The sash has been cutting a bit of a dash around the waists of men and women throughout history.
The term actually describes a ribbon or a band which hangs either over one shoulder or runs around the waist and really adds a bit of pomp and elegance to your wedding outfit or special occasion dress.
And it has religious origins – there are references in the bible to men wearing sashes and, in the book of Jeremiah, a linen sash was used as a symbol of how God is bound to his people.
Sashes are also associated with special occasions as they were often worn as part of military uniforms or ceremonial dress, and the historic trend is still on parade around the cities of the world today.
Traditionally in Scotland tartan sashes have been worn by wives of clan chiefs and colonels of Scottish Regiments. If a woman married out of her clan she could still wear her original clan tartan as a sash fastened with a bow over her shoulder.
These days the sash still has a great deal of panache, but unless you want to look like you are entering a beauty contest, it is best to wear them as a simple band around the waist, rather than over the shoulder. The waistband sash creates a smoother figure and has the benefit of nipping you in as well as making a bit of a style statement on your wedding outfit.
Sarah Jessica Parker has sampled the sash, hers exactly matching the colour of the floor length shiny blue-grey dress she wore to the Sex and the City film premiere.
More recently Kate Middleton’s Issa sash dress, which she wore to announce her engagement to Prince William, made the very slim, duchess as she is now, look slighter than ever.
Slimming, trimming sashes can be found on many wedding guest outfits at Compton House.
For instance, if you want a toning sash there is one encircling the perfect knee length dress at Zeila, which is finished off with a complementary corsage. There is also a kingfisher blue dress with matching sash which sculpts the silhouette perfectly.
The collection of wedding outfits also includes monochrome dresses where the sashes blend in, or instead, let them stand out a bit more, with dresses bound with circles of contrasting colours also available.
For a show-stopping sash, see the shiny blue knee-length dress at Carina. The outfit is entwined with a toning bow, topped with a corsage. The look is perfectly balanced with the wide, bell sleeves of the chiffon, bolero jacket.
For a feeling of true luxury there is a gold sash worn over the peplum bodice of the wedding outfit at Mireia. The overall effect is stunning with the contrasting lace skirt and perfectly-proportioned bolero to top it off.
At Presen there is a blue patterned dress, with the shade picked out by the sash and matching bolero. At Compton House there is no need to worry about how the different parts of your wedding outfit will come together, as it has all been done for you. So wear your sash in the confidence it will not only work for you, but it will work with the outfit.
The sash takes a bow literally on another dress in the Presen collection with the golden glimmer-beige dress matched perfectly with the decorative waistband.
Cobotine also has a striking blue sash dress for really hitting the fashion heights which can be worn with or without the matching bolero.
So with all these choices, why not sash-ay into the wedding outfit you have always dreamed of.