We love all weddings at Madeline Isaac-James, and the wedding of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall (dubbed by some as the ‘Scottish Royal Wedding’ was no exception! We loved the gorgeous ivory silk faille and silk duchess satin gown designed by Zara’s grandmother’s couturier, Stewart Parvin.
The clean, elegant lines of the gown with its chevron pleated bodice and dropped waist, worked well for Zara. We particularly loved the silk covered buttons running the full length of the gown, from the top of the bodice all the way down to the hem, as well as the silk tulle shoulder straps, which added an additional element of detail and elegance to the gown.
So, how to get Zara’s style? Here’s a few ideas:
Esther gown by Madeline Isaac-James
1. Sometimes less really is more. Clean, classic lines create a very elegant, timeless look that can have more impact than a dress that has too many design elements (sometimes described as having a little ‘too much going on’)! Our ‘Esther’ gown, with its drop waist and Swarovski crystal embroidered single band at the lower bodice and above the hem) is the perfect example of a gown that has huge impact whilst still being very simple and elegant.
2. If you feel comfortable with it, wear a veil. A cathedral length silk veil, as worn by Zara, creates a beautiful, fairytale silhouette, and due to the length of the veil (which is still very manageable to wear) also draws the eye down the full length of the gown. We love the silk veils created by the talented Ann Guise however if a silk veil is out of your price point, UK produced Elizabeth Dickens veils are also available from our Farnborough boutique.
3. Well chosen accessories can complete the look. Sadly we don’t all have access to incredible heirloom tiaras such as the beautiful Greek Key tiara 
lent to Zara by her mother the Princess Royal, but there are so many beautiful hair accessories available from companies such as The Vintage Sparkle Company, and of course, from the Madeline Isaac-James Accessory collection, that you can create your own style. If your gown is relatively simple, you have more freedom with your choice of hair accessory. We particularly love the original vintage piece ’Ava’ from the Vintage Sparkle Company – a stunning Art Deco diamante bracelet mounted onto a silver headband with diamante detailing at the sides, which can be worn as a headband or as a tiara.
4. The devil’s in the detail. Zara’s gown proved the point that you can wear a gown that looks relatively simple (although the construction behind the gown that makes its look that way is inevitably not so simple!), however you’ll note that Zara’s gown included some key elements such as the silk tulle shoulder straps and the silk covered buttons running the full length of the gown. Our ‘Esther’ gown from our Candlelit Collection (above) features Swarovski crystals running the full length of the dress from the top of the bodice through to the hem, adding some interest (and subtle sparkle) to the back of the dress, whereas our new ‘Katharina’ and ‘Kat’ silk satin gowns from the 2012 Collection (below) feature silk satin covered buttons again from the top of the bodice through to the bottom of the hem – a really lovely, subtle and interesting feature of these gowns. For something a little more contemporary, wear your gown with one of the stunning hats from HF Couture (as shown with the Katharina gown below) or a birdcage veil and comb from Madeline Isaac-James (as shown with Kat below).
If you like the idea of tulle shoulder straps, our ‘Savannah’ gown from the new 2012 Collection shows how these can be used to great effect, or for a slightly different look, our ‘Olivia’ gown features a tulle shoulder wrap. Both the tulle straps and shoulder wrap are detachable, allowing you to create two very different looks by simply removing the straps / wrap (perhaps for the evening function?)
5. Be true to yourself. Finally, one of the key elements to Zara’s style is her inner confidence and sense of self that shines through. Whilst there are clearly certain constraints associated with being a part of the Royal Family, Zara has made and followed her own path, always being true to the person that she is and with a style that works for her. As a bride, try to be true to the style that you feel comfortable with, whatever that may be, and your confidence will shine through on your big day, as did Zara’s.
xxx
Everyone at Madeline Isaac-James is thrilled to hear the exciting news about HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton’s engagement, and sends their love and congratulations! It’s such exciting news, both for them and for the country as a whole and it’s especially lovely to see how much love and support they clearly have for each other.
owns there really is a great choice of on-trend styles for the Royal bride-to-be. Each style carries its own unique signature, and my view is that Kate will look to combine both traditional elements with an up-to-date, fresh and inspirational style gown.
The Charlotte gown (right) is a simple but stunning silk dupion gown reminiscent of the Edwardian era which can be dressed up or down as best suits the bride. As there are no additional embellishments on this gown, Kate will be able to wear fabulous jewellery without a conflict in style and look. With this gown she could opt for a very traditional Royal tiara, combined perhaps with an heirloom antique cathedral length veil. Elegant, understated, but so effective.
