Bridal by the English Dept.

We'll go on record as saying that the vast majority of bridal gear is frightful. It's weird how many wedding dresses seem solidly locked into some mid-'80s-New-Romantic-meets-Soviet-figure-skater death grip--bead-encrusted bodice, anyone? How about a Juliet cap? What is a Juliet cap?

So, we're thrilled to announce the launch of Bridal by the English Dept., a collection of dresses for the anti-bride. We've pulled the most likeable and versatile dresses from the collections of Thread and Jenny Yoo, two New York based designers. Both started out as chic, wearable bridesmaid lines, but quickly realized that girls were actually snatching up their dresses for their own weddings. The thing we hear most from brides-to-be is, "I just want something simple!" And really, simple shouldn't be complicated...

We're launching the collection with a fashion show on January 22nd, so watch for photos from the event. Meanwhile, we say HURRAH to these two designers for recognizing that girls with good taste get married, too.