Page 120 - South Mississippi Living - February, 2026

TRADITION WITH ATwist story by Barbara Travis
Satin and lace dress with bubble hem
Brides will be more beautiful and breath- taking than ever this year as they elegantly and gracefully glide down the aisle in romantic gowns featuring traditional designs with updated twists. The 2026 designs are similar to the classic lines
of yesterday such as simple silhouettes with long or short trains, dropped waists, voluminous skirts, rich fabrics, and lace, but have added creative touches and changes to ensure the bride makes a spectacular wedding day entrance in the dress of her dreams.
Everything Old is New Again
Today’s most popular wedding gowns tend to reinforce a love affair with traditional lace, floral enhancements, beadwork, decorative buttons and statement bows but add something different like bubble hems, pleats, or detachable elements like unique sleeves or tailored jackets. It’s all about options and blending classic looks with modern updates.
For those who enjoy fashion trivia, it’s interesting to note that bridal gowns have not always been full-length, fancy, or necessarily white. The history of their design and color is fascinating, but it’s
a fact that royal weddings have always influenced bridal attire. It seems that the elegant and elaborately designed white gown worn by Queen Elizabeth when she married Prince Phillip in 1947 commanded such attention and admiration that it set the stage for white wedding gowns for decades to come.
Color of the Year
Each year, Pantone selects and announces a special color that gently guides or strongly influences designers in all genres of fashion and home furnishings. The selection for 2026 is Cloud Dancer, which beautifully reflects the theme of calm, serenity, tranquility, quiet reflection and romance. It’s an airy shade of white that speaks to simplicity and the softer side of life.
Another interesting side note is that this is the first time a shade of white has been highlighted and promoted as Color of the Year. Cloud Dancer (don’t you just love that name?) is an excellent foundational color that would be a wise choice as background or backdrop for other colors you’re drawn to. It provides a perfectly blank canvas for any artistic or creative take on wardrobe update or home decor refresh.
The Perfect Dress
Choosing her wedding dress is so important because the bride remembers it in photos and in her heart for the rest of her life. It’s so much more than how she looks and feels as she wears it on her special day but represents the start of her new life. It’s somewhat of her personal story.
This year is a really good year for brides to blend their long-time dreams of “the perfect wedding dress” they always dreamed of with the wonderful offerings of innovative 2026 designs that combine the best of the past with the best of what’s fabulous right now.
120 | February 2026
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