I resisted reading Twilight for a long time, partially because I’m not into vampires, and partially because my teenage cousins insisted I read it. During a precious week off, I picked up the first book, and then flew through all four like a guilty pleasure. It’s become a tradition to see the movies with a group of friends from New York. We all started reading the series around the same time and had lengthy discussions about the books on beach vacations in Montauk.
We just went to see Breaking Dawn together, and I’m left considering Bella’s dress. The book describes the dress as being made of satin; Bella’s mother claims it is gorgeous, graceful and elegant, and that she looks like she “just stepped out of an Austen movie”. Bella herself refused to look in the mirror before the ceremony due to nerves, but later Edward points out her reflection. “The narrow sheath of the shimmering white dress flared out subtly at the train almost like an inverted calla lily, cut so skillfully that her body looked elegant and graceful…”
The dress in the movie was designed by Carolina Herrera. She describes the gown as being about “the magic and the moment that is the wedding, and also about her (Bella’s) personality, which is very important in a wedding gown…She is this very innocent girl that is believing in her first true love and there is romance and there is fantasy and mystery. I took all that into consideration.”
The dress itself was a closely guarded secret. In the movie, you see just small flashes of white until Bella reaches the altar. What do you think? (Replica shown here.)
While I thought the dress was pretty, I didn’t love it. I can appreciate the modesty and details as a nod to her groom’s old-fashioned ways (like the hundred buttons down the back). However, the front and back seem like two different dresses to me. And though the back was sexy and the dress cut close to the body, the overall look seemed too mature for a bride of eighteen. (Though her character would never, ever be caught dead in a tulle ballgown.) I also found the criss-cross placement of the seams on the bust to be distracting.
Carolina Hererra will sell the gown, but Alfred Angelo is also selling a licensed reproduction, shown here, for just $799. In upcoming seasons, I think we’ll be seeing many more dresses with back detail, sleeves and illusion necklines, due in no small part to the Duchess of Cambridge’s gown.
Did you like Bella’s gown?
