Aunt Madie loved sharing all of the things she had learned through her 108 years of life. I can see her now — out on her front porch sipping fresh mint sweet tea (her secret recipe) on her wooden porch swing (that had to have been made before she was born) dressed to perfection in high heels and a fine tailored dress (yes, high heels…all the time – she hated my flats) and somehow not sweating on a hot summer day, teaching us about the things in life she thought we should know. Her lessons might be as simple as when it is appropriate to wear pearls (you have no idea the amount of rules for dressing she had) or as detailed as the difference between laces (which she expected us to master as soon as we were no longer classified as toddlers). Life with Aunt Madie was sweet and paid tribute to a different time.
Aunt Madie would have loved the fact that we had a trunk show with just lace gowns coming up. However, I do know that she would want us to be sure to share her lessons on lace with our brides before they came in to choose a wedding gown. I can hear her now — “darling girls, make sure they know the difference between Alençon and Chantilly!” So, to make sure you are fully prepared to find the one, we are sharing the lessons we learned years ago from our sweet Great Great Aunt.
Q: What are the different types of laces that are commonly used on wedding gowns?
A: The most commonly used laces on wedding gowns are Alençon Lace, Chantilly lace, and Guipure Lace.
Q: What is Alençon lace?
A: Alençon lace is a fine, needle-point lace originating from France. Originally, it was the only French lace not made upon the pillow with the work being done entirely by hand with a fine needle. This lace boasts a raised fine cording that is applied to the outlines of the motifs in the lace pattern. Due to the raised fine cording, this lace is known to be more labor intensive to create and tends to have more body and structure than a Chantilly lace.
Q: What is Chantilly lace?
A: Chantilly lace is a handmade bobbin lace originating in France that is entirely made of silk. This lace is known for its flat, outlined pattern and is very fine and airy with tons of elaborate detail. Due to the soft nature of this lace, it is perfect for a bride who is searching for a romantic lace pattern.
Q: What is Guipure lace?
A: Guipure lace, which is a needle-point lace originating from Venice, is a firm, stiff lace with no net backgrounds. This pattern is made by a series of closely packed embroidery stitches and is perfect for a bride who loves texture.
Q: Why are there so many lace gowns at different price points?
A: Oftentimes we are asked about why specific lace gowns are more expensive than other lace gowns. This all has to do with the quality of lace and whether the lace being used is a synthetic or a true lace. Synthetic laces are a silk blend and tend to be more uncomfortable against the skin than their true silk-made counterparts. A true lace gown shouldn’t be uncomfortable against the skin. Aunt Madie often told us that the difference between a synthetic lace and true silk lace was like the difference between a fine bottle of wine and a boxed wine.
Q: How can you tell the difference between a synthetic lace and a non-synthetic lace?
A: Synthetic, machine made laces will oftentimes have a sheen or shiny effect to the lace and will have larger gaps between the lace patterns.
Now that we have answered some of your questions on lace, make sure to book your appointment for our Aunt Madie’s Lovely in Lace Trunk Show! We will be serving some of Aunt Madie’s famous mint sweet tea drinks and all of our brides who purchase during the trunk show will receive 10% off along with a special gift from Saks Fifth Avenue. Now that sounds like an event Aunt Madie would just adore!
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