Two fabrics can make the same silhouette look entirely different. The Love A21 dress pairs cotton lace with duchesse taffeta, and the contrast between them tells you almost everything about how it wears: one soft and matt, the other with body, holding its shape on its own. Below we take them one at a time, so that you know what to look for when you try it on.
What we know about the Love A21
The catalogue details are few and clear. It is an A-line wedding dress in cotton lace and duchesse taffeta, in off-white. The price is 2000 lei. At the time of writing, the size available in stock is 38, and the dress can be tried on at our atelier in Bucharest.
The A-line takes its name from the letter A: it starts more fitted at the top and opens gradually towards the hem, without the abrupt line of a princess skirt. The volume comes from the cut and the fabric, not from layers of tulle or a large petticoat. That is why the choice of fabric matters more here than with other silhouettes.
Duchesse taffeta: a fabric with body
Duchesse taffeta belongs to the family of dense fabrics, with a slightly lustrous face and a firm hand. By its very nature it holds its shape: the skirt does not cling to the leg or fall limply, but settles into broad, smooth folds. As you walk, the movement is ample and fairly calm – more of a sway than a ripple.
In practice, that means two things to check at the fitting. The first is walking: take a few steps forward, then turn, and watch how the skirt moves around you. The second is sitting down. A firm fabric settles differently from a fluid one, so sit on a chair in the dress and see how easily you can arrange the skirt, how much it gathers at the waist and where creases appear.
The exact composition of the fabric, and the thickness and weight of the dress, are not given in the catalogue listing. If you would like to know them, ask directly at the atelier before you decide.
Cotton lace, up close
Cotton lace has a more matt, fuller look than many laces made with lustrous threads. The pattern reads cleanly, and the surface feels closer to a textile than to a jewel. Set against the discreet sheen of the taffeta, the result is a dress whose details reveal themselves up close rather than from a distance.
At the fitting, look at a few specific things:
- how the lace is laid over the taffeta, and whether the motifs flow naturally from one area to the next, especially along the seams;
- how the lace feels against your skin where it rests on your arms or across the chest, because touch matters after a few hours;
- how the dress looks in natural light, not only under the showroom lights, as the off-white shade changes visibly from one light to another.
Who the A-line cut suits
There are no rigid rules: an A-line is chosen for the effect you are after. Its line falls simply from the waist, so it tends to be comfortable for brides who want room to walk without feeling weighed down by layers. It is a good option if you are drawn to a classic-looking dress but don’t want the volume of a princess gown. You can also look through the other styles among our A-line wedding dresses to compare their lines.
If, on the other hand, you would like a dress that moves freely and has little volume, chiffon in an Empire cut may be closer to what you are looking for. There is more on the differences in our guide to Empire wedding dresses. The surest test, though, is still the fitting, because the same silhouette sits differently on different proportions.
What to ask and what to check at the fitting
The list below is designed for a dress in a firm fabric, but you can use it at any fitting:
- How the dress fastens, and how easily you can do it up alone or with help. Do it twice, to see whether it still feels easy the second time.
- What happens when you raise your arms. Check whether the fabric pulls across the bust or shoulders when you hug someone or dance.
- The length in the shoes you will wear. Try the dress on in shoes of the same height, not barefoot, because the hem is judged by them.
- How the skirt looks from behind. Ask for an extra mirror or a photograph, because from the front you cannot see how the fabric falls at the back.
- Which alterations are possible on this dress. The catalogue listing does not describe them, so discuss them directly at the atelier.
About alterations
Even when the size is right on paper, a well-made dress is usually adjusted: the hem, the waist, the line at the shoulder. How long it takes depends on what is being altered, not on the dress itself. Shortening a hem is a different matter from work on the bodice, especially when there is lace whose pattern has to stay consistent.
If you already have an idea of what you like and what you don’t, say so from the start, so that it is clear whether the change is possible. For details of how the work is done, read our page on wedding dress alterations. The timing is agreed in person at the atelier, once the dress has been seen on you.
If you would like to see it on
Photographs show the lace and the silhouette, but not how the fabric moves, how it settles around you or how it feels to wear. The simplest way to find out is to try it on. You can book an appointment at the showroom and we will talk at the atelier about the Love A21 and the other dresses in our wedding dress collection, without any rush.
TO BRING TO YOUR FIRST MEETING
- The images that inspire you, and your questions.
- A sense of the occasion and of what makes you feel comfortable.
- The details you would like to discuss with the atelier.