"Modern", to me, mostly means 20th century, though in some moods it just means post-Industrial Revolution. I use it very very vaguely, so I'm probably no help.

There are bridal shops that specialize in modest dresses for religious girls. I looked at some of them - most of the ones in California were geared towards Catholics and the dresses were not my taste. Not that those two things have anything to do with one another. I eventually found my long-sleeved dress in a "normal" shop that happened to have a large and varied selection. They're out there, but they aren't featured. I assumed it was a fashion thing that I wasn't following, or possibly seasonal.

The NHL has decided to pine for the fjords this season. [link]

Margaret's dress is similar to the dress I've coveted most: Julie Andrews' in Sound of Music. [link]

Betsy, the funny thing is, I (for example) wouldn't be able to wear practically any of the dresses in your link (neckline too open, sleeves too short, the dress too tight). And it's this way in Israel, too.

What most of my friends do (who don't have dresses made for them from scratch) is making alterations - adding some light material to lengthen sleeves or close up necklines, stuff like that. Or what other have described here - adding a top part over an already existing dress (which is what my roommate will wear in her in-three-weeks-minus-a-day wedding).

Thanks, -t.

Strapless? Geez. I can tell you that if I ever get married, I am not spending the entire day worrying that I'm about to fall out of my dress. (Also strapless is not a style that works well on me in general.)

I have my grandmother's dress from 1940, which is lovely (if a bit fragile at this point) and has sleeves and fits me almost perfectly. Plus, an adorable Juliet cap. So there's always that option.

I can tell you that if I ever get married, I am not spending the entire day worrying that I'm about to fall out of my dress.

When the dress is fitted properly, this isn't a problem.

My dress was plain, longsleeved but off the shoulder with no frills. I could not find one wedding dress without bows, lace, pearls, muttonchop sleeves and in one particualrly hideous case- pom poms. I got a bridesmaid's dress in white.

The NHL has decided to pine for the fjords this season.

I don't follow the NHL, but wow, that's a lot of money to throw away over how to split it up.

(Plei doesn't read my LJ. SOB!!! )

My mom's wedding dress was an a-line long sleeved dress that ended about 4 inches above her knees. Had a little standup mock turtleneck collar.

Hey, it was 1968 (maybe '67?) and they got married in the farmhouse livingroom. She looked 12. But then, she looked 12 until late in her 20s.