Finding YOUR Take on "The Kate"...

So I had a follower ask if I knew of any dresses similar to my Novia d'Art Zambra dress and since I haven't many followers, I am MORE than happy to answer her question!  I worked in a dress store for about four years during and after college that specialized in formal wear and this was the start of my passion for dresses and gowns.  I truly loved helping a customer find the perfect dress and developed an eye for recognizing what cut, color, and style would most flatter the girls and women that I worked with.  I felt lucky that the owner of the store trusted my opinion enough to allow me to help buy for the store at market where I was exposed to countless dresses.  I also spent time working for a bridal and prom wholesaler, modeling the dresses for buyers, helping with sales, and even styling their ad photo shoots.  It's fair to say that I have seen more than my fair share of dresses, which I thought would help when it came time to find my wedding dress...I was wrong.  After seeing and wearing so many dresses, I was having a hard time finding dress that really stood out as different and unique.  I would typically seek out the latest and greatest in fashion trends, but that just wasn't what I was looking for in a wedding dress.  So...I want a dress that is unlike everything I have seen, that is still classic and elegant, and that is when I realized that instead of looking towards fashion's future for inspiration, I needed to look to its past...and who better to look to than Grace Kelly?  I was thrilled with my inspiration idea but quickly grew very discouraged as my sleeve search turned up nothing but sites for extreme conservative brides or dresses that came with a jacket or shrug.  I came extremely close to ordering a strapless dress and finding someone to add sleeves, but was very hesitant for obvious reasons.  I knew I had found "the one", the moment I saw my dress.  The differences between my dress and Grace Kelly's are obvious, but the differences are what make my dress mine.  Now, as many girls will be looking to Kate Middleton's dress for inspiration, I ask them to remember that "inspired by" is different than "exact replica of" and an having an inspiration gown is great for guidance, but don't let it determine every detail of your dress, or else "your" dress won't really be yours!  With all of that being said, here are a few dresses that I think have the Grace Kelly (or Kate Middleton) "feel" while also having unique qualities that a bride could make her own. 

My ceremony dress by Novia d'Art



This White by Vera Wang for David's Bridal dress is neat because the sleeves can be removed for a strapless look.  (It's a ceremony dress and reception dress in one!)  



This Pronovias dress can also be worn with or without the sleeves.  



This Aire Barcelona dress is a good option if you just aren't digging all of the lace.



So maybe you like the Grace/Kate look, but need some extra "oomph"?  This option by Vera Wang could be for you!

You can still get "the look" without long sleeves.  Maybe you are a summer bride? 
Hot weather + long lace sleeves= hot, sweaty, unhappy bride! 
I found this San Patrick dress on Wedding Inspirasi, one of my favorite wedding dress sites.

I could help but include this one by Justin Alexander for those who are looking for something more closely reflects the Grace/Kate look.  (Nothing wrong with that at all!  Just make it your own!)  Added bonus- removable sleeves for a strapless reception look! 

These are just a few that I stumbled upon, but there are many, many, more for you to consider if you are wanting to pull your inspiration from Grace Kelly as Kate Middleton did!  I mentioned this site earlier in the post, but would be doing you wrong if I didn't tell you about this great inspiration post on Wedding Inspirasi featuring dresses that are similar to Kate Middleton's.  Did you/are you planning on using some sort of inspiration when selecting your dress?  I would love to hear about what's inspiring your wedding day look and why!  Maybe you have your idea, but haven't found the dress???  I would love to do more posts like this, so tell me what look you're going for and I will see what I can come up with! 
Until next time...
Taylor