7 Wedding Dress and Accessory Trends Every Bride-to-Be Needs to Know About in 2023
While every era has its iconic bridal fashions, the specifics don't change too quickly from year to year. This makes sense: You wear a wedding dress just once—so the rules of fast fashion (which seem to change on a whim) don't necessarily apply.
"Trends are slow to come and slow to go in bridal," affirms bridal stylist Julie Sabatino of The Stylish Bride. Some silhouettes and shades are timeless for a reason—but other wedding-day details, like accessories and shoes, offer low-risk ways to put a modern twist on tradition. Expect to see these six trends on aisles everywhere this year.
Related: The Most Common Wedding Dress Embellishments, Explained
A Return to Timeless Cuts
While one-shoulder silhouettes dominated Bridal Fashion Week runways in 2022, many of Sabatino's clients have returned to what she calls a "true wedding look"—think classic ball gowns, A-lines, and trumpets. "The ball gown is still popular, and in some ways it surprises me how popular it has remained," she says. "The trumpet style is also always popular for brides who don't want a lot of volume or fear it overwhelms them—it's a classic shape that looks good on a ton of body types."
Trending Necklines
Strapless gowns, perennially in favor for how they flatter every body type, offer a versatility that's increasingly in-demand, as brides customize them with straps, jackets, or capes; open necklines are also charming shoppers. "Off-the-shoulder necklines, leaving the chest and shoulder area open, is something people love right now," says Sabatino. "And it has the added bonus of providing arm coverage, which everybody wants."
Juliet Sleeves
"Sleeves, in general are hot, and have been for a couple of years," says Sabatino, pointing to the popularity of off-the-shoulder balloon sleeves as one example. But now she also sees a resurgence in the iconic '90s Juliet sleeve, which puffs at the shoulder and tightens through the arm. "We are seeing them come back in a different but more modern way—jackets, overlays, detachable versions, tulle—it really adds an element of romance and a different aesthetic," she says.
'90s Bridal Style
This year, other vintage fashions from the same decade might become more in-demand, too, predicts bridal stylist Gabrielle Hurwitz. "The '90s are back in ready-to-wear and they're definitely making their way back into wedding fashion, as well," she says. "We're going to continue to see a lot of bias-cut slip dresses and simple ball gowns with a less-is-more approach."
More Color and Floral Patterns
While white, cream, and ivory shades still have most of the bridal market cornered, brides who are drawn to bolder colors and patterns have more choices than ever before. "Blush and champagne used to be the go-to colors for brides looking to branch out beyond a white wedding dress," says Hurwitz. "This year, I expect we'll see that expand to shades of blue, lavender, and green. Not limited to solids, printed gowns with colorful floral motifs will become more mainstream, too."
Sabatino also anticipates an increase in floral-inspired fabrics. "It's a fresh option that brides are having fun with," she says. "We are seeing small floral details and 3D embellishments a lot, and bigger, bolder prints—it runs the gamut." Take inspiration from the climate and aesthetic of your venue to choose a specific floral pattern appropriate for your wedding date: "Florals tend to look more spring-like, so it isn't as common to find wintry florals—but they do exist," says Sabatino. "If you want a simpler gown that's structured and plain, I love having colored flowers on the veil."
Glam Slip-On Gloves and Capes
Instead of princess-inspired tiaras or sparkling hairpieces, choose accessories that add a more sophisticated touch to your outfit. "Gloves were definitely the 'it' accessory of 2022 and I don't think they're going anywhere in 2023," says Hurwitz. "Whether a bride wears them down the aisle or adds them as a fun accessory for the reception, slipping them on is a great way to add an au courant twist to your bridal look—without committing to a trend-forward wedding dress."
Sabatino recommends an elegant, unexpected cape, which has the same effect: "We are seeing a lot of them," she says. "It's a nice way for brides to have a little extra drama—and a little coverage, so if they wanted that for the ceremony, but not all night, they can take it off."
Unexpected Shoes
Sabatino also finds her clients thinking beyond the classic jeweled heel or sparkling stiletto. "People are getting really fun with their shoes," she says. "Colored shoes have been popular and still are and sneakers 100 percent are mainstream now—and we do cowboy boots when it makes sense."
Whether you choose fancy footwear for your entire day or opt to change after the ceremony, investing in a shoe you love means you can also wear it after your wedding day. (One note, says Sabatino: If you choose to change shoes during your reception, make sure the heel height doesn't change the hemline of your dress; look for platform or wedge sneakers to keep the overall look the same.)
Wedding Wardrobes
Brides are no longer only shopping for a single wedding dress: Almost all of Sabatino's clients choose a second dress for their reception. "It's so much easier to move around in and dance in," she says. Though past years saw most newlyweds opting for cocktail-length dresses, Sabatino notes that the trend now is toward long gowns for the party. "Brides want to stay more in the dress code, and if guests are in gowns, they want to stay in something long," she says.
But it doesn't stop with a second dress: Both Sabatino and Hurwitz say it's increasingly common for brides to request a cohesive wardrobe that covers all of their related events. "From welcome parties and rehearsal dinners to the wedding day itself, the fashion is becoming an integral part of the celebration and an opportunity for a bride to show off various aspects of her personal style and play up each event's design through her clothing," says Hurwitz.
For the ceremony, embrace something classic; at the reception, opt for a sexier number, suggests Hurwitz. "And for the after-party, try something short and fun—even feathers, which are very on trend!" she says. "Working with a bridal stylist to curate the overall fashion and tell a story throughout the weekend will become more and more prevalent."
