why are all bridal gown sleeveless these days?

[MissMillie]

Not everyone wants to show their arms off.

My office-mate is getting married next month. Hasn't picked out a gown because she can't find one to cover her arms. The difficulty is magnified by the fact that she's preggers.

[supernova]

1. Hmm, could just be seasonal

In colder weather you might have better luck finding sleeves. I've been out of the wedding gown market for over a decade, so what do I know?

She might have better luck finding a pattern w/ a jacket and having it made.

[MissMillie]

2. we're coming up on fall

seriously though... check any of the online sites.... sleeves are non-existent on bridal gowns.

[Critters2]

4. No. It's been this way year-round for 7 or 8 years now.

Nothing but sleeveless gowns. If you want sleeves, you have to look at bridesmaids or "special event" gowns, and even then it's a challenge.

Critters
who hears brides complain about such things

[Critters2]

3. I've wondered this, too.

Every time I do a wedding, I think about this. And it isn't seasonal. All their designing are sleeveless gowns. I hope it's a trend that's run its course before I stroll down the aisle again :)

[mentalsolstice]

5. A friend of mine had a shawl custom-made to cover her arms

She was married in Dec., and she had heavy arms. Another solution may be with a veil that covers the upper arms.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

17. They have some very pretty jackets that go over your bridal gown....

They are sheer and very nice. Not at all as 80s as it sounds.
Duckie

[mentalsolstice]

20. Not at all 80s...

They're very 50-60ish "Audrey Hepburn" sexy. I think the whole sleeveless, strapless thing is based on "Audrey Hepburn". Yet most of us (very few of us) are in her league...it's a league different from Marilyn Monroe or Jane Russell. Go with the curves, and a shawl or jacket.

[Dora]

6. I'll guess.

I think it's probably difficult to make a mass-market dress with sleeves that will fit everyone. Arms length vary, as do arm thicknesses. There's not a lot of extra fabric in a sleeve to "let out" for thick arms, and thinner arms would require armsceye alterations that would look odd.

Your coworker may need to have a dress made if she's set on having a dress with sleeves. And that's another bridal challenge - finding a dressmaker within budget who will made a dress she loves on the schedule she needs.

[LeftyMom]

12. Good point. Last time I had a formal made, this is where the pattern required the most alteration.

[supernova]

7. I googled "wedding gown sleeves"

and got this on the first hit:

http://www.brideway.net/store/klc6841.html
Bridal Style #KLC6841
$562.00
Fabric: Lace over Matte Satin
Color: White, Antique
Train
Plus sizes 20-32 ($612.00)
Petite sizes 0-00 ($612)
SIZE CHART

http://www.brideway.net/store/klc6832.html
Bridal Style #KLC6832
$249.00
Fabric:Tafetta
Color: White, Ivory
Semi-Chapel Train
Plus sizes 20-32 ($299.00)
Petite sizes 0-00 ($299)
SIZE CHART

Rest of search here: http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=Wedding+gown+sleeves&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

I'm just brain storming. I love problem solving. They seem to be around, but rare. I guess because wedding gowns are really considered like ball gowns and most of those are sleeveless. The other thing you can do is instead of a veil, if you like a dress that happens t be sleeveless is add a wrap and maybe opera gloves.

[MorningGlow]

8. I've noticed this

I can't resist the weekly wedding page in the local newspaper (as a writer, I just LOVE reading the over-the-top descriptions of weddings put together by wedding planners :puke:) and I too have wondered WTF is up with all the gowns--they're not just sleeveless--most are strapless. And as a former costumer and current sewer, I've gotta say hardly ANYbody can pull off the bare arms/shoulders/upper boobage look. Yet, alas, fashion requires we be as lemmings and all look alike. And the strapless bridal gowns have been ever-present these past few years--in fact, I believe they have overstayed their welcome.

Post-rant advice: Tell your office-mate to keep looking--there ARE gowns with sleeves out there. Try a small bridal boutique instead of the giant chains (those are more inclined to serve the lemmings)--when I got married, I found a great small boutique that didn't charge a mortgage payment for a gown--I'm sure there are more out there.

If she finds she's really up against it, she could hire a dressmaker to put sleeves ON a sleevless gown (if she doesn't want to pay to have someone make the whole thing, that is).

Tell her this fabric wrangler said good luck and blessings on her wedding! :hi:

[spinbaby]

9. Here ya go

http://www.latterdaybride.com/modest_wedding_gowns.php

The fundy/Mormon modesty neurosis is good for something.

[Ellen Forradalom]

14. Curiously, those 'modest' gowns are form-fitting through the bodice

My wedding dress was a draped column dress, arguably more modest than that. Modest is in the eye of the beholder, I guess.

:shrug:

[skygazer]

10. I'm too practical to want a bridal gown anyway

I'd much rather wear a nice dress that I could wear again than spend a lot of money on something that I'll only wear once and that I think is hideous anyway - the whole "bridal gown" style has never appealed to me.

And I'll probably get piled on for this but pregnant brides in full wedding attire seem a little silly to me - not because I'm any kind of traditionalist (hell, I wasn't married when any of my 3 kids were born) - I'm not even sure why. So sue me. :shrug:

[supernova]

11. I can relate

If I do find someone to share my life with again, I won't be in the market for a traditional wedding gown. The very thought of it and the whole wedding circus depresses me. Not the being married part, which would be lovely with a caring man, just the big special event where you get to see yourself as a princess/queen for a day. Never bought into it.

I'm happy to participate for someone else but I don't want that for myself. I'd prefer just a nice little evening ceremony on the beach with a few intimate friends around and a nice party afterwards.

[skygazer]

13. My guy and I are getting married in February

We go camping every year over President's Day and the wilderness area where we go is one of our favorite spots. So with my best friend, who is a minister, and my SO's 2 buddies, we're going to simply sign papers in this gorgeous place where it will probably be cold and raining. My attire will be blue jeans, sweatshirt, jacket, boots and most likely a hat - his will be similar.

I don't give a rat's ass about ceremony or party or anything else. The only two people I really require to be there are my friend and my potential husband.

I don't judge anyone who wants otherwise - hell, I love going to weddings. Just not for me. :hi:

[supernova]

16. Sounds lovely

except for the cold rainy part. :D Congratulations. :-)

[La Lioness Priyanka]

15. why are they primarily strapless. strapless gowns rarely look good on anybody

[caty]

18. Check out....

http://www.bestbridalprices.com/eden-bridals-wedding-dress-2224-p-10466.html

http://www.bestbridalprices.com/eden-bridals-wedding-dress-2078-p-10526.html

http://www.bestbridalprices.com/eden-bridals-wedding-dress-2148-p-10528.html

http://www.bestbridalprices.com/eden-bridals-wedding-dress-2150-p-10529.html

http://www.bestbridalprices.com/eden-value-wedding-dress-5004-p-10574.html

Check at bridal stores and see if they can order a dress with sleeves. They must have catalogs she can look through.

[LibertyLover]

19. If the 4 or 5 Bridzilla shows I've seen on We TV are anything

to go by, sleeves on bridal gowns are as extinct as the apatosaurus. One girl actually said that she guessed she'd have to loose weight so that she didn't look like a heifer in her sleeveless gown. My husband who was watching (it's a guilty pleasure on Sunday night after the kidlet goes to sleep) with me looked at her and said "Mooooo late, honey."

[Rabrrrrrr]

21. Because Bride's tend to become vindictive, selfish diva bitches.

[Generic Brad]

22. Maybe there are many limbless brides these days

[EFerrari]

23. We're in a recession.

:hide:

[SarahB]

24. Just to piss the world off.

I think strapless looks nice. Unless you're rather on the obese side or are very tiny and have no curves at all, it looks nice too.

Too lazy to post my lame ass wedding pic again. If anyone's interested, see Finnfan's journal.