Make It a True Fairytale Look with the Right Silhouette
Trends in wedding gowns have changed enormously over the decades and continue to do so, but one thing has never changed – brides want to look exquisite in their wedding gown.
Any bride who thinks it can’t be that difficult to find the perfect wedding gown (because there are thousands to choose from, right?), should think again. It isn’t just about seeing something you love in a magazine, online or on a celebrity, and saying “that’s what I want; that’s my dream dress”.
There are many factors to take into consideration when starting to navigate the world of wedding gowns, and they all actually come down to one thing – who you are.
Our advice is to be realistic, especially about what is going to suit your body shape. We often see outfits and stunning wedding gowns on models or friends, and want that particular style in the hope of emulating it for ourselves. But body shapes vary dramatically, and therefore, no one particular style will suit everyone. What is flattering for one bride is not necessarily going to bring out your best features.
It’s a simple exercise to determine your body shape – and fun too, finding out whether you’re an apple, banana, pear or hourglass shape. A bridal consultant is a good go-to person to help you with this. So, make this your first task when shopping for your wedding gown.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular wedding gown styles and which body types they’re best suited to:
Mermaid: This is a very popular wedding gown style and has remained so for decades. The style is fitted from the chest to the knee, and then flares out close to the knee. The style favours slender frames and hourglass figures (if you want to show off your curves), but is not ideal for apples or plus-sized figures.
Sheath: This wedding gown is narrow and flows straight down from the neckline to the hem. It’s a style best suited to petite bodies and those with an hourglass figure (good to show off curves), but pear-shaped girls best stay away, as a sheath style can give the impression of extra inches.
Ballgown: Think Cinderella. This “fairytale” style has a fitted bodice, flares at the waist and has a full skirt. We don’t recommend it for petite frames, as the skirt is too full and a little overwhelming on a small frame, but the ballgown style is great for pears, since it hides the lower body.
A-line: All body types will look great in this style, which has a fitted bodice to the waist and then flows out to the ground.
Tea-length: This wedding gown style loves all body types. It is a style in which the skirt ends in between the ankle and the knee.
Trumpet: This style, which is fitted and flares at mid-thigh, favours small waists, such as the hourglass, banana and petite bodies. It is not ideal for pears and apples, as it emphasises the stomach and hips.
If you are ready to find your perfect wedding gown, give us a call and set up an appointment.
