January 2007

Get Back

These gowns will demand attention—especially as you walk away.

by Loukia Borrell

Designers are bringing sexy back with wedding gowns that wow your guests from behind. Here, bridal experts offer tips on pulling off this dramatic and sometimes daring look.

Beach brides and those having destination weddings tend to look for gowns with low backs or no backs, says Maya Warburton, owner of Tiffanys by Maya in Norfolk. “ The two back trends that I’ ve been seeing more of are simple gowns that are backless,” she says. “ These gowns are great for destination brides or brides that are having an informal wedding. The other trend is gowns with a lace bodice that have the backs cut out of them. This is a very sophisticated and regal element to gowns of this style.”

“ Lace-up backs have always been the classic look for brides,” says Ashley Kimberl, manager of special occasion dresses at All The Rage, Hilltop East in Virginia Beach. But before choosing a dress with a sexy back, Kimberl suggests checking with church officials. “ If you want a sexy back, sometimes you need approval,” she says.

A dramatic back doesn’ t have to mean the gown has a plunging back, says Helen Kessler, owner of Pure English in the Great Neck area of Virginia Beach. It can be achieved with a low, plunging back or a voluminous ruffled train. “ We are also seeing backs with intricate pleating details. Even a simple gown can create an air of drama with a French bustled skirt,” Kessler says. Often, low-backed gowns are slimmer silhouettes, while gowns with intricate trains have a full look or “ princess” quality a la Grace Kelly. “ English designers tend to be more understated,” she says. “ The drama is achieved through superior fabrics and unique shapes rather than heavy beading and glitz.”

Low-back gowns are mostly shaped as sheaths or A-lines, not ball gown skirts, says Julie Raimondi, editor-in-chief of the local editions of Brides magazine. “ As vintage-inspired gowns have become more mainstream, popular low-back gowns have shifted from bias-cut silky sheaths to more densely beaded and lacey designs. Also, trumpet skirts are very popular and look great with a low back.” Raimondi says it is important that the chest is supported. “ You will likely have to go braless, so a bride normally has to have a small cup size to pull off this look,” she says.

Toning Tips
Exercises to get your back looking better than ever.

So, you want to wear a wedding gown with a low, sexy back, but you haven’ t exactly been sweating it out at the gym. Anne Shoaf, health and wellness coordinator for the YMCA of Portsmouth, suggests these exercises to help your back stand up to the challenge.

1. Stand tall with weights in each hand and palms facing your body. Pull the weights up to your chin, keeping your elbows higher than the weights.

2. Stand with your arms overhead, light weights facing out. Pull down one arm at a time, concentrating on pulling down.

3. Bend knees slightly, and lean over with your back straight. Pull the weight up like you are pulling weeds, with your elbows close to your side. Squeeze shoulder blades together on the lift.

These exercises can be done every other day. Use weights heavy enough to fatigue the muscles after 10-12 repetitions. You can do two to three sets of 12, waiting one minute between sets.