Is Bowie Rae's sheer wedding gown 'tacky' for showing nipples? Designer says she isn't 'scared' of the backlash
You may not have liked that mermaid gown your best friend walked down the aisle in but getting married in this sheer creation, seems to be 'sheer' torture for a lot of people online Prospective brides and grooms are fuming over an ultra-sheer wedding gown as the model's nipples can be seen through the tulle bodice. However, Australian bridal label Bowie Rae is defending the stunning top and says people should 'get over' their fear of women's nipples and rather believes in freeing the nipple.
Rae is a designer wedding dress brand located in Thirroul near Wollongong and their lead designer Mannie Waugh, is clear about her decision to market the sheer 'Melody' bodice without lining. In an interview to Daily Mail Australia, she said she believes women's bodies are beautiful and 'she won't let people getting offended by nipples stand in the way of her artistic expression'. "We're not scared of a little nipple and we hope that soon enough the world won't be either," Waugh said.
The bodice is paired with a long white skirt in the promotional videos and photographs, the material is thin enough to see the model's nipples, something which has made brides and grooms uncomfortable.
The biggest worry was, what people might think. "It is all fun and games until your great grandparents can see your nipples," one man said.
"My grandparents would have a heart attack," said another woman. The gown was slammed as 'tacky', as it is said to have exposed a lot of skin. Speaking with Daily Mail Australia, the 36-year-old dress designer revealed she started off her own bridal label after walking down the aisle in a dress she 'hated' and realized she had designed dresses for others on their big day. She was amused by comments about the sheerness of the gown, especially those saying what others would think of a bride exposing her nipples. She said that women are expected to transform into brides for the wedding day and become a paragon of virtue.
"Women should feel free to dress how they want on their wedding day, not how they think they are expected to look," she said. "We don't want to tell a bride what she must look like, we want her to tell us what she wants," Waugh added. "We can add lace, a lining, layers of tulle or nipple covers to provide more coverage, but I am not going to cover my model because it offends you to see nipples," she said. "Some women won't care about nipple coverage – others love the look but want to make sure there is absolutely no chance of a nipple slip," she continued.
The uproar came after the promotional video for the top was shared by bridal gown directory 'The Dress Tribe'. People commented on the Instagram video with comments such as, "It's pretty but why are her nipples showing?" Another joked, "Can’t wait for good ole Uncle Randy to stare at my nipples while at my wedding." While others mostly commented asking if the dress came with pockets and overall the dress invited praise like 'stunning' and 'love the look'.
