Hamburg  - A wedding dress should be festive, and a close look at the current bridal collections reveal more than just classic styles and fabrics.

The trend is toward details such as jewellery elements that are placed sparingly on the dress. This is an example of how bridal designers have been inspired by casual wear.

"It's all about inconspicuous elegance - the new style isn't loaded down or opulent," said designer Christiane Wirth of Ilsenburg, Germany, who designs her own bridal gowns.

"It's become more feminine, but feminine-elegant, not baroque or exuberant," said Suni Petricevic, who has a design studio for bridal and evening wear in Munich, speaking of the latest innovations in bridal dresses. Petricevic also is a member of the association of German fashion and fabric designers.

This "simple femininity" is enhanced by certain details, for example, stitching or bows.

"These elements are delicately placed on the back of the dress or on the front on the top of the bodice. They are positioned intentionally, but they are only an element of the dress, not dominating the overall look of the fabric," said Petricevic.

Wirth said many collections follow Hollywood style.

"There is an echo from the '50s, when fashion was largely shaped by Hollywood giants like Elizabeth Taylor - with emphasis on small waistlines and full tulle skirts," Wirth said. After looking through many of the current bridal collections, Wirth said she had images of old films with elegant, diva-like dancers on the stage in her head. One of the predominant styles is the A-line, which features a fitted bodice over a full skirt. Also in vogue are modern interpretations of the empire style with a high waistline.

Describing the inspiration for its own collection, the new label Kisui of Berlin used the words "geometrically tailored," referring to the look of the '30s and '50s when small silhouettes with emphasis on the hips and Hollywood glamour were all the rage. The designers with the Justin Alexander label also have taken up Hollywood style in their creations.

Empire dresses and large robes as well as luxuriant skirts are the trend statements of 2009, according to the Stuttgart-based organizers of a wedding trade show. The show takes place annually in five German cities and Zurich. These styles are no surprise, according to the organizers.

"Women who don't have good figures - it's good for them," said Petricevic. "It might not be categorically the trend, but the styles are a hit with customers."

The Spanish label Pronovias and the German label Klaus G. are showing modern empire styles. White, ivory and cream colours dominate the palette, said Wirth. But pastel blue and rose also are popular. Apart from that, there are black and white geometric patterns, and Petricevic has seen cool brown tones - nougat, for example, including a bit of aubergine.

Courageous brides stride to the altar in black or red, the trade show organizers said. Dresses in those untraditional bridal colours are found at Dutch label Ladybird and as an accent in the collection of Sincerity Bridal. Fabric draped asymmetrically, feathers and precious stones add that little something extra. And large floral patterns have now reached bridal wear.

"The over-dimensional floral patterns have become big in bridal gowns. This is reflected in a trend that emerged a year ago," Pretricevic explained.

Dresses in the so-called fishtail or mermaid style stand out, the designer said. They emphasize the body down to the knee and then flair out.

"You can easily imagine Arielle, the mermaid, in this type of dress," Wirth added. The Swedish dressmaker Garamaj has introduced them as the core of his collection.

"This is the shape that's the hardest to wear. You can see everything, even a little role of the tummy. Therefore, it requires a perfect figure," Wirth said. It's not for women with wide hips or short legs.

Women who seek something classic, but would still like to try something new, such as a midi, have plenty of choices.

"I would like to see more women trying it," said Peticevic. "It offers fresh styling possibilities, for example, for footwear. Why not try it with boots?" It wouldn't be too daring to wear to the civil ceremony. Aside from that, midi dresses, unlike a formal wedding gown, can be worn again to another occasion. (dpa)