Wedding dress 1975

There is something almost architectural about the way this dress is built – the bodice does the talking, and the skirt simply follows through.

This is a full ball gown silhouette with a natural waist seam that marks the transition cleanly between the heavily embellished top and the voluminous skirt below. The bodice is sheer, constructed from what appears to be a fine illusion fabric, and covered entirely in a dense feather-and-leaf motif rendered in beading and embroidery. The neckline is illusion at the collarbone level, giving a modest frame from the front, while a deep plunging V shape runs down the center – visible through the sheer overlay, which keeps it from reading as overtly low-cut. The 3/4 length sleeves carry the same beaded feather embroidery all the way to the wrist, tapering slightly as they go.

The back is where this dress really opens up. A low illusion V scoops down toward the waist, with a line of small covered buttons running along the center back closure. The skirt is full and generously layered in glitter tulle that catches light as she moves, and it sweeps into a chapel-length train.

This dress is built for a ballroom or a grand church ceremony. The volume asks for high ceilings and a long aisle.