Ball Gown - Swooning

Hello Lovelies,


It's been ages and ages since I've had a reason to try on a ball gown and when I saw this image a few weeks ago (I forgot where I captured it from so please let me know if it was you and I'll be happy to link it back to you)...

Well I just couldn't help but get lost in a little ball gown lust... would you like to come along just for fun?


I swoon over this gown... So, feminine... and her hair... I've always wanted a reason to wear my hair in pin curls like that!

Speaking of pink... isn't this just lovely? I'm sure she was the absolute belle of the ball!

The texture of this gown just makes me swoon... that simple top, and the oh so very slight tuille train... *I'm...In...Heaven*

I love the emotion of this... she's dressed up and gorgeous as she could be, and yet she seems devastated doesn't she... it reminds me of Izzy from Gray's Anatomy after Denny died.

But, we're talking about Ball Gowns so lets move on to happier subjects shall we?

I am still swooning over this gown from the Dior Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2007 collection... you may remember the theme of this collection was Japan. I like to think this is dress origami! Love the structure and yet softness of the gown, and that huge chair as a prop... stunning!

Here is another shot featuring the same gown, it looks as though the stylist added something strappy under the gown and the gown in the first image looks more candlelight in color while this one is clearly white white... but still it's the same dress.

This image shot in a Paris courtyard by Mark Shaw (you may remember he was the photographer charged with capturing the glamour of the private lives of the Kennedy's) in 1955 was an outtake for a Life shoot. If the outtakes look this good I cannot imagine how great the rest of the shoot was. I love the long sheer train on this fitted gown.... and the opera gloves, I truly swoon for a great pair of opera gloves (having flashbacks to prom lovelies)... 

This stunning image comes from a photo shoot for Romania's Harpers Bazaar winter 2007/2008, the photographer was couture giant Karl Lagerfeld. I love deep v-neck of the fitted top, and the flowing fluffy charm of the full bottom.

I adore the pleats and bows and bejeweled bodice of this gown. I also find the structure coming off the back to be particularly intriguing... I'm assuming it's supposed to mimic the petty coats that women wore in the 1800's to give them that big pouf over their backside.

Although, I am much more of a full ball gown type of girl. This cobalt blue gown from Oscar de la Renta for Nordstrom's summer 2008 ad campaign is simply stunning. That oversized bow is calling my name.

This one is just for fun (and a little bit just for Bumpkin On A Swing... although I'm sure that maven of the blogosphere has already seen this image)... I think I'd feel very girly trying it on!

In case you haven't noticed I'm a sucker for a big bow, and this charming gown with it's great pattern and large bow highlighting the waist is just my style, plus opera gloves.... leaves me feeling woozy... or perhaps swoony (which is a word of my own invention thankyouverymuch)

This gown shot for UK's Harper's Bazaar is stunning (another great shoot featuring Karl Lagerfeld as photographer). I love the one strap fitted bodice, and the pleats and rosette flowing out to a full skirt.

Here is another great image from Mark Shaw this one is backstage at the Pierre Balmain couture show 1954(I think I'll be doing a post or two featuring more of his amazing images in the near future). I wish I could find a full image of this gown from the front. I adore the unique back of this gown and the hand stitched beadwork on the skirt, and that pale color... stunning.