Not many brides-to-be are used to wearing a tiara. Even a small decorative hair comb may be an unfamiliar accessory. Your lack of previous hands-on experience, coupled with the vast range of bridal hair accessories available today, may make the choice feel overwhelming. Where on earth do you start?
I'm guessing that if you have already found yourself here, you will have already done so initial research, plenty of web browsing and a fair bit of Pinning. Most likely you will have already made some instinctive choices. Your individual style preferences, hair type and cut, and your choice of wedding outfit will probably have 'ruled out' some options and suggested others. But it is worth approaching your wedding accessory styling with a degree of openmindedness and embrace this wonderful opportunity for self-expression.
In this mini-series of blog posts, I will look at different elements of your accessory styling and offer some tips and pointers about making the right decisions for you. Firstly, I'll shine the spotlight on the tiara.
In the early to mid-noughties, the tiara seemed to have had its day; sneered at for being either overly showy or too girlishly twee; either way, out of kilter with modern bridal style. But now it is most definitely back, appearing for several seasons in the form of beaded and jewelled headband, and now on our screens in Netflix's Bridgerton, and looking fresh. Here are our pointers as to how to get it right.
Choose your hair style carefully. Keep a bold tiara fresh with modern textural hair styling. Tousled, perfectly imperfect hair will counterbalance princess tendencies and showcase your tiara in a contemporary way and allow your natural style to shine through.
Consider the height and profile of the tiara and choose what works best for you. A tiara with a higher profile will create more impact which might work especially well in a grand setting, with high ceilings and striking architectural features. Though do remember that this can be softened by the hair style you choose. The Jewelled Meadow Tiara from our Signature Headpiece Collection looked perfectly at home at the stately Somerley House in the Faded Romance shoot while the soft, undone hair styling kept our model from looking to prim.
A free-flowing design with lots of 'empty space' between the detail, like the pastel toned vintage aurora borealis rhinestone tiara shown below will create a more relaxed feel, and enable you to embrace height without weight, and is well suited to a more contemporary bridal style.
Materials and Colour are important elements to consider. A tiara created from a single type of bead or component, as in the Antique Mother of Pearl Leaf Diadem, lends itself to a pared back, or understated look, where full attention can be given to the shape of the design.
Don't be restricted to crystal and pearls if it doesn't feel like you. If you are excited by colour, if the palette of your wedding flowers or your venue’s décor is important to you, then why not consider adding colour into your wedding headpiece or jewellery. Whether it is subtle or bold, choosing to include colour in your accessories is one way you can truly personalise your look.
Our last piece of advice, though, is feel free to break the rules. Who said a large tiara can't work with a contemporary gown in a pared-back, industrial setting? As this shoot at new Hampshire venue The Barn at Avington shows, the juxtapostion of a bold jewelled tiara and the plain concrete walls of a modern barn can work supremely well - with a blank canvas such as this, all attention will be on the details you choose to personalise your wedding and if that includes a bejewelled tiara, then why not!
If you would like some more styling advice on tiaras, or indeed, any headpiece design, please feel free to email me at style@agneswalker.com. Or if you would like to see some of our statement tiaras and headpieces, do please get in touch to find out about our zoom appointments and a soon-to-launch 'try at home' service. And hopefully, before too long, I'll be able to open up my home studio again for in persons visit.