Go Your Own Way: Birdcage Veils

• By Corrie Pikul
• Published September 2005

The minimalist alternative to yards of tulle is a short veil that falls just over the eyes. A birdcage veil is made of a material that resembles fishnet and covers strictly the bride's face (it's clipped to or combed into the back of the hair). According to Jennifer Zabinski at the Wedding Library, this vintage style started gaining popularity about a year ago, and now it's popping up everywhere. Pair it with a pillbox hat and a champagne dinner suit for an elegant, sophisticated look, or go retro by attaching the veil to a comb and wearing it with a sixties-style tea-length dress. Birdcage veils are available at most bridal shops and milliners.