Long Sleeve Wedding Gowns

Reimagined wedding gowns new Blake High fundraiser

Wearing one-of-a-kind wedding dresses made from any materials they could find, Blake High students strutted down the catwalk Tuesday night for the school's "Walking Art" fundraiser.

The event, called "Runway Project '11," featured wedding gowns donated to the school by La France in Ybor City. But the dresses were barely recognizable after being deconstructed and re-imagined by 25 costume design students.

Student teams chose used feathers and flowers, baskets and bubble wrap to adorn dresses they gave names like "Make it Rain," "Green Christmas," "Party Animal" and "Gaga for Duct Tape."

Designer Christina Azmita created an undersea gown she dubbed "Aquatica." After dying the one-shoulder white gown green, she deconstructed each panel of the dress and used green and brown tulle to mimic her "Little Mermaid" muse. She also painted the dress with gel colors, crafted a mermaid bottom with a train and attached seashells. Some beach sand, kept in place with hair spray, a feather boa and a red wig completed the look.

"("The Little Mermaid") is my sister's favorite movie," said Azmita, 17, who is in the 11th grade. "My original idea was one ("Project Runway" winner) Christian Siriano did, but it was too difficult to create. This is my reinterpretation of a dress he did. I was surprised at how well it turned out."

For Angel Warren and Katelynn McElrath, inspiration came from a Coke can.

The duo took a white high-neck, long-sleeve wedding gown and turned it into a short fire-engine-red dress adorned with ruffles and cola cans.

"My parents drink a lot of Coca-Cola," said McElrath, 17, a sophomore. "I saw my mother drinking Coke one day and got the idea for the dress."

The mini-dress took three days to create. "The end result looks nothing like the original sketch," said Warren, 16, a freshman who is an avid sewer. "We used color pencils to shape the Coke cans and then I decided to add the ruffles."

The show raised $3,400 for Blake's costume design program, which was closed due to budget cuts and was resuscitated this year.

"This event helps redevelop the program," said Jared Porter, costume design instructor. "We expected around 25 students, and 250 people showed up today. We really don't have anything, so this (fundraiser) is something we really need. I am so proud of our students. They took the "Project Runway" idea far beyond my expectations."

Porter said the costume design program needs sewing machines, sewing kits and nice fabric.

Why you Should Have a Long Sleeve Wedding Dress » V Neck Wedding Dress

Wedding dresses with short sleeves, spaghetti straps or those that are sleeveless are definitely getting more popular. A lot of brides now seem to prefer baring their arms. A bride however, should never forget that a long sleeve wedding dress is also still a good option. Why would anyone want to have a long sleeve wedding dress?

Classic History

Wedding dresses have been around for as long as weddings have been. We all know of course that a woman of long ago only had one dress option, a long sleeve wedding dress. It can perhaps be safely assumed that since the medieval era, the long sleeve wedding dress effectively gave off the message of female modesty. A traditional medieval long sleeve wedding dress would have a fully closed neckline and sleeves that went down to cover the fingers. The ancient long sleeve wedding dress however was also a statement of fashion. A wealthy bride could have a long sleeve wedding dress of velvet and damask with trimmings of satin and silk. As part of fashion, sleeve tips could extend down to the floor.

Modern Elegance

The modern long sleeve wedding dress need not follow its ancient look. A present day long sleeve wedding dress does not have to look ancient or vintage at all but still convey female modesty. Long sleeves can easily imply a highly ladylike and modest look regardless of the bodice and neckline cut. It can also effectively bring out the impression of elegant formality.

Basic Purpose

A long sleeve wedding dress has one basic purpose which is to draw attention to your upper parts. If you have hips that are either too full or too small, you may want to draw eyes to your chest and arms instead. Having long sleeves is also a great solution to square shoulders and big arms.

Modern Modesty

Some brides may still prefer a long sleeve wedding dress design simply because of modesty. You can have full long sleeves of the same material as your dress and a simple round neckline. It is possible however to still look modest but also daringly modern. Have the sleeves made of a lighter mesh material and then pick an off the shoulder neckline. You also have the option of a portrait neckline or a low v-neck cut.

For All Seasons

A ¾ or full long sleeve made of the same material as your bodice can help keep you warm and comfortable in a winter wedding. You may still however have an elegant long sleeve wedding dress even in summer. Choose light materials like chiffon and organza if you think the weather will be warm on your wedding day.

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