cecilie bahnsen

Being 24, I am in the season of life where it seems that everyone I know is either engaged or married and I’m seeing a constant stream of wedding pictures splashed across every social media site. I’m inundated with women in white dresses everywhere I look. I’ve also been in a relationship for close to 7 years now, so it’s easy to see why I sometimes veer off into dreaming about what dress I would like to wear to my own wedding someday.

As I spoke about in a previous article, I used to work at a bridal-centric tech company, so I felt overwhelmed by photos of traditional wedding dresses day in and day out, making me averse to the prospect of wearing one to my own nuptials. As an alternative, I would rather don a fun, white dress from one of my favorite designers. After all, if I’m spending so much on one dress anyways, it might as well be from a brand I’ve always dreamed of wearing.

Check out my dream wedding dresses below along with a few of my favorite bridal-esque looks from each:

Alexander McQueen

Alexander McQueen is one of my all time favorite designers and even though the brand isn’t what it used to be since his death, it still has a dreamy, otherworldly quality that makes each piece look like a work of art. Becoming a McQueen bride would be a dream come true and would make my big day all the more special.

Alexander McQueen Spring 2020

I just recently discovered Cecilie Bahnsen and continue to fall in love with her collections each season. Her playful, gauzy creations are a delight to the eye and would flounce so beautifully as you walk down the aisle. What better time to wear something whimsical than on your wedding day? Also, the cropped length of most of her dresses is unconventional while being the perfect way to show off your shoes, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Cecilie Bahnsen Spring 2020

dream wedding dress designer cecilie bahnsen fashion white skirt with ruffles

Cecilie Bahnsen Pre-Fall 2020

Cecilie Bahnsen Fall 2019

Molly Goddard

Okay, okay, so I know two of the dresses I included here aren’t white and while more and more people are choosing to eschew the white tradition, I still want to partake. The thing I love about Molly Goddard’s designs is the absolutely ridiculous amount of tulle she uses for each dress. You wouldn’t usually get to wear that much tulle in an everyday situation, which is why I think it’s the perfect alternative to a traditional wedding dress. I also absolutely love the white dress I’ve included so much that I have fruitlessly searched for someone selling it online countless times, so if you have the hookup, please let me know!

Molly Goddard Fall 2019

Molly Goddard Spring 2018

Molly Goddard Spring 2020

Ryan Lo

Oh, to live in the world of Ryan Lo would be a literal fantasy! I’ve been following Lo since before they started posting his collections on Vogue and have been in awe of his fantastical creations each and every season. Everything looks so delicate, feminine and soft, the perfect combination of traits to make a wholly memorable wedding ensemble. I would wear any of the dresses I included to my wedding in a heartbeat, and will definitely consider Lo as a strong contender when I start seriously searching for my dream dress.

Ryan Lo Fall 2019

dream wedding ryan lo frilly white sheer dress fashion style

Ryan Lo Fall 2018

dream wedding ryan lo spring 2019 sheer white dress with florals fashion runway style

Ryan Lo Spring 2018

Vivetta

While Vivetta doesn’t really make too many dresses that could be considered bridal-esque, I still wanted to include her on this list because each and every one of her collections is so damn fun. Every season, there’s a new quirky, whimsical twist on classic pieces that never fails to captivate me, and I’m sure would captivate others as you walk down the aisle.

Vivetta Fall 2018

Vivetta Resort 2020

Vivetta Spring 2019

I don’t judge others who choose to wear traditional dresses on their wedding days. It’s your day, so you should wear whatever makes you happiest! What are some of your dream bridal designers or styles of dress?

If you’ve been keeping up with this website for a while now, then you might have realized that I am a lover of insane amounts of color to the point of almost assaulting the eye. Why? Because it’s fun. But color isn’t always required for a collection to possess a spirit of whimsy and playfulness, things that Cecilie Bahnsen’s Fall 2019 collection has plenty of.

cecilie bahnsen fall 2019 fashion runway monochromatic whimsical style copenhagen week the young eclectic — Three things I love about this look: 1. The daintiness and poofiness of the dress. 2. The wispy, mock neck top layered underneath. 3. The seemingly-out-of-place sneakers. (Photo: Vogue.com)

Unlike most of the other collections I’ve covered on this site, Cecilie Bahnsen Fall 2019 has almost no color at all, settling for a subdued, monochromatic palette of blacks, whites, and the subtlest of yellows. But just because there is a dearth of color doesn’t mean the collection lacks imagination. In fact, it managed to capture mine with its innocent, childlike, oversized silhouettes and also charmed me with all of its girlish details like quilted fabrics, layered knits, and plenty of puffed sleeves to make you feel like a fairy tale. I liked this collection so much, I actually had trouble trying to find looks NOT to include in this article- and it was tough!

Cecilie Bahnsen, a mild-mannered and sweet woman who creates equally mild and sweet designs, wanted to add a bit of darkness to her usually-innocent looks this season and did so in ways most wouldn’t expect. While these floaty designs still retain all of the freshness and femininity Bahnsen delivers with her aesthetic, her babydoll dresses were made edgy with sharp detailing and a harsher combination of textures like crochet and ribbing. The models also marched down the runway in heavy trainers that contrasted well with the floatiness of their dress (which I now have to try in my own outfits- they just looked so freaking cool!)

One of my favorite looks from this collection was a poofy, tiered, white dress with a square neckline and a light-as-air, wispy mock neck top layered underneath. It’s those little details that really brings looks to life, and I take a lot of inspiration from them when I style my own outfits. I can definitely say with confidence that the fashion forecast for this Spring calls for a lot of puff sleeves, voluminous dresses, and innovative layering.

This is the first and only collection I have seen from Cecilie Bahnsen, and if this is her trying to add a bit of roughness to her dainty dresses, then I’m certainly excited to see what else she’s created, since I’m a fan of the girly, oversized look.

Check out some of my favorite looks from the show below: