Your accessories can boost or break your air of era authenticity. Here, tips to help you walk down the aisle looking bona fide retro-glam.
DO slip on white satin gloves. Pair them, cinched at the elbow, with a sleeveless/short-sleeved gown for a '50s-style formal wedding. If it's more of a funky '60s wedding, get white leather gloves.
DON'T wear gloves at an outdoor wedding unless they're short and made of lace or net -- you'll be mistaken for the gardener in leather, and satin is plain out of place. Forget the gloves altogether if your dress is highly detailed or long-sleeved, or if you're sporting a jacket or stole.
DO consider pairing your dress with a jacket. Boleros and sheer, fitted jackets are high-fashion 1950s staples. A suit dress or a jacket-and-skirt combo resonates with 1960s and '70s power-chic -- for inspiration, check out Bianca Jagger's 1971 two-piece wedding dress.
DON'T pair an Empire waist, an A-line, or a loose-fitting dress with a jacket -- it's bulky and will make even the most slender bride look frumpy.
DO wear a garter! This sexy tradition started in the 1960s and remains an icon of free-spirited flower power. Visit Etsy.com and personalize your own with just about anything representing you -- including your alma mater!
DON'T forget to retrofit your shoes to match your gown: Brown leather flats are hippie chic; white platforms or clogs are disco-ready; and polka-dotted pumps are classic '50s homemaker.
DO polish off your garb with the perfect era-appropriate jewelry. A single strand of pearls and oversized stud earrings are very Jackie O, and big costume jewelry (think: colorful brooches and cocktail rings) is super-'70s. But for the most genuine look, ask your mother or grandmother if she'll lend you the jewels she wore on her own wedding day -- she'll be happy to put her pieces to good use!
-- Alex Hess