Q&A with Lizzie of Love James on How To Find Your Wedding Style

Over the months of February through to April I was feeling particularly creative and wanted to bring some wedding concept ideas to life, so I reached out to Lizzie (Love James) to borrow some of her beautiful vintage dresses for my shoots. Thankfully she was on board and so supportive of my ideas and we did more than a couple shoots together, which many of you have loved over on my Instagram, and of which you’ll see weaved into this blog post. Anyway, that’s enough from me, now onto some fabulous tips from Love James!

1. Let’s say someone has just got engaged and is slightly overwhelmed by the bridal/suit stores as it’s the beginning of their journey: do you have any tips to help with where to even start!

It can be overwhelming thinking you have every option under the sun, but start by doing some research around what type of styles and designs you are drawn to. Is sustainability important to you? How much are you wanting to invest in an outfit? How do you like to shop in your day to day life, and how would you describe your personal style? Do you want to find a piece you fall in love with, or are you wanting something custom made to fit exactly what you are looking for? 

If you’re saving ideas on pinterest, start by creating folders for the different types of images you are saving. E.g. Make a folder for outfits, for stationary, for florals/decorations etc. I personally have very eclectic taste, and Pinterest can be VERY overwhelming with ideas, but once you start to save things, you will begin to see trends in what you are drawn to. Edit and remove ideas you’re no longer feeling. 

When you’re ready to start trying on – have a look at the local stores in your area, and beyond, check out their instagrams and website – if you like what you see, book an appointment, and bring along people who you trust and want to share the experience with!

Lizzie of Love James

2.  How do appointments work: could you share some key things to know before booking and going to an appointment? 

Appointment style shopping can feel a little intimidating, but it’s really just all about giving you the time and space to shop at your own pace, with people you love and trust around. At Love James, I invite you to book an appointment online, and there i’ll ask you a few questions, so I can get a feeling for what sort of things you are looking for, and help you find what you’re looking for. When you are shopping vintage, you have to keep an open mind, as nothing will be “exactly” like a modern reference image, but that’s what makes it so special. Every piece is unique, and unlike everything else available.  On arrival I will welcome you to the salon, and get you started with a bubbles of your choice, before letting you discover the pieces on the racks, and pull anything you like the look of to try on. I don’t set a limit for how many you can try on, but this all comes down to personal preference if you’re a speed shopper or like to go slow. During your appointment, i’ll suggest ways you could alter a piece, changing it completely, adding or taking away features, and suggest styling ideas with jewellery etc. At the end of your visit, you can choose to purchase your dream piece you’ve fallen in love with, or perhaps you want to sleep on it, and re-try it on again a few days later. 

Love James Salon

3. Tell me any hot takes on Veils? I personally love a veil, and have converted many a non-believer! There is something quite magical about them, they’re like a train, and a crown combined! It all comes down to personal preference, but I think they can really elevate and completely change the outfit, and especially make a dress look more bridal. There’s so many styles, and options, you can literally customise this to your preferences. Blusher or no blusher? (That’s the piece of veil that goes over the face.) Long or short and fun? Keep it simple, or go crazy with embellishments, or add colour to your veil. Keep in mind, if you are worried about the admin of a veil – you decide how long you wear it for. It might just be for down the aisle, or during photographs. You don’t have to wear it all day!

At the end of the day, it’s a really unique piece of fashion styling you don’t get the opportunity to wear in day to day life. I also love crowns – and i’m not talking about tacky (IMO) diamante mini crowns from your school ball days. I’m talking about incredible heirloom crowns, made of wax, gemstones, and flowers from the 1930s, 40s and 50s. They add so much personality and dimension to an outfit, and can work with or without a veil. 

If crowns or veils are not your thing, but you still want to add something – What about a bow made from matching fabric? or another smaller headpiece. The smallest of unique touches will make it feel special and unique to you.  

4. What makes a dress vintage? Opinions vary on this, but at Love James, pieces that are at least 20 years old. Anything under 100 years can be considered vintage, anything over is considered Antique. My collection is made up of pieces sourced from all over the world from the 1930s – 1990s, and a couple of fun 00’s pieces. But what makes a vintage piece special? It’s the hidden story and magic that’s often imbued in a piece, it’s knowing it may have been on an adventure before you, and has been carefully looked after and preserved, it’s the opposite of fast fashion because it has stood the test of time, and still looks and feels incredible and relevant today. The quality and craftsmanship found in vintage pieces is incredible compared to modern pieces. 

5. Can you customise vintage? Yes, you can! It can sometimes be seen assacrilege to change a vintage piece, but if this special piece gets another life, keeping it in circulation, that’s great for the dress, and our planet! I think small tweaks can really modernise, or personalise a piece too. Simply shortening a hem, or making it a mini, adding or removing sleeves, removing elements – can all completely change the look. I tend to curate options that already have a modern sensibility to them, and I like to imagine how they would be worn in a modern context, so starting with incredible pieces that don’t feel like costumes is key. Styling is also what can make or break a look! With modern styling, it completely changes the context a piece is in. 

6. What are some accessories or shoes you are loving at the moment?

The neck scarf is really having a moment, and I am here for it. Something so simple, yet elegant and a little bit sexy. You can either have one custom made, or if you have excess fabric removed during tailoring, from a hem etc. you can use this. 

I will always love a 1920/30s crown – I am a little biased as I wore my great grandmother’s crown on my wedding day, but there’s something so romantic, and handcrafted about them that I love. They are little works of art. 

For shoes – Splurging on a quality designer pair can be a great investment for your future wardrobe, and since it’s for the wedding, it’s basically free 😉 Always check your consignment or resale stores of platforms for great designer pre-loved shoes. There are no rules when it comes to colour or style, just go for the style that suits your look, and is practical to the level you need. Hot Tip: Make sure you wear them at home with socks on around the house, no one wants blisters.

7. How far out should you start looking for your wedding outfits? With vintage, there is no hard and fast rule, at Love James, I will have new pieces coming in every month, and we don’t have the lead time that ordering a dress requires, you will potentially still need alterations of some sort, which can require a lead time.

I see brides who are getting married in 1 month, 3 months, 9 months, 1 year, 2 years time. I think this comes down to personal preference, I do think however it is great to get started on outfits early, as this can help form the themes, and other styling ideas. If you fall in love with a gown that needs a ballroom, then you might not book a backyard wedding. If you already know your venue and vibe, you’ll have a bit of a clearer idea of what you are imagining yourself wearing. With vintage, you may like to start looking early, as you may require several visits to the salon, to check out new pieces, until the magic kismet moment when you find something uniquely you, that makes you feel excited! 

8. How can we reduce our impact of fast fashion within the industry / any thoughts on this topic? I think shopping by your values for your wedding is so important. Try not to buy into cheap trends, throw-away items that will have one use and then go into the landfill. Carefully consider that your wedding does have an impact on the planet. Align yourselves with vendors who also consider these things. If you’re looking for standard signage/decorations/etc check out some of the buy and sell pages, or look at hiring items. This isn’t just good for the planet, but often for your wallet too. Look for florists who use sustainable practices like Floral Centric, or Michelle Coomey Florals, and of course – Buy Vintage! Your wedding dress doesn’t have to be brand new to feel incredibly special, and be one of a kind and unique. Also consider these options for outfits surrounding your wedding – is there an item in your family’s wardrobe you could repurpose, your mum or aunt’s dress with a few tweaks could make an incredible outfit for one of the surrounding wedding events! At Love James, I curate a wide range of pieces that could be anything from the bachelorette, the ceremony, the after party and the day after. 

9. Do you have any final tips for couples on how to find their wedding style? Think about what is important to you as a couple, what feels like a true expression of you two? Try and stick to that as much as possible, instead of trying to keep up with trends, or The Jones. Keep gathering ideas, but also check with vendors to make sure what you’re dreaming of is realistic to your budget. You might be looking at aisle flowers that would cost $20,000. Ask your vendors for ideas, show them what’s inspiring you, and they will be able to give you ideas of what’s possible inside your budget. Remember that as much as you will try to aim for ‘timeless’ or ‘classic’ we can’t help but create something that was right for the time, go with it! It’s ok – you evolve as a couple, and naturally so would the type of wedding you’d have in 10 years time – so follow what you love now and enjoy the creative process as much as you can – if your not feeling up to the job of “creative director” – outsource, outsource, outsource that’s what the experts are for. There’s nothing a wedding vendor loves more than creative freedom to help you with your day. 

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I want to say a massive thank you to Lizzie from Love James for taking the time to answer these questions, and I hope these have helped you, in one way or another!