How to Choose - Veils and Headpieces
Headpieces
Floral Wreaths feature a circle of flowers or baby's breath that sit on top of the head, and may or may not circle at the mid-forehead.
Juliet cap snugly fits the crown of the head, ornately encrusted with pearls and sequins.
Mantilla features a lace trimmed netting with or without a simple base fitting closely across the top of the head, usually secured with an elegant comb, gently framing the face.
Picture Hat features a very large brim often elaborately decorated with laces, beads and sequins.
Tiara also known as a crown rests high atop the head, usually encrusted with crystals, pearls or lace.
Coronet features a crescent shaped base decorated with satin and lace, resting high on the crown of the head.
Except for the Mantilla, veiling is usually attached to all of the above headpieces.
Veils
Illusion is a very fine quality of veiling imported from England or France. It may be found trimmed with lace or embroidery, but commonly used without edging.
Blusher is a loose veil worn forward over the face, or back over the headpiece; often attached to a longer, two or three tiered veil.
Fingertip length has long been the most popular, gracefully falling across the shoulders to the fingertips when the arm is extended.
Chapel length is a cascading veil about two and a third yards from the headpiece.
Ballet (waltz length) features a veil falling to the ankles.
Cathedral length features a veil flowing about three and a half-yard from the headpiece. Usually worn with a cathedral train.
Flyaway veil has multiple layers that brush the shoulders, usually worn with an informal gown, or with a gown featuring an exquisite back, too pretty to hide with a veil
Most veils are made from a fabric called "illusion". Illusion resembles netting, but in a softer fabric often made of silk or nylon. Veils often include poufs, which are small gathers of veiling on the crown of a headpiece. Wreaths often have flowing ribbons cascading into "love knots" down the back.
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Named Length
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Fabric length
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Comb to tip (or single tier length)
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Shoulder
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42 inches
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22 inches
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Waist
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54 inches
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30 inches
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Fingertip
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72 inches
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42 inches
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Waltz
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90 inches
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60 inches
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Floor
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108 inches
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78 inches
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Chapel
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126 inches
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96 inches
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Cathedral
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144 inches
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114 inches
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