Fashion

5 Heirlooms You Can Use to Customize Your Wedding Day Look (And Cut Costs Too!)

Guest Contributor Candace Morrow

A fitting time to dust off granny’s vintage wooden jewelry box of family history and memories is on every bride’s big day. Heirlooms, especially antique fashion accessories, instantly connect to past generations with style, grace and character. As a modern-day Southern belle, my great-grandma bequeathed simple yet sophisticated gemstones, brooches, rings and other knickknacks that today add unconditional love and glamour to contemporary wedding dress designs. The following statement pieces complement any gown by attributing small touches from darling yet bygone days.

FLORAL HAIRPINS

Stained flower hairpins and combs can catch up tresses in a myriad of bohemian to queenly hairstyles. What they convey: Pure bridal hair panache. This late 1940s to early ’50s hairpin features satin petals, weathered greenery, a black velvet bow and birdcage veil fashioned to embellish casual, informal wedding dresses easily. 

Cost-Saving Details: Find hair accessories like this keepsake at antique stores or at the homes of vintage-collecting relatives to crown locks for updos or low ponytails. Price tag: $5.

CLASSIC BROOCHES

Adorning wedding dresses and bouquets with antique brooches, which gives wedding essentials personality and pop. Specifically, this 1950s silver butterfly brooch coupled with ones collected throughout recent years shows classy creativity and offers hints of whimsical color and sparkle. 

Cost-Saving Details: Discover brooches on old articles – military jackets, denim wear or Sunday church dresses – passed down the family line or at local thrift stores. Price tag: $3 a piece.

RHINESTONE EARRINGS

Modernize back-in-the-day earring bling merely by donning them with cutting-edge coifs. These 1950s to ’60s rhinestone dangling doodads are eye-catching and a timeless option to accentuate bridal makeup. 

Cost-Saving Details: Select vintage earrings that companion gowns, not interrupt nuptials by overpowering dresses. In addition to scavenger hunting period pieces from the family’s jewelry armoire, visit consignment galleries for similar styles. Price tag: $10

DAINTY GLOVES

A delicate finish to elegant formal gowns: vintage gloves. These 1950s to ’60s sheer, ruffled white ones – also called “shorties” – are a versatile garment to fancy up sleeveless dresses and also lavishly cover fingernails if pedicuring isn’t preferred. 

Cost-Saving Details: Handpick wrist-length dress gloves at small-town yard sales, antique stores and grandma’s mahogany dresser. Price tag: $7.

SWEETHEART CHARMS

Garland the neck and simple gowns with ageless accents. This reversible 1950s sweetheart charm with chain creates an elegant focal point to the dress while carrying lots of heritage and love. 

Cost-Saving Details: Stumble across treasured medallions and lockets at vintage estate sales and auctions, along with family time with grandma. Price tag: $12.

All of the featured vintage accessories can be purchased at The Gypsy Cherub in Columbus, Georgia.

About Candace Morrow: 

Candace Morrow (a.k.a. Cowgirl Candace) is an internationally published, award-winning feature and news writer; country Western fashion blogger; and wardrobe stylist based in Georgia. A modern-day Suzanne Sugarbaker meets Erykah Badu, she created personal blogazine Southern Styles & Steeds to share her fashion, beauty and lifestyle as a fourth-generation cowgirl and veteran journalist.

Sources

J. Coles Studio

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