Fourteenth: The Craze for Eighties Headpiece Restyles
Many eighties brides look back at their wedding photos and say, “What was I thinking?”
Poufs, dangling filament pearls, appliqués, sequins, and inexpensive craft flowers represented eighties bridal accessory fashion. Headpieces were made with glue and floral tape, creating thick, chunky, uncomfortable halos and headdresses that no modern-day bride would ever be interested in. Or would they?
“I have restored and repurposed many vintage headpieces over 35 years of designing. The number of requests I receive to restyle headpieces from the 1980s is a bridal phenomenon. Fifteen years ago, brides would play dress up in their mother’s flaring wedding veil. Today, they are craving to find a way to use it for their walk down the aisle.”
Lisa Vitale wore a floral spray headpiece with a short two-tier veil and ruffled pouf when she married in 1988.
“I was truly taken aback when my daughter, Cara, asked me if she could “recycle” my 35-year-old headpiece for her own wedding. Cara and her sister played dress up with it throughout the years, and I always put it away safely in a zip-lock bag. ”
Her veil was separate from her headpiece which was uncommon in the eighties.
“I remember being a little girl and admiring how beautiful my mother looked in her wedding photos. I used to try her wedding dress on for fun and hoped to incorporate it into my wedding day somehow. I knew using her headpiece would be a touching tribute to her, and she would be thrilled to see me wearing a piece of her special day on mine.”
Maid of Honor, Nicole was the first to dress up in her mom’s veil as a toddler. She found a creative use of the headpiece and used it as a bouquet!
Bride-to-be Cara smiled for the camera at age 6, wearing her mom’s wedding veil. Who knew she would walk down the aisle in her headpiece?
When choosing her wedding gown, Cara brought her mom’s headpiece to the bridal salon. She bent it to try to mold it to fit her head. Pearl sprays began falling out, and she realized she needed help for it to be possible to wear the headpiece on her wedding day.
“When I went to “say yes to the dress,” I realized that the dress had a beaded floral lace that resembled the shape of the flowers on my mom’s headpiece, and the pearl detail on the straps resembled the pearls on my mom’s headpiece. That was the moment that I decided that wearing my mom’s headpiece would complete my wedding day look. However, my mom’s headpiece was a bit dated, and I wanted to make it my own. It was important to me that it retain its design but with a modern twist.”
“I found Marie on Instagram. I read through her blog and was so impressed with her previous work. I knew she would be the perfect person to help bring my vision to life. We met virtually through FaceTime, and she did an excellent job explaining the process and providing examples to help me visualize my final piece.”
This is her mother’s 1988 floral spray headpiece before repurposing.
One of my signature design techniques is to restyle a headpiece into components that can be assembled however a bride wishes on her wedding day. She can wear the accessories close together for a statement-style bridal headpiece and then even decide to take them apart and change her hairstyle and accessory look for the reception. The other benefit is she never has to pack them away after her wedding day. A single component can be worn for her wedding brunch, on her honeymoon, for her anniversary, or even as a wedding guest. That makes the investment in her custom design go a long way!
After restyling, Cara’s headpiece is current, unique, and absolutely gorgeous!
1980s Vintage Headpiece Restyle
Photos by Myra Roman Photography
GOWN / Savin London VENUE / Hamilton Farm HEADPIECE / Headpiece.com FLORIST / Wmf.events MUA / Make Me Up Eva
“When we were getting ready the morning of her wedding, Cara surprised me with the redesigned comb part of the headpiece. It was perfect for the vision she had for her wedding: simple, elegant, and looked brand new! Cara was a beautiful bride, and I was so filled with extra love for her sentimentality and the effort to wear something from my wedding day 35 years ago.”
“The headpiece modification preserved some of my favorite details of my mom’s original piece, like the silk leaves, teardrop pearl sprays, and filament pearl strands. Marie enhanced the look of the headpiece by adding crystal details. ”
“My mom knew I was restoring and restyling her headpiece but had no involvement in the process. She was definitely blown away by how it came out and was very touched. There were definitely some happy tears.”
“I really love that Marie retained my favorite details of the original piece, but she completely modernized it. It fit the size and shape of my head perfectly while allowing it to be visible from all sides. The new headpiece had an amazing 3D effect, making it look like the flowers were floating in my hair.”
“Taner loved how unique my headpiece was. He loved that it fit me and my personal style so perfectly!”
“I hope to wear it again soon as a beautiful accessory that holds so much sentimental value!”
The options for vintage bridal headpiece restyles are endless. If you loved Cara’s, there are so many more ahead on our monthly blog that always posts on the Fourteenth of the month.
See you next month on the Fourteenth