Knee-knocking wedding gowns.

As you scan the gown from the top, you feel a thrill of excitment, and a tingle of awe at the tailored bodice, embroidered trim, satin waistband, flaring tulle and then SUDDENLY…

…the dress is sucked in and trussed up around knee level in a jarring manner that I hope doesn’t become the signature look for Autumn 2008. I would hate to see brides throughout 2009 forced into hobbling down the aisle, geisha-esque, in this restricting style. As if trying not to trip up in your shoes wasn’t bad enough!

These dresses are an exageration of the Trumpet or Mermaid style wedding gown, which is a close fitting, silhouette dress than flares out slightly towards the bottom of the skirt. Trumpet dresses are destined to be hot favourites for 2009 weddings.

These new variations, however, take the design to the extreme, and give the impression that a perfectly good gowns has been forced into the style, as an afterthought, rather than designed that way from the start.

Still, with so many fabulous creations on the runways this year, I think I will forgive them a few eccentricities!