The last few years have seen a significant spike in the number of retailers offering wedding dresses online. While brick-and-mortar salons are still very popular for their appointment-only model, allowing brides-to-be to bring their family and friends with them, there is an increasing number of brides who’re interested in a more modern experience. One where they are not at the hands of the bridal stylist — who often brings gowns to them from the back of the shop based on what they think is their style — and where they can peruse an unlimited selection of brands that are both bridal and not.
With the arrival of wedding lines from the likes of e-commerce retailers and ready-to-wear designers like LaPointe, the selection is as fashion-forward as it’s ever been. Bridal brands like Katharine Polk's Houghton, who are disrupting the industry by making it more inclusive and accessible, and bridal launches from affordable brands like Eloquii (pictured here) are also on the rise. In addition to offering stylish wedding wares, many places on the list ahead also offer the convenience of buying your accessories all in the same place, making the experience seamless for brides who are not looking to spend their time going to several stores.
Ahead, the best places to buy wedding dresses in every budget.
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One of the most recent launches on this list, Eloquii's bridal line is as size-inclusive as it is affordable. What's more, the collection features over 50 styles that go beyond the traditional white gowns, including wedding suits, jumpsuits, and one stunning black ballgown, a big bridal trend right now.
Designer Katharine Polk is back with her impossibly cool wedding label Houghton. With the message “bridal for everybody” at the forefront of the now-L.A.-based label (it was previously based in New York), it offers dress styles in sizes 00 to 30+, with prices ranging from $500 to $12,000.
For those looking for a sustainable fashion wedding option, Reformation designs bridal looks. The styles lean more boho, and feature the same low-cut, high-slit styles that we've come to expect from the popular brand.
The most avant-garde brand to come out of New York in recent years, Wiederhoeft is the anti-bridal wedding label not for the faint-hearted. With no traditional gown in sight, Thom Browne alum and a 2022 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist, designer Jackson Wiederhoeft, is creating uber-cool couture-like creations with details ranging from subversive corseting to puff sleeves and fairytale-inspired tulle.
Fans of the nightgown trend will love this casual selection from the nightwear-as-outwear Ukrainian brand that has made a name for itself on Instagram with its feather-adorned pajamas. Prairie-like and available in linen, these dresses are made for the bride who wants to look authentically herself on her wedding day.
One of London Fashion Week's most exciting runway brands, Molly Goddard delighted the fashion-forward brides by launching a new wedding collection in May 2022. Expect: dramatic silhouttes, fanciful fabrics like tulle, and colorful details that have made the designer a darling of the fashion world.
After noticing brides wearing dresses from its vintage-esque line for their nuptials, LoveShackFancy released an official bridal line in June 2020. And good thing that they did! Like most of its offerings, the collection features stunning lace and sheer detailing, nightgown dress-like silhouettes, and flowy skirts.
In 2020, one of our favorite Cool Girl wedding labels Danielle Frankel (whose celebrity brides include Julia Garner, Alexandra Daddario, and AnnaSophia Robb) relaunched its website. With that, the 2019 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund runner-up Danielle Hirsch's avant-garde designs — previously available at Net-A-Porter and Moda Operandi, among others e-tailers — can be bought from the site directly.
From Erdem, Batsheva, and Rochas to Richard Quinn, the MatchesFashion bridal shop, which launched in early 2020, has styles ranging from saccharine sweet to fashion-forward. The hardest part will be just picking one look from the selection that this popular London-based retailer offers.
One of the most popular e-tailers also offers a big bridal selection as part of its Edition (special occasion) collection. As is always the case with ASOS, the styles — ranging from separates to cocktail dresses and gowns — have an affordable starting point.
In 2021, celebrity-favorite designer Christian Siriano returned with a bridal line. Styles range from timeless strapless gowns to more avant-garde tuxedo dresses, wedding suits, and an ombre ballgown, and go up to size 28.
In 2021, the fashion brand behind some of Instagram's favorite printed dresses, Rixo, launched a bridal line. Looks range from a Bianca Jagger-esque wedding skirt suits to more traditional slip dresses and lace gowns.
Jill Biden's inauguration brand of choice, as well as the label responsible for Naomi Biden's wedding after-party dress, Markarian is also behind some of the prettiest wedding looks that you can buy online. Think: ethereal silhouettes, ultra-feminine details, and party looks featuring feathers and sequins.
Dissh, the Australian brand behind the viral Mini Back Bow Dress, launched an "Aisle Edit." In addition to the mini dress — that sold out in three days — the line features perfectly understated and elegant wedding wares that would look just at home at a wedding ceremony as the events leading up to the big day.
For a more classic selection, e-tailer Net-A-Porter carries brands like Jacquemus, Emilia Wickstead, 16Arlington, and Brandon Maxwell. In addition to short dresses and gowns, you can also shop separates perfect for before and after the big day.
After launching the bridal collection in 2020, Australian brand Rebecca Vallance has become a go-to for fashion-forward brides and bridesmaids alike. Prices range from $600 to $1,700, and styles boast statement details like oversized bows, feathers, and floral-like frills.
The most traditional bridal retailer on the list, Anthropologie's bridal brand also offers the biggest selection of wedding styles and options for plus-size brides. If you're on a tight deadline, check out the in-stock and ready-to-ship section of the site which currently features popular brands like Jenny Yoo, Amsale, and Watters.
Known for its statement-making and unapologetically sexy couture wedding creations, Galia Lahav now offers a selection of dresses that can be purchased online. Expect the same dramatic lengths, form-fitting silhouettes, and plunging necklines that make the brand a favorite among brides who aren't afraid of being the center of attention (see: Paris Hilton).
This contemporary London-based brand (that ships to the U.S.) makes timeless, made-to-order wedding dresses using 100% silk. If the latter has you seeing $$$, know that all of clover london's looks are priced under $2000.
For those looking for a dress that only looks bridal, Farfetch has styles from high-end brands like Oscar de la Renta and Giambattista Valli. If bridal is what you’re after, though, the retailer does carry labels like Jenny Packham and Carolina Herrera who are beloved for their wedding styles.
Part of Amsale, the wedding dress brand known for its elegant gowns, the Little White Dress collection features a range of ready-to-ship dresses that are perfect for micro-weddings and events leading up to the wedding. The brand also currently offers virtual try-ons.
One of the most affordable brands on the list, Lulus expanded its bridal shop in 2021. Carrying a range of gowns and short dresses, the label makes it easy (on you and your wallet) to have two looks on your wedding day, as well as many more to wear before and after the day.
With names ranging from today's It brands, like Khaite and Brandon Maxwell (pictured here), Moda Operandi's wedding edit is made for the bride who would prefer to wear something from the runways of New York and Paris Fashion Week runway, rather than those of Bridal Fashion Week.
While you may know Patricia Bonaldi's brand for its impossibly sexy dresses in statement prints and colors, PatBo also carries a selection of wedding pieces that range from dresses and jumpsuits with signature cut-outs to slinky gowns with luxe detailing like crystals and feathers.
Ever since Whistles launched wedding wear, brides have flocked to this high-street favorite for an affordable selection of contemporary styles that range from ethereal to minimal.
If you're a frequent shopper on Revolve, you'll recognize the e-tailer's penchant for sexy, form-fitting, high-slit styles in its bridal edit. For those looking for something more subtle and timeless, Revolve also carries a good selection of minimal slip dresses.
Fame and Partners offers customizations, that range from color and fabric to length, on all its collections, including bridal. With a made-to-order manufacturing process, not only are the designs custom to each bride's needs but also sustainable. Note that pieces require 8 to 10 weeks to make.
Brides who wear sizes 14 to 32 will love CoEdition's wedding edit which includes affordable ceremony and reception gowns, as well as fashion and accessories for events leading up to the big day.
This direct-to-consumer brand, which also has storefronts in NYC and L.A., offers made-to-order wedding looks at much more affordable prices than traditional wedding retailers. To make things even better, Floravere is currently hosting a sample sale, with prices starting at $300 (down from $1,000).
If you've been wearing Hill House Home's Nap Dress for the past year, you'll love the bridal line from the brand. The wedding edit features the signature dress style in short and long hemlines, as well as getting-ready robes and festive accessories for the bride and her bridesmaids.
New York-based designer Sarah Abbasi's eco-friendly bridal brand features handmade matching sets, made using silk, glass crystals, and feathers by artisans in her native Pakistan. While trousers are Abbasi's signature, Sahroo also creates stunning caftans, gowns with thigh-high slits, and capes.
A wedding label made for the modern woman, LEIN's founder and designer Meredith Stoecklein is currently offering virtual fittings to brides in response to the pandemic. Styles range from nontraditional gowns (see: this double-breasted gown) and mini dresses to jumpsuits and suits.
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Today’s trends are anything but straightforward, with balaclavas, belly chains, and upside-down bikinis all making waves. Ensuring that your wardrobe is up to date can often mean searching for shoppable items in a sea of puzzling options. Our columnSourcedanswers all your market-related questions, as well as offers you an endless source of styles that will make snagging today’s top trends easy, so you can spend your precious time learning about the next wave of trends.
Over the last few years, balaclavas have become one of winter's biggest accessories.
We should have seen this coming: During the summer of 2021 (yes, summer), Kim Kardashian sported a full face covering, courtesy of Balenciaga, to one of Kanye West’s Donda listening parties. A few weeks later, the Skims founder traded the style for a leather "face mask" to step out in New York (when it was still hot out, no less!). In September, she attended the Met Gala in a full face covering and dress that launched a thousand memes, accompanied by Balenciaga designer Demna Gvasalia in a similar mask. (Gossip Girl actor Evan Mock also wore a full face mask, paired with a shorts suit, to the American-themed red carpet.)
While full face masks can be an extreme accessory, there's another viable (and winter-proof!) option: balaclavas.
Now that winter is in full swing, here are some options to battle the cold in style.
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Holzweiler Trin Cashmere Balaclava Grey Mix, $, available at Holzweiler
& Other Stories Wool Blend Knitted Hood, $, available at & Other Stories
The Arrivals Sanne Balaclava, $, available at The Arrivals
Stone Island Wool/Nylon Balaclava, $, available at Stone Island
Cecilie Bahnsen Gigi wool knit balaclava, $, available at mytheresa
The Y2K fashion cycle is still here, and its next era promises to reveal all our dystopian anxieties. Fire prints, puffed vests, camping-ready parkas, oversized cargo pockets, and futuristic leather trench coats are some of the ways fashion is grappling with our reality, making clothes fit for a post-apocalyptic, cyber-first world.
Take, for example, the Miu Miu spring 2023 show, which opened with wind turbines in the background and featured clothing fit for The Hunger Games, from oversized cargo jackets to nylon raincoats and distressed leather details. Then, there was New York-based designer Elena Velez’s apocalyptic spring 2023 collection, where models adorned in heavy cut-outs, dark hues, and brutalist silhouettes walked through fog. Balmain and Louis Vuitton also jumped on the dystopian commentary for their spring lineups: Balmain’s Olivier Rousteing opted for flame prints to close the show, while Louis Vuitton’s Nicolas Ghesquière put out inflated clothing with oversized zippers that could easily double as emergency gear.
It was all the result of heavy anxieties over climate change and societal collapse that have plagued our psyches for years now. Simultaneously, trends like “avant apocalypse” – a TikTok-born term that encompasses the end of the world approach Gen Z has taken on fashion – have infiltrated designer runways, concluding in lineups that look straight out of The Matrix or The Book of Eli.
“After everything that people have been through over the last couple years, it’s all about moving into the future of what’s going to happen with a slightly darker feel that is a little bit more rebellious,” says Swasti Sarna, Pinterest Global Director of Insights. According to the platform’s 2023 trend predictions report, searches for “dystopian outfits” have risen by 215% over the past year.
Simultaneously, the term “dystopian fashion” has grown over 330 million views on TikTok, where creators, like Paris-based creator and secondhand seller on Depop Flamie Love, are sharing their take on the apocalyptic trend. “I think it’s interesting because if we are in the future right now, we should dress accordingly,” they tell Refinery29. “Personally, I’m having more of an optimistic perspective, more of a utopic future when we are saving the earth.” That includes wearing secondhand clothes exclusively, leading to fits that range from tank top dresses with bold graphic prints to utilitarian puffer sets. “I think the fact that I wear only secondhand clothes is something quite dystopian in a way,” the creator adds. “It’s like in movies or books, when resources are limited or disappearing, people do with what they have.”
This is not the first time that dystopian fashion has become a trend, and for Sarna, it’s actually just another era of the Y2K phenomenon that has taken fashion by storm over the past two years. As digital fashion grows and the metaverse and gaming takes over people’s internet lives, the trend has been transforming people’s personal styles into cyber-ready, sci-fi fits that encompass many of the anxieties and curiosities of the Y2K era (you know, when people thought the world would collapse at midnight in 2000), featuring futuristic sunglasses, bold graphic prints, and streetwear that’s heavily inspired by the digital world. “I think this is just an expression of feeling a little bit unsure about the future,” says Sarna.
But as many of the futuristic predictions start to come true — think: climate change, economic downfalls, AI-powered art — Love says it’s key to dress like the future we feared is already here. “I think people are really realizing now that we are in the future [of] when many dystopian books and films and even fashion houses were creating the future of the 2000s,” says Love. “It’s like they are ready if the apocalypse were to happen tomorrow.”
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At one time or another, we’ve all had a beloved matching sweatsuit, hoodie, or sweatpants that we’ve repeatedly worn until it was time to part ways. Maybe the color faded or the fabric pilled or lost its silky touch. It’s sad — saying goodbye to a beloved piece of clothing is no easy task. But we’re here to steer you from your favorite high school band zip-up to new, upgraded loungewear from Monrow. Wear and tear isn’t a thing with its Supersoft line, which keeps you in your favorite loungewear for years despite countless wears and washes. It’s also perfect for all seasons, as the fabric is naturally lightweight and breathable yet comfy for layering.
Whichever piece you choose from the Supersoft collection, it will retain the coziness of your once-beloved sweatshirt. Don’t believe us? Monrow’s Supersoft fabric was designed to be worn and washed for years and only to get softer over time. Plus, it comes in an assortment of styles like zip-up hoodies, classic sweatshirts, shorts, and even robes — all offered in neutral and pigmented hues. Although each piece costs anywhere from $100 to $170, you are investing in a piece you won’t have to replace in a couple of months. Ahead, browse only a handful of Monrow’s best-selling items in its Supersoft collection.
A crew neck sweatshirt is a wardrobe staple. It’s ideal for layering and wearing on its own. Look no further if you’re in the market for a lightweight option.
Brighten up your dreary winter closet with the rainbow shades that Monrow’s Supersoft Vintage Shorts come in. If you prefer minimalist shades, cool heathered Ash is a starting point.
Get ready for Valentine’s Day in the Supersoft Robe that features a sultry and shorter fit and a loose waist tie.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. The product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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