Dresses For Your Body and Personal Style
 If you ask a woman when she felt the most beautiful, most will tell you it was on their wedding day. Everything is planned out to perfection: the music, the venue, the flowers, the invitations and of course, the dress. Wedding dresses are often the centerpiece of the entire planning process, as typically this is the first item on a woman’s shopping list. Women look for wedding dresses in magazines, on e-commerce sites, on fashion blogs, and wedding themed television shows all to find their perfect dress. But what makes “the perfect dress”? It is the wedding dress style that complements a woman’s figure, highlighting her best assets while camouflaging figure flaws. Finding the right wedding dress style can be frustrating. When you begin shopping for wedding dresses, it’s best to keep three things in mind:
- When: The season in which you get married can dictate the fabric and style you look for in wedding dresses. Heavier fabrics work better in the winter and lighter, airy fabrics are best suited to warmer temperatures. Temperatures can play a role in choosing wedding accessories. If you get married in the winter, choose a lovely wrap or shawl to stay stylish and warm.
- Where: Getting married in a conservative church or synagogue? Wedding dresses with more coverage will be more appropriate than say a plunging neckline or dramatic backless gown. Is your reception in a garden? Wedding accessories should be considered too; a high heeled shoe will sink right into the grass.
- Price: Decide on your dress budget before you get seduced by your dream gown. If you are upfront with salespeople, they can find wedding dresses in your price range without sacrificing a lot of time and effort. If you have your heart set on a particular wedding gown designer, you can often find a similar style by describing what you love about the dress.
There are endless possibilities in the world of wedding dresses. Below is a guide for finding a wedding dress style that flatters your figure and makes you feel beautiful.
Wedding Dresses For Brides of All Shapes and Sizes
Wedding Dresses for Tall Brides
Emphasize your long lean shape with a simple shape. A wedding dress designer typically designs wedding dresses to fit a bride that is 5’9” tall which means that most wedding dresses will flatter. A silk gown that sweeps the floor will show off your figure. Tall brides can also wear a full skirt without being swallowed up by the gown. Wedding accessories should also be considered; a long, flowing veil can be carried well by a tall bride.
Wedding Dresses for Petite Brides
Add length to your figure by looking for wedding dresses with vertical lines. Accordion pleats, which fall vertically, can make you look taller. Wedding dresses with a princess style or ball gown can overwhelm a smaller frame. Petite brides should avoid fussy wedding dresses with yards of fabric or any style that has a dropped waist. If you want to create the illusion of a larger chest, opt for extra fabric up top. Petite brides can play with lengths; tea length or knee length wedding dresses can be especially flattering by showing off your legs.
Wedding Dresses for Plus Sized Brides
Wedding dresses that are too loose will only add pounds. Look for an empire waist that starts just below the bustline and falls away from the body. Fabrics that are too floaty, like silk, can be unflattering to your shape so look for more sturdy fabrics like satin. Draw the eye upward with detailing along the neckline. A V-neck will highlight your décolletage and create a beautiful frame for your upper body. Wedding accessories like a beaded shawl can hide upper arms if you don’t feel comfortable in sleeveless wedding dresses.
Wedding Dresses For Flatering Your Figure
Women with bottom heavy figures will want to call attention to their naturally slimmer waist. Look for wedding dresses with an A-line silhouette. A skirt that flares out from the natural waist will highlight your midsection and hang away from hips and thighs. Fairytale wedding dresses with a ball gown can also be flattering if that style is more your speed. Sturdy fabrics like duchesse satin or taffeta won’t cling to your bottom half. Avoid body hugging sheaths or wedding dresses cut on the bias. The trick here is to balance your proportions by de-emphasizing your bottom half.
A dress that highlights the smallest part of your waist will create definition. Wedding accessories like a satin sash can cinch you in and create an hourglass shape. Texture at the waistline, such as lace or ruching, can camouflage a wider midsection. Wedding dresses with plunging v-necks will draw attention upward to your face. Avoid wedding gown silhouettes like a trumpet style which will emphasize you at the widest part of your body.
If you have an ample bustline, avoid showing too much cleavage with a scoop neckline. If you prefer a strapless neckline, look for wedding dresses that have a slight shape across the top. A neckline that’s straight across will make your bust appear shelf like. Ruched material can call attention to your chest, and not in a flattering way. Avoid any material that will add unneeded volume such as organza. If you are small busted, opt for extra fabric up top to create the illusion of a larger chest. Corset style wedding dresses can also help to enhance your natural assets.
If you don’t have curves, create them with a dress that’s cut on the bias to skim your hips. If you prefer a more dramatic shape, full skirted wedding dresses that cinch in at the waist can help to give you a more defined shape. Brides can also opt for corset style wedding dresses to create a curvier shape. Have great shoulders? Asymmetrical wedding dresses can show them off beautifully.
Once you have figured out the wedding dress style that suits your body, you can incorporate your personal style by paying attention to current fashion trends. These days, brides have endless flexibility and no wedding dress style is off limits. Brides can buck tradition and go for wedding dresses in any color but white. Decorative touches can personalize wedding dresses and create a look that is anything but ordinary. It’s your wedding and you get to make the rules. For 2009, each wedding dress designer was showing a variety of looks on the runway.
Wedding Dress Styles
Wedding Dress Style: Tiers
No matter the amount, tiers are everywhere; and not just on cakes. They are a way to add drama and volume to wedding dresses without adding extra pounds. Pick your fabric wisely; material that lays flat like lace will flatter the figure better than airy tulle. This wedding dress style will flatter pear shaped and tall brides. Petite brides should stay away from these wedding dresses as they can take away from creating a long lean silhouette.
Wedding Dress Style: Grey
For those stylish brides who find white and ivory boring options, runways have been showing wedding dresses in pearl grey, dove grey, pewter, and silver. If you like the look of these wedding dresses but don’t want to commit to an allover color, try accents like a silver belt at the waist or embroidery. Wedding accessories like headbands can also add a splash of color on an otherwise blank canvas.
Wedding Dress Style: Embellishments
Detailing can be subtle or over the top. These days with wedding dresses, anything goes. Trendy girls will love the feather accents found on modern wedding dresses. Whether you opt for an appliqué at the shoulder or a full feathered skirt, this look is full on glamour. Another wedding gown designer favorite is rosettes. Flowers are blooming all over dresses, adding a girly element to the look. Rosettes complement a style that’s purely feminine and seasonless. To really stand out, wedding dresses with crumb catcher bodices are also a fashion forward trend. An insert of fabric at the bust creates a double layer effect with the bottom layer against the body and the top layer jutting out slightly. This wedding dress style draws attention to the neckline and creates a unique look.
Wedding Dress Style: Grecian
Harkening back to the golden age of Greece, long flowing wedding dresses are well suited to any bride. This wedding dress style is draped with soft folds and pleating. This draping can help to conceal a tummy or hide hips so it’s a lovely look for pear shaped brides. Grecian gowns are often reminiscent of togas with one-shouldered necklines. Wedding accessories are especially fun with these wedding dresses as some brides opt for upper arm bracelets and vine-like hairpieces.
No matter what wedding dress style you choose, the most important factor should be how you feel. The search for “the one” doesn’t have to be impossible. With a little planning and a lot of research, you can find a dress that captures your style and flatters your body. Wedding dresses should be a reflection of a bride at her radiant best. Find a wide array of elegant wedding dresses at Priscilla of Boston salons.
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