Fresh accessories for modern brides, inspired by Fashion Week trends
- Posted by
- Anna Brech
- Published

The SS18 shows saw the dawn of a new kind of bride.
While none of the collections for Fashion Month were specifically bridal-themed, time and again we saw a play on traditional wedding motifs.
Simone Rocha brought a modern edge to pearl sliders at London Fashion Week. Veronique Leroy traded a romantic rosy glow for a drenched fuchsia blush in Paris.
Over at New York Fashion Week, Prabal Gurung turned the traditional bridal glow into a vinyl, post-gym sheen. In Milan, Dolce & Gabbana updated tiaras into flamboyant, gem-encrusted crowns.
From striking ear cuffs to grown-up glitter shoes, take the lead from new-season trends to bring a fresh and contemporary edge to your wedding – with ideas to suit every budget...
Pearl motifs
Pearls have long a bridal favourite, but their prim reputation is side-stepped thanks to Simone Rocha, who upgraded the kitsch adornment with an exaggerated silhouette at London Fashion Week.
Pearl motifs
No longer the domain of twin-sets, these bold pearl accents are a great way of making a whimsical statement at your wedding.
Get the look with large, faux-pearl sliders and drop-down earrings.
Large pearl hair pins
£7.50, etsy.com
Smoked pearl circle hair clip
£28, anthropologie.com
Silver and faux pearl earrings
£470, Sophie Buhai at net-a-porter.com
Spa-skin sheen
Dewy skin is a classic bridal look, and one that SS18 embraced. Look to Prabal Gurung at New York Fashion Week for inspiration, where models took on a juice-like hue from vinyl shine.
For your own sheen like this, let loose on the industry’s best moisturisers and hydration gels.
Spa-skin sheen
A satin-y, hydrated glow was also present at Victoria Beckham’s New York Fashion Week show.
For a doughnut-like glaze, apply serum liberally to your Cupid’s bow, the tops of your cheekbones, your temples, and even (should you wish), your eyelids.
Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré moisturiser
£13.30, feelunique.com
Clinique moisture surge cream
£34, lookfantastic.com
Eve Lom intense hydration serum
£75, spacenk.com
Shiny pumps
For brides who want to hit the dance floor, Missoni’s disco-feel silver slingbacks at Milan Fashion Week are just the shoes for the job.
Low enough to get down, loud enough to get the party started.
Shiny pumps
There was a similar fiesta feel going on over at Sergio Rossi’s presentation for Milan Fashion Week.
Think vibrant metallics paired with a sophisticated cut on flats, low-lying pumps or kitten heels.
Soda pop kitten heels
£25, asos.com
Jetset silver heels
£42, topshop.com
Jimmy Choo glittered flats
£375, net-a-porter.com
Fuchsia flush
Could anything be more suited to a wedding than a drenched blush? SS18 make-up artists took the traditional rosy hue up a notch for a glow “on the verge of arousal”.
Those are artist Alex Box’s words, not ours, for this look she created at Veronique Leroy during Paris Fashion Week.
Fuchsia flush
Over at Valentino, make-up artist Pat McGrath spread a fuchsia tint from the cheekbones up to the temples, in a wide, watercolour arc.
To get this beautiful flush, use a creme blush in coral or watermelon, and dab on the apples of your cheeks – and if you fancy, your cheekbones and around the arches of your eyes. Mix with hydrating serum for a more subtle take on the trend.
BECCA beach tint in watermelon
£20, spacenk.com
Bobbi Brown pot rouge in coral
£21, bobbibrown.co.uk
Benefit Posietint lip and cheek stain
£25.50, johnlewis.com
Low-nape bun and ear cuff
Yes, ear cuffs are officially bridal, courtesy of Sophia Webster’s reading at London Fashion Week.
Low, nape-of-the-neck buns (just slightly undone) are offset by striking cuff designs for a contemporary yet pretty look.
Low-nape bun and ear cuff
It’s modern yet poetic; a lovely bridal motif.
For your own version, pair an eye-catching ear cuff with a low, slightly undone chignon. Create loose strands around the face for extra softness.
Mohawk ear duo
£32, baublebar.com
Butterfly ear cuff
£73.30, etsy.com
Croc ear cuff in yellow gold
£149, wolfandbadger.com
Elegant slingbacks
Easygoing yet chic footwear has its moment in SS18; cue these Prada marvels at Milan Fashion Week.
For brides, they’re a brilliant balancing act: structured enough to stand out from the crowd but not to the point that they’ll drown your outfit.
Elegant slingbacks
Stella McCartney brings a nice balletic spin to the theme at Paris Fashion Week, for a look that is feminine without being demure.
For your answer to this concept, look to white, modern slingbacks and cream/pink flats with a balletic edge.
Pale pink pumps
£34.30, laredoute.co.uk
Dune white slingbacks
£80, dunelondon.com
Francesco Russo slingback pumps
£370, mytheresa.com
Scaled-back glitter eyes
Glitter is usually more suited to festivals than weddings, but the rise of the understated mono-glitter look at SS18 may signal a change.
Check out the Ralph & Russo show at London Fashion Week, where subtle daubs of silver glitter around the eyes brought a pared-back sparkle that could be great for brides.
Scaled-back glitter eyes
Topshop also got their sparkle on at London Fashion Week, with ebullient hints of sparkle on the eyelids.
As Topshop makeup artist Lynsey Alexander says, “Be playful and have fun with it. Just don’t go OTT.”
NYX face and body glitter in crystal
£5.50, selfridges.com
MAC platinum powder
£10, maccosmetics.co.uk
Stila liquid eyeshadow
£23, harveynichols.com
Majestic crown tiaras
Not a look for the faint-hearted, but if you want to create a stir at your wedding, look no further than Dolce & Gabbana at Milan Fashion Week for ideas.
Large pearl-encrusted crowns lend a fun, progressive stroke to the traditional tiara.
Majestic crown tiaras
Or what about an ornate floral showpiece? This was another one of Dolce & Gabbana’s gems at Milan.
It throws down the gauntlet on traditional headgear. Have fun with it, make it flamboyant and exuberant. But never, ever, be boring.
Fleur embellished headband
£44, anthropologie.com
Preserved natural flower tiara
£93.13, etsy.com
Miu Miu embellished tiara
£472, mytheresa.com
Grown-up glitter shoes
Think dresses are a bit… yesterday? If you want to make shoes the talking point of your bridal attire, look no further than Victoria Bechkam’s Cindarella creations at New York Fashion Week.
“I've always been a bit of a magpie,” the designer says. “There's something happy and girlie about sparkle.”
Grown-up glitter shoes
Out-there glitter shoes put in an appearance at Valentino during Paris Fashion Week, too.
Go big or go home, is the message of this particular look. For brides who love their sparkle, be unapologetic of your frivolity. The night is yet young...
Glitter block heel sandals
£52, topshop.com
Rose gold glitter heels
£69, office.co.uk
Jimmy Choo glitter pumps
£450, matchesfashion.com
Balmy nude lips
Over at Milan Fashion Week, Francesco Scognamiglio gave his own interpretation on glitter eyes – but he also created a beautiful nude lip.
With a barely-there sheen, this is a softly romantic alternative to those who don’t want a bold lip.
Balmy nude lips
Again at Bottega Veneta during Milan Fashion Week, Gigi Hadid showcases a nude lip with an elegant hint of gloss.
To re-create this look, remember that less is more. Forget lipstick, and instead use your ring finger to dab your lips with tinted balm or a clear gloss.
Kiel's minted lip balm
£9.50, kiehls.co.uk
MAC clear lipglass
£13.68, nordstrom.com
Burberry lip gloss in ice
£21, burberry.com
The rock-n-roll flick
No delicate line here. Instead, Jill Stuart goes for a daring, Cleopatra-style flick that begins under the eye and extends almost to the temple, at New York Fashion Week.
The rock-n-roll flick
If you want a truly dramatic eye, follow Jill Stuart’s lead with this strong, statement look.
Use kohl or a thick eyeliner pen for chunky black lines with a subversive edge.
Bourjois felt-tip eyeliner
£6.99, boots.com
Stila liquid eyeliner in carbon black
£14.50, marksandspencer.com
Bobbi Brown long-wear gel eyeliner
£19, bobbibrown.co.uk