This is one of the top ten bridal gowns by Vera Wang, a big name in wedding fashion.  Many of her dresses make women look like waifs who have stumbled into chiffon parachutes, but this satin dress is just plain bizarre. I’m having trouble reading it. Is it an allusion to mermaids? Interestingly, all of Wang’s gowns feature bare shoulders, arms and upper chests. Women pay many thousands for these hideous get ups and they don’t even get sleeves.

As Kidist Paulos Asrat says, “Beauty is the last thing on the minds of modern designers. Edginess, the avant-garde, experimentation and originality win over aesthetics.” You can read Kidist’s other thoughts on Wang wear at Camera Lucida.

Karen I. writes:

I looked at the Vera Wang gowns and honestly, I’ve seen far prettier wedding dresses at my local Goodwill.

Kidist writes:

Can you believe that people are paying thousands of dollars for these [Wang dresses]? Vera Wang came into being in the perfect storm when traditional marriage (and gowns) are looked down upon, but women still want those fairy tale weddings. So, she was able to promote her dresses to these unsuspecting brides. 

Hannon writes:

That purple number reminded me of the photo that appeared yesterday on VFR of Hirsi Ali, a near-blinding medium blue satin  evening dress. I thought she was perfectly suited to it and she looked dazzling, like a world class mineral specimen at the Smithsonian. She commands attention by style in that dress, not by flaunting crude sexuality. I was curious about your reaction to it, regardless of the jerk at her side.

Laura writes:

The dress strikes me as too much for a 40-year-old woman who is out and about with a married man, too exuberant and youthful. You’d think Ali would show a little restraint, after all she knows the world – and her boyfriend’s wife and children – are going to be looking on. Or maybe she is so clueless, she does not. Also, given that American taxpayers are paying for her protection in this country, perhaps she might try to look less the triumphant celebrity.

Trying to view the dress on its own, I think the color is pretty, or exuberant as I said, but the design is not all that interesting, a satin version of a J. Crew T-shirt.

Hannon writes:

Without context she looks mesmerizing (and under 40), but you are right to point out the overall incongruence and brazenness. The effect of her appearance is also a matter of race. I
have noticed in particular that black women can wear ensembles of black and gold (or satin blue) that would look ridiculous on most any European woman.

The way most white women dress these days is as appalling as it is incomprehensible to me. My idea of ideal women’s dress, reactionary as it is, would be some of the outfits on “Mad Men”. Even though some are quite form-fitting they are conservative and carefully designed by today’s standards. The show is worth seeing at least once just to take in the meticulous wardrobe and set designs. I was born around that time so it may be some primordial memory that would have to include my mom as she was a single working mother at that time.

Kidist writes:

I love blue, but never quite could get around the electric one.

I think [Ali’s] dress  is really ugly. As I said, electric blue has never been my favorite color, so it could just be personal. But, satin can look gaudy when not carefully done, and usually is best, in my view, when used as a trim rather than for the whole dress. And even then, the tailoring has to be very good. Something about satin is not very forgiving. It tends to bunch up, exaggerating bad sewing and design. Those problems are evident in the dress Hirsi Ali is wearing.

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