THE LONG VEIL PRIMER

 Long veils convey a romantic mood via all that added gossamer sheer.  . . . . .Women who  go traditional sporting the full regalia of a classic bride typically love those long, flowing veils. So what you ask is considered a long veil? Let's start at the ‘finger tip’ length and work all the way down to the twenty-five foot cathedral.veil.

Long Veil Lengths

Fingertip-Most popular length; can be worn by nearly every figure type with most silhouettes.

           Waltz-Falls anywhere between knee and ankle.
          Chapel-Considered formal. Extends about a two feet beyond the hemline.
          Cathedral-Most formal. Extends three feet or more beyond the hem.
          Double Tier-Two layers, typically the shorter one a blusher but not always.  

 

Long Veil Styles

Pouf-Pictured directly below, width of veil is gathered at the crown and can be attached to a headpiece. Generally made out of tulle or English netting.
Dropped-Second picture below. This veil is actually dropped onto the head in a single layer of tulle or lace; often bordered with lace or ribbon. The Mantilla is a type of dropped veil.

Fingertip

Waltz Length

Mantilla

Cathedral Length

All veils and gowns by Amy-Jo Tatum Bride

Top  photo by S1 Studio.  White Chantilly lace mantilla

                                3rd photos by Stellar Q Danielo: Ivory tulle cathedral length veil

                        Last four photos by Piximage: Ivory fingertip veil//White two layered waltz veil outlined in ribbon// ivory  Chantilly lace mantilla//Single layer cathedral legnth veil dappled in Chantilly lace appliques

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VEILS-SHORT TO LONG

    I wanted to talk some about veils today.  This time of year my email box is full of so many questions about head wear in general but you guessed it--it's mostly about veils and topping off your look.  Most questions I get are about length and proportion so I'm going to start at the inception of veils.  Did you know wearing one dates back to ancient times?  The bridal veil has been a symbol of purity and mystery in many traditions.  From Biblical times onwards every era has put it’s own spin on “the veil” and how its worn.   Fourteenth century brides wore hoods of silk netting.  Victorians sported yards of delicate laces passed on to daughters and granddaughters. Brides of the 1960s popularized the pouf veil still stylish today.

   The good news is, there are no more rules about what length veil  goes with a particular style gown.  Whatever guidelines exist have more to do with following your proportions and sense of style.  So, veil lengths do vary from jazzy little net poufs to yards of tulle trailing the hemline. 

Short Veils

The shorter ‘fashionista' veil has gone uber-trendy the past few years. Why? When short veils returned to the bridal scene thanks to a few designers inspired by vintage they seemed out of the ordinary –very outside the traditional bridal box. Though we're seeing them all over the place now there's still  something chic, even edgy about a bride sporting one. As early as the 1990s, Vera Wang paired up short, pouf veils with very formal gowns. Whether she wanted to show off the extraordinary back details of her gowns or usher in a new look, I don’t know; I only know the juxtaposition this duo created worked.

Brides say the best thing about wearing a shorter veil is, not having to do any adjusting in that switch from the solemnity of ceremony to big time partying hearty. Short veils are easy to maneuver around in and stay put whether you’re exchanging vowels, cutting cake or dancing.

Bird Cage or Net Pouf- Above left and center: These have gone trendy the past few years thanks to vintage designers. Made of either netting or tulle, this veil falls above the shoulder line.  Since it’s a shorter style, it tends to look structured, more hybrid of headpiece and veil.  Great for fashionistas.   

                     Blusher or Flyaway-Pictured above at the far right: A fly away is typically attached to the back while the blusher is a short veil worn over the face during the ceremony.  Can also be worn shoulder length in layers.  Although once considered informal, this is the choice of some chic, formal-gowned brides.

Long Veils

If I were to define the quintessential  bride, she'd definitely be donning a long veil on her wedding day.  To explain what’s considered long in veil chic, I’d start at the elbow and work all the way down to the twenty-five foot cathedral trail. Long veils convey a romantic mood by way of all that added gossamer sheer.

Elbow-Extends to the elbow or a couple inches below.

Fingertip-Most popular length; can be worn by nearly every figure type with most silhouettes.

Waltz-Falls anywhere between knee and ankle.

Chapel-Considered formal.  Extends about  two feet beyond the hemline.

Cathedral-Most formal.  Extends three feet or more beyond the hem.

Double Tier-Two layers, typically the shorter one a blusher but not always.

Clockwise: Top photos-Finger tip veil/Bottom photos-Left Waltz length veil/Right Cathedral veil

STYLES

Pouf-Pictured Above:Width of veil is gathered at the crown and can be attached to a headpiece.  Generally made out of tulle or English netting.

Dropped- Pictured Above Yes, actually dropped onto the head in a single layer of tulle or lace; often bordered with lace or ribbon.  A Mantilla like the one above is a type of dropped veil.

FABRICS

    Typically tulle is the most common fabric used though chiffon, silk gauze and different types of nettings are sometimes worn.  Remember Julie Andrew’s wedding in The Sound of Music?  Her veil was silk organza . . . a stunning choice.  Another stunning choice—my favorite—is silk gauze.  Though it’s not as transparent or springy as tulle, it has all the opposite characteristics: an opaqueness; it floats whenever you walk or the breeze blows.

 Veils by Amy-Jo Tatum Bride

   Photo Credits

Header photo by S1 Studio/Second Photo by Pixamage

Top three photos: clockwise-/Pouf veil photo by Dominic Colacchio Photography/Cage veil photo by Bill Smoot

Long veil photos by Pixamage

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A LONG VEIL

 Manuel Mota

Wouldn't you agree since Chelsea's wedding last July there's more of a focus on long veils?  So what constitutes a long veil? Let's start at the ‘finger tip’ length and work all the way down to the twenty-five foot cathedral. Long veils sure paint a romantic mood by way of all that gossamer sheer. Wearing a veil dates back to ancient times and most cultures. The bridal veil in particular has been a symbol of purity as well as mystery in many traditions. Since Biblical times every era it seems has innovated the veil and how it’s worn. Victorians donned yards of handmade laces they passed on to daughters and granddaughters; 1960s brides popularized the pouf veil still stylish today.

Below: Fingertip drop veil tacked to the back of an updo

 Peter Langner

LEGNTHS

Fingertip-Most popular length; can be worn by nearly every figure type with most silhouettes. Waltz-Falls anywhere between knee and ankle.
Chapel-Considered formal. Extends about a two feet beyond the hemline.
Cathedral-Most formal. Extends three feet or more beyond the hem.
Double Tier-Two layers, typically the shorter one a blusher but not always.

Below: Chapel length drop veil

Pronovias Vintage

STYLES
Pouf-width of veil is gathered at the crown and can be attached to a headpiece. Generally made out of tulle or English netting.
Dropped-Yes, actually dropped onto the head in a single layer of tulle or lace; often bordered with lace or ribbon. A Mantilla is a type of dropped veil.

Below: Cathedral length veil

 Valentino
CHOOSING YOUR VEIL-Most brides will wait till the gown is ordered before making a decision. In addition to complimenting your dress, you’ll need to consider your body type. Petite brides want to create the impression of height. They can wear pouf veils as long as the volume up top doesn’t imitate an Indian-headdress, dwarfing rather than extending height. Also if you’re short, a cathedral length veil isn’t the best choice—even a dropped version with zero density. You can get the drama and extension you need by scaling down to a waltz or chapel length to fit your proportion. Heavier and/or thick-waisted brides look best in a one layer dropped veil tacked onto a bun, falling in a swirl down the back. Go long here if you can. Try keeping your lines back and delicate, avoiding elbow length veils with lots of volume. Ditto veils edged in ribbon; they can form lines across the waist, creating width. If you’re tall you’ll want to keep the poise of your height intact without going over the edge. Go ahead and wear that cathedral veil with your long-trained ball gown. But realize even tall, sylph-like women have limitations. Princess Diana who was a stunning 5’10”, over-volumized her height her wedding day when she piled layers of tulle atop a dress already screaming of über-pouf. Face it, we all have to work on getting the symmetry right.
Generally, more ornamental gowns look best with simple veils, like one layer of tulle with narrow edging or no edging at all; whereas all over lace veils or ones edged with wide borders require a simple gown with little adornment. Your dress might have some exquisite back details you want to show off. If this is the case select a shorter veil like a fly away or net pouf. Want a more romantic look? Try a layer of tulle— preferably in a dropped style that doesn’t fall in creases and folds across your back. Tulle is the best fabric for this; it’s transparent enough without being so opaque to fog detail. If your gown has no train, wearing a chapel or cathedral length veil can create one—especially elegant when bordered in wide-edged lace or there’s a concentration of lacework on the train portion.
AFTER THE CEREMONY-If you’re in a long veil and want to remove part of it for the reception, have your salon work out the fastening system with you and whomever is helping you. Taking off the entire veil? Exactly when during the reception is up to you; it depends on whether you want to be veiled in photos cutting cake, toasting, dancing, etc. Some brides wear their veil the entire day. And I suppose this is because there is nothing quite like a white veil that says . . . Today is the only day I will ever be a Bride . . .

Below: Two different versions of the chapel veil

Phillipa Leplay

Valentino

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