Love and Lobster Coastal New England Weddings

The little black dress may be a wardrobe staple, but the little white dress is claiming new fashion territory. Short wedding dresses – from tea length to cocktail numbers – are showing up again on runways and wedding aisles this season, continuing a trend that first took off last year. As noted recently by the LA Times, brides are opting for shorter hemlines in a move away from more formal, floor-length options. Pop culture is playing a role too, as 1950s and‘60s fashion inspiration from the hit show “Mad Men” extends beyond Brooks Brothers all the way to bridal boutiques.

In their latest collections, high-end designers including Vera Wang and Oscar de la Renta are offering chic, above-the-ankle wedding dresses. More budget-friendly retailers are also getting in on the trend, such as BCBG Max Azria and David’s Bridal, which has even added a “short” silhouette search function to its website. For adventurous brides seeking a smaller, independent option, be sure to check out Stephanie James Couture, a California boutique that features vintage-inspired, tea-length dresses (and suit options) that Grace Kelly would have been proud to wear. Of course, it’s never wise to just blindly follow the latest trend. Some of the more practical reasons to consider hitching up your hemline when you get hitched are:

• Staying cool, literally. If you’re planning a warm-weather ceremony, a shorter dress can offer much-needed air circulation.
• Packing light. If you’re booking a flight to travel to your wedding destination, packing up a floor-length dress is no easy task.
• A little extra height couldn’t hurt. For petite women, a hemline that hits at about the knee elongates the legs.
• Killer shoes. Ok, so this isn’t exactly a “practical” reason, but a shorter dress is a sure way to show off a fantastic pair of heels (and gams, for that matter).
• You’re planning a wardrobe change after the ceremony. Go long for the exchanging of vows, then slip into something less formal for the reception.