Sunday, December 7, 1997

A bride's headdress should complement her dress - not simply "match" it, according to Roseanna Martino of The Altered Bride, a Newbury Street bridal shop specializing in custom-made headpieces and veils.

Martino endorses "an almost inverse relationship between the veil and the gown." If your dress is ornate, she says, go with a simple headpiece. If , on the other hand, it has a clean, tailored cut, "you might want to add a bit more interest to your hair."

The veil itself is made of tulle and may have one, two, or three layers in a variety of lengths: shoulder, elbow, fingertip, waltz (midcalf), chapel (skimming the floor) and cathedral (extending about two feet beyond the train). The longer veils are usually detachable from the headpiece so the bride can enjoy more mobility at the reception.

Martino echoes the idea that there's a trend away from that " heavy lace look of years ago." Headpieces are smaller now, she says, and tiaras are definitely in style - but not the high crown type headpieces. Some brides prefer a headband or a garland of flowers, though Martino recommends against natural blossoms, which may wilt and discolor even before the ceremony ends. For the headpieces she makes in her Boston shop, Martino prefers porcelain, silk or resin flowers, which she says look particularly lifelike.

Veil -and-headpiece sets range from $150 to$300 at the Altered Bride.