With so many wedding dress silhouettes available, how do you begin to determine which style best suits your body shape? How do you know which is the silhouette that will show off your assets, and cover up those parts you would rather hide on your wedding day?
Here we will concentrate on the 4 main wedding dress silhouettes, and advise you on which shape, and style, best flatters your body shape.
When you visit us in the boutique for your bridal appointment it’s really helpful for you to be open and honest with us about which parts of your body you want to cover up, brides seem to find this bit easy. However we also want to know which parts we can accentuate for you, your assets, the parts your Groom loves you for! This will help us to gently guide you to the right silhouette for you, and hopefully your dream wedding dress.
1. Ballgown or Princess Silhouette
As the name suggests this is the fairytale wedding dress silhouette, the one most little girls will draw. The Ballgown style has a tight fitting bodice, often with lots of support and structure, and a fitted waist. The Princess silhouette will nip in and accentuate your waist, making it appear smaller, then it will flare out into a large skirt. Also available with a dropped waist to show off a little more of the hips.
Love it
If you have a large bust which needs the support of a fitted and structured bodice then this is a great style for you. Also if you are a girly girl and enjoy the feeling of skirts and dresses then this style really does feel fabulous whebn on . If your hips are wider than your shoulders then this is the perfect style to balance your body. And if you want to eat to hearts content on your wedding day and not a food baby in sight, then this is also the style for you!
Hate it
If you are not a girly girl then you might find these style of dresses heavy and awkward, although the right fabric and the correct fitting can help with this. If you are very petite sometimes these dresses can swamp you.
2. Mermaid Silhouette
Sometimes also called the trumpet silhouette, this wedding dress shape is fitted to the knee then kicks out in an impressive swoosh, the mermaid style cuts a dramatic silhouette. Mermaid styles come in a variety of necklines including v-neck and strapless. Ensure you try a variety of neckline styles at your bridal appointment, you could even try a stapless dress with a matching bolero to take you effortlessly from day to evening.
Love it
If your body is in proportion, you do not need to be super slim to wear this shape, in fact we think this shape looks great on girls with curves. Those curves just need to be in proportion and in the right place.
Hate it
If you are worried about your tummy, although some of these dresses have lots of structure built into them which can help to hold you in! Some of our brides also find these dresses restrictive, I guess it depends on how many moves you want to bust in the evening?!
3. A-line Silhouette
Perhaps one of the most popular and well known wedding dress silhouettes is the a-line style, this could be because it is very flattering to lots of different body shapes. The skirt shape, as the name suggests, is remeniscent of a capital A. However, depending on the fabric, these dresses can hang in a variety of ways. For instance a floaty tulle or chiffon skirt will give a bohemian vibe to your dress, especially when combined with an open back. Whereas an a-line mikado skirt is a stiffer fabric, and this will give you a wider A shape, and a more traditional look. Lace also works well in a-line and the size of the petticoat and layers underneath will help to determine the skirt size. Also bear in mind some of the under layers can be removed, or added, to increase, or decrease the size of your skirt.
Love it
Again if your hips are wider than your shoulders, or if you have a big bottom you want to hide, then this is the perfect style to balance your body. Also if you have tried a ballgown dress and found them to be too big or too heavy for you then an a-line could be perfect. If you are a bohemian bride and you like the floaty skirt look then this is a great shape for you.
Hate it
If you want a fitted dress to show off your hips. Otherwise this is a great versatile dress style for all body shapes!
4. Sheath Silhouette
Sometimes called a column dress, the Sheath silhouette skirt falls straight from the waist. The silhouette can flare out slightly from under the knee, however this is a gentle and soft line, not at all like the dramatic swoosh of a mermaid style. This wedding dress silhouette has not got the underlayers and petticoats that some other dress styles have, therefore making it cooler and for some brides, less restrictive and comfier.
Love it
The long straight lines are perfect for elongating a petite bride, this will give the illusion of appearing taller than you are. Sheath dresses will hug the hips and show off a brides curves, again you do not need to be super slim, wedding dresses love curves! The sheath dress is also great for a destination wedding as with less layers they tend to be cooler than some other styles.
Hate it
If your hips are not in proportion to your overall body shape then this will accentuate your hips, however please don’t foget wedding dresses look great with curves and trust your bridal stylist, if they recommend you try it then please do!
5. Fit and Flare Silhouette
Sometimes confused with the mermaid or trumpet silhouette, the fit and flare shape is a flattering wedding dress style that is fitted to the body from the bust to the high hip. This silhouette flares out higher up the body than a mermaid or a trumpet shaped dress.
Love it
If you like the shape of a mermaid silhouette but it feels too restrictive for you then fit and flare could be for you as it flares out higher up your body giving you more room and freedom to move. If you are petite then this shape can elongate the body making you appear taller.
Hate it
If your hips are wider than your shoulders this style could accentuate them, bringing the attention to that area. If you are worried about food babies then this is also a style to avoid.
During your bridal experience with us our expert Stylists will quickly find out which style suits your body shape, which style makes you feel fantastic, and also which style suits your wedding day. Sometimes it’s the dress, and the style, that you are least expecting that makes you feel the most amazing! You are in safe hands with us, just relax and enjoy your bridal appointment in our luxury surroundings and trust our friendly Stylists.
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Topics:
- A-Line Wedding Dress
- Ball Gown Wedding Dress
- Bridal Appointment Advice
- Curvy Bride
- Fit and Flare Wedding Dress
- Mermaid Wedding Dress
- Planning a Wedding
- Prepare for your Bridal Appointment
- Sexy Wedding Dress
- Sheath Wedding Dress
- Wedding Dress
- Wedding Dress Boutique
- Wedding Dress Shop
- Wedding Planning
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