Amazing 2 Piece Wedding Dresses That Work [photos]

When it comes to fashion, I can freely admit to being an annoyingly indecisive person – so naturally the prospect of having to decide on just one dress for my wedding day scares me senseless. After all, this is The Dress that will be immortalised in countless pictures and memories. Also, Facebook. (And we all know Facebook never forgets.)

In a bid to ensure I explore all available options, I’m always keep an eye on what’s going on in the world of high fashion bridal design. Of course, it’s the nature of trends to come and go (so they’re not necessarily the best thing to base such a permanent decision on), but there’s nothing like a bit of couture to spark some inspiration and innovation. So, imagine my glee when I came across a trend for the Spring/Summer 2015 season that almost seems tailor-made as a solution for someone like me, who struggles to choose just one thing. Basically, the trend applies a kind of two-for-one, mix-and-match philosophy to wedding day attire. Genius if you ask me.

Once I’d  seen a few of the designs I couldn’t help but feel that this combination could really be incredibly versatile and has the potential look gorgeous on just about any bride

When picturing a wedding dress, even the most open-minded of brides will tend to take for granted that it would be a one-piece affair (give or take a veil or two). This season, though, several high fashion bridal designers are changing that by creating bridal wear consisting two separate pieces of attire. The most traditional way of doing so would be to add a layer of some kind over the wedding dress to change its initial appearance, such as a cloak or overskirt. But many designers are forgoing a dress completely in the favour of an outfit that would once have been a total faux pas in bridal attire: a cropped top and skirt combination.

Okay, I will admit that when I first heard of this idea I flinched a little, but once I’d  seen a few of the designs I couldn’t help but feel that this combination could really be incredibly versatile and has the potential look gorgeous on just about any bride. And of course, if your supplier gives you the option to mix and match to create your own perfect combination of top and bottom, that makes it all the more unique. My personal favourite design has got to be Theia’s interpretation of this trend – it’s graceful, beautiful, and fun, all at once. Best of all, there’s only one real requirement needed to rock this completely unique style: confidence! (Okay, and a sunny wedding day…)

Image: theiacouture.com

On the other hand, you might consider adding a bridal cape, a wrap, or shoulder streamers to your gown. This could be done either by way of customising an existing dress with these layers or by purchasing a dress which already incorporates this into its design. A few great examples of this can be seen in some of Monique Lhuillier’s gorgeous designs. These dresses showcase some beautiful variations of this trend such as the tulle wrap and the lace overcoat.

 Image: moniquelhuillier.com

Then there’s my absolute favourite version of the two-piece trend – a complete embodiment of the idea of “two for one”. Perhaps, like me, you are the kind of woman who wants to feel like a princess on her wedding day but also hit the dance floor at the reception and dance the night away – without fear of tripping on massive layers of tulle. This kind of dilemma requires a wedding dress designed in a very strategic way, namely with the dress acting as the base which is then covered by an overskirt. The overall look should appear to be one piece rather than two. Once the vows are done, the overskirt can then be removed for the reception, revealing a sleeker, perhaps shorter dress beneath (depending of course on your personal preference). This is a feature of many of Hayley Paige’s recent designs, and personally, I just can’t get enough of them.

Images: jlmcouture.com

While many of us may not be able to afford a designer dress (I’m still waiting for my fairy godmother to appear), this trend is one that doesn’t necessarily require a new dress to be designed from scratch. Local tailors or designers could be hired to restructure or add to an existing dress.

You know how I feel about this trend, but what do you think of it? Comment below!