Every bride dreams that the main holiday of her life would be special. The first on the list of important things can be called the decoration of the newlywed. Trivial snow-white dresses on rings, lavishly decorated with artificial flowers and rhinestones, have long bothered everyone, modern newlyweds want more. This is a wonderful trend that keeps the fashion world constantly amazed by fresh ideas.
Our article is devoted to one of the types of such an important element of the bride's dress as a veil. On the colorful pages of advertising booklets, you can find an unimaginable variety of options; some of them are very popular and common, and some seem like a curiosity. Veil "Spaniard" today is undeservedly deprived of the attention of brides. But maybe it's for the best, because those who dream of something completely unusual have a great opportunity to complement their look with this accessory.
Mantilla:historical background
To those who are at least superficially familiar with the national traditions of Spain, it is easy to guess why this type of veil is called that way. Head coverings made of lace fabric were unusually common in Spain for some time. Mantilla - this is the name of such an accessory, which is part of the national women's costume.
Fashion historians cannot say exactly where and when the mantilla was invented. But many researchers are inclined to think that the history of this accessory is closely connected with the veil, which the indigenous inhabitants of the Iberian Peninsula first saw during the period of the Arab conquest.
Mantilla is not a tracing paper with a veil. What is common is the idea itself. Something similar can be traced in other cultures, even the inhabitants of Russia in the early Middle Ages used head coverings. The mantilla has also become widespread in the Spanish-speaking countries of Latin America.
Mantillas were different in different regions of the Pyrenees. In the cool north, they were made from dense fabrics that could protect from the coolness. On the Mediterranean south coast - from the lightest fabric that can hide from the sun's rays and annoying midges.
The fashion for this wonderful accessory was introduced by Queen Isabella, who often appeared in a mantilla not only during celebrations, but also in everyday life.
But the age of a beautiful head cape was short-lived: already at the beginning of the 20th century, this accessory could only be seen on the heads of flamenco dancers and venerable matrons.
Mantilla in modern Spain
Queen Sophia,the predecessor of the current Queen Letizia, always with great reverence for the traditions of Spain. Sophia was born and raised in Greece, but during her reign she always sought to pay tribute to her new homeland. She often goes out in a mantilla even now. The current Queen Letizia rarely wears this accessory in everyday life. But it is this decoration that we will find on her if we look at her wedding photos. The Spanish veil suits her very well and emphasizes the elegance of her modest but incredibly stylish dress.
The subjects often follow the example of their queen. At the beginning of the 21st century, many Spaniards increasingly began to opt for this accessory - after a hundred years of oblivion.
Spanish veil in modern wedding fashion
Everything that monarchs do attracts the eyes of millions of people. The “Spaniard” veil of Queen Letizia did not go unnoticed. An increasing number of designers are paying attention to it, trying to beat the accessory. As an example, consider the latest bridal collection from Oscar de la Renta.
But we are not talking about a trend yet: the wedding mantilla is still gaining popularity.
Let's take a look at some stellar examples. The Spaniard was chosen as the veil by Hilary Thomas, wife of Alec Baldwin. A similar accessory can be seen on Camille Alves during a ceremony with Matthew McConaughey. Kate Moss and Gwen Stefani wore similar dresses at weddings. The mantilla just perfectly matched the wedding look of Nicky Hilton, which she chose for marriage withJames Rothschild.
Views
Another clear advantage of the Spanish veil is the huge variety of its varieties. The choice of the length of the product depends on the tastes of the bride and groom.
As for the shapes, there are only two of them: a semicircle and a circle. With a circle, everything is clear, and a semicircular mantilla can cause bewilderment in an ignorant bride. You can wear it in two ways: laying an even cut (diameter of a circle) on your forehead so that the rounded edge falls from behind; or, conversely, with a sloping edge to the face, but straight down.
Fabrics and decorative items
In different regions of Spain, mantillas were made from a variety of types of lace. Today, you can rely on the experience of seamstresses and lacemakers of past centuries, or you can invent something completely unusual.
The whole mantilla can consist of textured lace, exquisite guipure. A monochromatic translucent fabric can also be used as a base: well-shaped organza, flowing natural silk, delicate chiffon, tulle with an interesting texture.
If the main fabric is uniform, the edge is usually decorated with lace. It can be either smooth, exactly repeating the shape of a circle, or figured or jagged.
Adequate brides can also order a handmade mantilla, such as bobbin or needle woven, crocheted or other techniques.
Feathers of noble birds, pearls (and its imitation), beads, rhinestones are used as decorative elementsSwarovski, precious and semi-precious stones.
Initially, the most expensive mantillas were made from Chantilly lace, today it is still considered a noble classic. Such an accessory is not cheap, but the range of its tasks is not limited to decorative ones. Such a Spanish veil may become the first heirloom of a young family, which will eventually be passed on to the next generation.
Mounting Methods
The question of how to attach a Spanish veil to your head is very important. If not properly fixed, the exquisite jewelry will either fly away or cause inconvenience to the bride.
Initially, special combs - penets - were used as fastenings for the Spanish veil. They were made of ivory or tortoiseshell, generously decorated with carvings. For weddings, white and cream-colored pinets were to be used, black and brown were worn only by married ladies, and flamenco dancers were supposed to fasten their mantillas with red combs.
Paynet has changed a lot over time. Today, both elephants and turtles no longer suffer because of capricious fashionistas; modern plastics and other polymers are used. The accessory has lost its former purpose, it is often worn as an independent hair decoration. But if you decide to opt for a Spanish veil, you can also get a paynet at the same time.
You can attach the mantilla with other hairpins. A professional hairdresser will cope with the task with the help of hairpins, clips and invisibles. It is advisable to entrust the matter to a professional, then the chances that the mantilla will last until the end of the holiday are many timesincrease.
Let's tell a secret: Spaniards used not only massive pinets to fasten the mantilla to the head, but also small inconspicuous pins to lay the free edge in beautiful folds and attach it to clothes. According to the rules of etiquette of the past centuries, when turning the head, the shoulders should not have been exposed. Now the rules are not so strict, but if you want neither the gusts of wind nor the whirlwinds of the wedding dance to disturb the harmony of your image, you can use this little trick.
Mantilla hairstyles
It is believed that you can attach a veil to any hairstyle. But the "Spaniard" usually has a rather heavy edge, with poor fixation, it will slide.
Pros recommend the following types of wedding hairstyles that are perfect for such an accessory: they will firmly fix the veil and look harmonious with it:
- braids and plaits laid with a crown;
- buns, shells and snails;
- high tails tied at the back of the head.
Illustrations will help you imagine what a Spanish veil looks like with a haircut. The photos prove that this accessory is combined with different styles.
Which dresses suits
A rich "Spanish" lavishly decorated with wide lace can become the main accent of a wedding look. Meghan Markle's recent attire, stylish and elegant, luxurious in its simplicity, can be mentioned as the perfect dress for such a veil. The Duchess of Sussex herself choseanother headdress for a wedding, but if her choice fell on a mantilla, the image would have turned out no less harmonious.
Long puffy veil falling to the floor, suitable for a dress with lace shoulders and sleeves. An example of such attire can be considered the legendary Grace Callie outfit and something similar to Kate Middleton's dress.
Short dresses should only be paired with a short mantilla, but even here special care should be taken: this accessory harmonizes better with elongated silhouettes.
But what you definitely shouldn't do is to complement outfits in frankly different ethnic styles, for example, in Greek, with a mantilla. Dissonance cannot be avoided.
Who suits
If you are looking at a photo of a “Spanish” veil and understand that this accessory will be your choice, consider the general style of the celebration.
This accessory can be perfect for those who gravitate toward classic style, as well as trends such as boho and eco.
An elongated "Spanish" made of thick fabric is perfect for those who are planning not only a civil ceremony, but also a church wedding.
As for age, there are no restrictions: "Spanish" is perfect for both very young newlyweds and older ladies.
