If you've been paying attention to wedding trends over the last few years, you've probably caught on to the fact that brides are choosing to wear multiple gowns on their wedding days.
Some brides wear one dress to their ceremony and another for their reception, while others have multiple wardrobe changes throughout the night.
But for those who can't afford to wear two dresses or who just don't want more than one wedding dress, gowns with removable elements offer an alternative.
Insider spoke to celebrity stylist Micaela Erlanger about the trend.
Wedding dresses with transforming elements have become popular
Designers make dresses with removable straps, skirts, or even bodices, so they can transform with a clever tug of a ribbon or button work.
These gowns allow some brides to have a conservative look for a ceremony and a daring ensemble for their reception, while other brides may just be drawn to the idea of having more than one look on their wedding day.
"I love a convertible moment," Erlanger, who recently partnered with Zola to advise brides on how to create a cohesive wedding look, said.
Erlanger said she likes that dresses with removable or transforming elements often have a longer life than a more traditional wedding dress.
"I think it's a great way to be able to extend the life cycle of being in your wedding dress," Erlanger said. "Oftentimes, you're in the dress for your ceremony and your cocktails, and then a lot of people change for their reception or their after-party."
But if you have a dress with a removable skirt or sleeves you can tie in a different way, you can have a totally different look in the gown you married the love of your life in.
"You get to be in your dress all night long, and all you're doing is removing an element," she went on to say. "That's really special to me."
It also takes less time to untie a skirt or take off a sleeve than it would to change into a different dress, ensuring you can enjoy your wedding to its fullest.
You can save money with a dress with a removable skirt or bodice
Erlanger also told Insider that convertible dresses are often a more affordable option for brides.
"I think from a budgetary perspective, it gets your dollar to go a little further," Erlanger said, as it's more cost-effective to buy one dress that has different looks than it is to buy two completely different wedding dresses.
You may spend some additional money if you buy a second skirt for your dress, but it will still likely be more affordable than an entire second gown.
But if you do want to have more than one wedding dress instead of a dress with removable elements, Erlanger recommends looking into vintage or used pieces, which don't have to be expensive, though they can be depending on where you shop.
"We're seeing a big focus on vintage and sustainability," she told Insider, adding that she loves vintage fashion. "You get to find these one-of-a-kind things that no one else can find because it's vintage. It's part of the hunt, it's part of the discovery. And that in and of itself is so special and so rare."
"It's kind of like the equivalent of having a couture piece," she added.
