Bridal season is upon us and we’ve got the perfect little somethings for your special day! Whether its a luxurious lounge set for you to get your hair and makeup done in on your wedding day like our Playdate group or something soft and easy to wear beneath the dress like our Come Out & Play styles that come in a bride ready shade of robin’s egg blue seen below or a sweet ivory and lilac combination with tiny blue bows! Get your something blue in under the dress!
love – Borrowed & Blue Bride handmade bridal accessories
One of the most amazing things about being a designer is being able to truly appreciate all the beauty that I see being created everyday… think of clothing & accessories as wearable works of art and their designers & manufacturers as modern day Degas of the body… after all isn’t that what Vionnet and Schiaparelli elevated fashion to with artful draping handled with a skill that could rival even the greatest sculptors in marble and bronze… so it is a little bit of a realization of a dream for me to be able to support the friends and designers I know and love, like my friend Heather from Borrowed and Blue Bride. We rushed through FIT [the Fashion Institute of Technology] like we were on a mission, towards these dreams of big design careers and then we left and found this humble and beautiful calling to start a career and rebuild our economy one slip, and one veil at a time. I think there is nothing more lovely than that.
I had the pleasure of introducing Heather’s gorgeous bridal accessories with our Specimens of Seduction lookbook a while back, and lets just say it was love at first sight! She makes the most exquisite feather corsage/hair ties, and the most elegant veils that cocoon you in romance. I cannot think of any day more special than your wedding day, and I am so happy to bring Heather’s pieces to our fans, and I hope when that special day approaches for you, that you think of something from Borrowed & Blue.
dress: by Heather of Borrowed & Blue Bride
L: When did you start Borrowed & Blue?
Heather: My fiancé, DJ and I started Borrowed and Blue a little over a year ago in October 2009. We started on Etsy an online marketplace for handmade and vintage crafts, art, collectibles and fashion pieces. A few months later we added two Seattle bridal boutiques to our list of stockists and now BTS! We are a growing business and look forward to what the future has in store for us.
L: What did you study in school- and what made you want to design bridal accessories and gowns?
Heather: I got my Bachelors of Fine Arts in Fashion Design from The Fashion Institute of Technology. I always loved evening wear and bridal, so when it came time to choose a specialization I knew it had to be Evening Wear. While in the evening specialization program at FIT, I had the opportunity to intern with The Jenny Yoo Collection. Jenny Yoo is a very talented designer known for her elegant bridesmaid dresses. I interned for her for ten months and tried to soak in as much knowledge of the bridal market as possible. I loved bridal before but working with Jenny solidified what I wanted to do. After graduation I moved back home and worked in several bridal boutiques. At one of them I worked side by side the owner crafting custom wedding gowns and accessories. From her I learned countless tricks of the trade and how to make veils. Shortly after I found out about Etsy and started the Borrowed and Blue Shop.L: What is your philosophy on bridal – is less more or the more the better?
Heather: Less is more. I think the dress the accessories and the veil should complement the bride rather than be only thing you notice. From my experience working with brides they want to feel beautiful, elegant and be radiant but still be comfortable and able to exude their own personality. I tend to lean more to the side of simple elegance because a bride can move and feel natural in addition to looking her absolute best.L: Has being engaged given you a new perspective on the wedding experience? (congratulations!!!)
Heather: Yes! I always thought a lot about weddings and dresses because we are in the business but now I get to think about what I want to do for our wedding. It’s very exciting! Our engagement is going to be on the longer side as we are getting married summer 2012. We haven’t gotten too many details squared away yet but we are both very excited and are constantly brainstorming ideas. I know wedding planning is a lot of work as we get closer and closer we will learn how much work it truly is.
Heather: I got my Bachelors of Fine Arts in Fashion Design from The Fashion Institute of Technology. I always loved evening wear and bridal, so when it came time to choose a specialization I knew it had to be Evening Wear. While in the evening specialization program at FIT, I had the opportunity to intern with The Jenny Yoo Collection. Jenny Yoo is a very talented designer known for her elegant bridesmaid dresses. I interned for her for ten months and tried to soak in as much knowledge of the bridal market as possible. I loved bridal before but working with Jenny solidified what I wanted to do. After graduation I moved back home and worked in several bridal boutiques. At one of them I worked side by side the owner crafting custom wedding gowns and accessories. From her I learned countless tricks of the trade and how to make veils. Shortly after I found out about Etsy and started the Borrowed and Blue Shop.L: What is your philosophy on bridal – is less more or the more the better?
Heather: Less is more. I think the dress the accessories and the veil should complement the bride rather than be only thing you notice. From my experience working with brides they want to feel beautiful, elegant and be radiant but still be comfortable and able to exude their own personality. I tend to lean more to the side of simple elegance because a bride can move and feel natural in addition to looking her absolute best.L: Has being engaged given you a new perspective on the wedding experience? (congratulations!!!)
Heather: Yes! I always thought a lot about weddings and dresses because we are in the business but now I get to think about what I want to do for our wedding. It’s very exciting! Our engagement is going to be on the longer side as we are getting married summer 2012. We haven’t gotten too many details squared away yet but we are both very excited and are constantly brainstorming ideas. I know wedding planning is a lot of work as we get closer and closer we will learn how much work it truly is.
dress: by Heather of Borrowed & Blue Bride photo: Bryan Alldredge
L: What can we expect from Borrowed and Blue as you grow – anything you’re working on you can share with us?
Heather: You can expect beautiful timeless bridal accessories and possibly ( I hope) wedding gowns. We are always working on new designs and brainstorming on ways we can be better as we grow. I’d love to do dresses in the future but for now our focus in on making great high quality accessories.
L: How has starting your own business challenged you and your relationship? -I know I’ve personally experienced this as well 🙂
Heather: It’s a challenge to find the time to get everything you need and want to do done. I often want days to last so much longer than they do. It’s also a challenge to live with , work with and be engaged to your business partner. You have to learn how to argue and compromise, delegate and let go. There are lots of challenges but the rewards are great too. DJ and I aren’t just making veils we are building a company a brand and a future. We are very proud of each other and know we couldn’t go it alone. I value his input and the skills he brings to the table as he does mine. I think it’s key to identify what each person does best and let them take charge of that aspect. DJ is the business and logistics side, I’m the creative one together we make a great team.
L: Do you have a favorite part of a wedding? ie. cake, the dress, flowers, the vows?
Heather: Of course I love the dress, accessories and veil! I always try to get the best view of the bride walking down the aisle as possible. But I love seeing the expression on the grooms face as she comes closer. Usually their eyes are getting a little teary. I think the grooms expression is such a telling part of their relationship and it makes the wedding so much more personal.
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from left to right: Going to the Chapel Cathedral Length veil, Only Have Eyes for You Birdcage veil, and the Swan Lake feather fascinator (also available in a smaller size called Romancing the Dove)
We’ll be counting rose petals waiting to see more from Heather soon, and you know whatever she is romancing up it will be fabulous! Check out more of Borrowed and Blue on etsy: click here
behind the scenes- Specimens of Seduction photoshoot
We’ve showed you some other behind the scenes shots from the Specimens of Seduction photoshoot and you’ve seen the stunning final images on our new site, but the way these pieces move is just amazing. This shoot was definitely magical with Larry Baglio behind the camera, Vincent Welch behind the film, Jaime in the spotlight, and our friend at Borrowed & Blue lending some gorgeous accessories this was one of our best shoots at BTS yet!
To get Jaime’s look, check our how to on red lips (click here) and on tousled voluminous bed-head (click here)