collection, this is an incredibly bold approach to bridal style, this individual a-line dress uses graphic lace pattern and striking lines to create a modernistic appearance that still feels connected to the delicate nature of the designers’ style.

Anthuria features a very deep inverted neckline that closes up at the top with buttons and structured cut-outs diagonally along the midriff, and through to the open back, creating an incredibly flattering illusion on the waistline and an overall individualistic look. We love a lowkey up-do with this dress to tie in with it’s structured yet free-spirited vibe. 

Florent by Delphine Manivet 

Delphine Manivet, French Bridal Couture, Modern bride, Bridal fashion

Known as the pioneer of French Bridal Fashion, Delphine leads the way with beautiful fabrics and elegant cuts all with French flair. High-low asymmetrical hemlines are no strangers to the bridal world, it’s a style that is both beautiful and non-traditional, so with that in mind, why not try the beautiful Florent dress by Delphine Manivet?

It’s absolutely perfect for all of you modern brides. It features a fashionable and functional silhouette, with its varying hem length that allows for a strikingly elegant appearance without making it hard to walk down the aisle. 

With its sharp contrast in length between front and back, round neckline, ¾ sleeves and a long style train, this cotton jacquard number is phenomenal for creating stand-out ceremony looks – If you know you’re going to be wearing a pair of statement shoes and really want to showcase them on your big day then consider options for one of the years biggest trends.

Gaga by Rime Arodaky

Rime Arodaky, French Bridal Couture, Modern bride, Bridal fashion

Unashamedly sexy, but still maintaining the feel of Parisienne chic, Rime’s dresses are for brides looking to ‘break the mould’. This couldn’t truer than for rimes Gaga Dress, a stunning fitted silhouette made from crepe with striking oversized organza ruffled sleeves that will make you feel oh-so-powerful on your big day, the sleeves are really the key detail of this dress and perfect for those of you wanting to add a sense of fierce fun to your matrimonial moment.

Gaga also features a daring plunging V-neckline which is matched on the back to add another level of dramatic elegance to this fashion-forward look. Rimes gowns are so romantic, beautifully French in style with a laid back and effortless vibe but still stunning and sexy. This is definitely a look worthy of some satinet pieces, just be mindful of how you choose to style your hair and the sleeves really do bring all the drama you need on your wedding day and will have you shouting ‘YAS GAGA’ as you dance all night long!

Seren 

Seren London, Bridal Couture, Modern bride, Bridal fashion, bridal jumpsuit

Elegant, modern and effortlessly cool, Seren London’s signature jumpsuit silhouettes can be re-created in luxurious ivory silk for an alternative yet sophisticated bridal look. Perfect for the after-party, day before or even the ceremony itself, our jumpsuits offer a stylish and easy to wear option that will keep you on the dance floor all night.

Their exquisitely tailored jumpsuits give us life! The impeccable detail and lowly seductiveness of the ensemble are perfect for those of you who are wanting to really break from tradition and go for a trousered look.

Cut from lustrous silk-satin, this piece has a fluid wide-leg shape, flared sleeves and a low-cut back that ties at the base of your spine. – we can’t help but imagine Bianca Jagger wearing soothing exactly like this and we all know she was the queen of non-traditional style. Pair the look with a classic veil and sweet shoes for your ceremony or add a bit of edge by styling it with a velvet bag and metallic heels for the afterparty.

As always we hope this bridal inspirations are helpful to your wedding plans, to book an appointment in one of our beautiful studios where you can try all of these gorgeous styles click here, and for more inspiration, including stories from real brides and all things wedding fashion, visit our Le journal for lots more!