Bridal fashion is undergoing a big shift. Here are the very best six design trends we noticed in Chicago’s Fall bridesmaid dresses Market.

Fashion is definitely changing, but it’s not unheard of to see certain trends take hold and get ready to become a defining feature of the era. Waistlines fall and rise, pant legs range from flared to skinny to relaxed, strapless gowns cave into long lace sleeves, and so forth and so forth. But occasionally a major fashion shift appears to happen all at one time, once the trends aren’t just riffing on current ideas, but introducing brand-new elements, so when staying stylish isn’t just a matter of replacing your jeans once they wear out, but of updating your whole wardrobe.

Every Bridal Market is really a sneak peek at which the industry is headed, but for the past few shows, we’ve noticed small shifts which have indicated a future change in direction. This fall, it had been clear the change had arrived.

While some of the most popular wedding styles continue to be running strong (boho gowns aren’t going anywhere in the near future), the brand-new trends dominated nearly every designer we had. If you’re thinking about where bridal is headed, here are things to keep an eye out for.

bride wearing a marriage dress having a corset top and pearls against a detailed-up of pearls and sequins

1. Pearls.

For the previous years, the subtle sheen of pearls has sat back seat to the more dramatic bling of diamonds, crystals, and sequins. Pearls were present, but understated—cascading on the edge of the veil, for example. This year, we had pearls everywhere, often sewn to the dresses because of the stand-out beadwork, in order to enhance three-dimensional lace.

two slim wedding gowns with small sequins that induce a beautiful shimmering look

2. Solid sequin sparkle.

The emergence of pearls doesn’t mean dresses have become less sparkly. In fact, this season every designer appeared to have a minimum of one dress which was head-to-toe sequin sparkle. What set these gowns apart was how integrated the sequins were using the actual fabric from the dress. Many brides possess some hesitation with regard to sequins because even those people who are looking for any show-stopping dress don’t wish to look like they’re a part of a beauty pageant (particularly if they’re likely to wear a tiara!). However, we felt these gowns kept the bridal feel whilst amping in the glamour.

We thought this trend only agreed to be too good therefore we have ordered our samples in 2 sizes so everyone is able to give them a try! We are excited to possess them within our store within the coming months.

two beautiful wedding gowns with floral lace that can cause a detailed, deep texture

3. Floral lace: Oversized or miniaturized.

Lace is a ubiquitous part of bridal fashion for a long time, especially lace designs that incorporate unique patterns or botanical motifs. The lace we’re seeing now's trending in three different directions: larger, smaller, or dimensional.

First off, we’re seeing more massive floral—patterns so large that from the distance they appear almost like a print. We’re also seeing more dimensional lace, in which the lacework is appliquéd with beaded elements to produce a design with increased depth. Finally, we’re seeing micro lace, in which the pattern creates much more of a texture than the usual design.

3 bridal gloves. 2 seem to be sheer with small lace detail and another that's plain classy silk

4. Gloves.

If there’s one trend that provides us with a thrill of excitement, it’s the way in which gloves took over the bridal scene. As an accessory, long gloves have often lingered around the border to be either charmingly vintage or awkwardly costume-like. One way to make an accessory seem more genuine and less like a piece of dress-up would be to bring it into the modern era by having a new twist. This is what we’re currently seeing with gloves.

While the classic satin gloves are visible in abundance, the brand-new trend includes sheer gloves and ones embellished with pearls, rhinestones, and beading. Tiaras also continue being in vogue, so you can channel Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s for your heart’s delight.

mannequins wearing black gowns of various styles

5. Black wedding gowns.

If the trends to date have seemed impression dramatic, wait till you see the brand new black dresses. Black dresses happen to be available—although rare—for a couple of years now. There happen to be signs of growing curiosity about black wedding dresses (their frequent presence on Pinterest boards, for example), however, in most cases, the black dresses we’ve seen happen to be custom gowns. Rather than full black, it’s been more prevalent for dresses to possess black details, like a champagne-colored dress that people carry within our store with a black lace overlay. It hasn’t been until this season that we’ve truly seen black dresses enter into their own.

At Bridal Market, I was excited to determine an entire display focused on black wedding gowns. We also saw black gowns inside a range of styles, from flowing boho gowns with large organic lace to voluminous tulle dresses with cinched-in waists that appeared as if they could come straight from the 1950s Dior catalog. All of which would be to say that if you’ve ever imagined a black wedding gown, your time and effort have come: you've options.

2 sleek wedding dresses having a little shine and a delightful geometric outline

6. Clean fabric.

Last but not least, sleek, unembellished styles will also be settling in as one of the popular new looks. Many of the dresses we had at this season’s show were able to embrace the minimalism of the smooth look, may it be with satin, chiffon, organza, or crepe, inside a way that still felt romantic enough for a marriage. Many designers take their clean gown designs up an amount, through seam placements, cutout lace within the train, or perhaps a unique back strap, to ensure that gowns that appear simple initially actually do possess a standout feature on closer inspection.

In particular, Mikado satin—which is really a thicker, more luxurious weave of material than traditional satin—has become especially trendy. We bought one in our gowns in black Mikado satin, and can’t watch for it to arrive in our store.

collage of various dresses in the 2022 Fall bridal market

New trends are not far off from The White Dress!

One of the main reasons we attend Bridal Market is to determine gowns personally and put in orders for which we’d like to possess in our boutique. We’re very selective in using what we stock within our Michigan bridal store because we all know that not every trend is really a good fit for the brides. We also realize that keeping up with all of the emerging styles is a part of what sets us apart. Brides who arrived at our shop realize that they can put on dresses that are hot from the runway, as they say.

There’s typically a delay of 6-8 months between visiting a gown at Bridal Market and becoming it within our stores because designers need time for you to fill the sample orders. However, we frequently post about new arrivals within our store, so keep close track of this space if you’re thinking about trying on these dresses.

In the meantime, the gowns we feature in-store currently include ones we discovered during our visit to Bridal Market earlier this spring, as well as sexy wedding dresses from the newest collections of our designers. If your date for the wedding is less than the usual year away, we encourage explore to put off scheduling a scheduled appointment. Wedding dress timelines being what they are, it’s necessary to get your dress order placed early which means you aren’t limited in your selection. Book a scheduled appointment with us today!