Altered Altars

FREE DAILY TRENDS

14 JUN 2013

Sink or Swim

New men’s swimwear labels are upping the ante on beach style

7 JUN 2013

First Fridays: Sarika Doshi, Co-Founder/CEO of Rank & Style

Q+A with the entrepreneur behind the next big resource for female shoppers

24 MAY 2013

Tree of Life

Reclaimed wood makes its way into high design

17 MAY 2013

The Age of Incense

A whiff of an old-fashioned home fragrance trend has entered the air

6 MAY 2013

Pajama Party

Bedclothes get fashionable

22 APR 2013

Mass Appeal

Nascent fashion ventures look to the masses for designs and dollars

8 APR 2013

Look Sharp

Knives get the design object treatment

5 APR 2013

First Fridays: Michelle Goad, CEO and Co-Founder of PS DEPT.

Q+A with the customer service innovator

22 MAR 2013

Memphis Woos Again

Memphis design is on the verge of a comeback

19 FEB 2013

Boy Meets World

Tomboy style becomes a fashion mainstay

15 FEB 2013

Where the Wild Things Are

Progressive personal care startups go into the woods for ingredients

11 FEB 2013

Growing Panes

The art of stained glass is being cast in new light

5 FEB 2013

Remote Control

Mobile and video platforms bring online shoppers personalized customer service

9 JAN 2013

Cycle Chic

Designers are tailoring garments for stylish cyclists

20 DEC 2012

Problem Salvers

Natural salves heal what ails you

5 DEC 2012

A Fair Share

Style startups adopt the Netflix subscription model

17 SEP 2012

Secondhand News

Luxury consignment shops flood the Web

3 AUG 2012

First Fridays: Bri Emery, Co-Founder of Blogshop

Q+A with the woman leading the blog design revolution

30 JUL 2012

(Do) Try This at Home

Digital tools facilitate better fitting apparel purchases online

14 JUN 2012

Shape Up

Geometric shapes and patterns are inspiring contemporary design

With summer officially over, so too is wedding season. But many young couples planning for future nuptials are just getting started, and they’re pursuing unconventional places in which to make their unions official as well as wedding wear that reflects their personal style. In response, a new crop of alternative bridal salons has arrived to help women who wish to wear white without looking like a Disney Bride.

Stone Fox Bride: Stone Fox Bride owner Molly Guy was astonished at the lack of hip bridal gown choices when planning her own wedding. Her downtown NYC boutique, opening in October, emphasizes making the bride look not just the beautiful belle of her own ball but a smokin’ hot one at that. Stone Fox Bride counts Daryl K , Electric Feathers, and Wren among its original designers, catering to the boho bride who wouldn’t dare step foot in Kleinfeld. Guy also stocks raw gem engagement rings, shawls and hats, and offers referrals for yoga studios, holistic doctors, acupuncturists, and astrologists so that her brides are luminous from the inside out.

BHLDN: Untraditional brides no longer have to troll boutiques looking for the white version of their most coveted dresses. Urban Outfitters Inc.'s new retail brand BHLDN offers engaged ladies a carefully curated collection of vintage-inspired wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, shoes, accessories, and wedding decorations. The brand’s look and feel is more Anthropologie than Urban Outfitters, appealing to the types of young romantics who frequent the thriving wedding blogosphere. An online-only store until recently, BHLDN just opened its first brick-and-mortar site in Houston. A second outpost, in Chicago, is forthcoming. With gown prices ranging from $600 to $4,000, we foresee many young brides becoming beholden to the brand.

Roslyn Bridal Boutique: Rosie Clayton, proprietor of Chicago boutique Roslyn, struggled to find attire for her wedding that lived up to the high fashion standards of her store, so much so that she ultimately turned to custom design. With the correct assumption that she was not alone in her disappointment at the bridal style market, she introduced a modern bridal boutique within her Bucktown store last month. The shop-within-a-shop is stocked with wedding gowns and bridesmaid dresses by designers including Elise Bergman, Sir Brooklyn, and Jennifer Diederich, all of whom demonstrate that garish beading and oversized crinoline are no longer prerequisites of feminine formalwear.