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While there are many wonderful parts to planning a wedding, none is so exciting as buying your wedding gown
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Even if you love the first dress you try on at the bridal shop, that doesn't mean you should buy it right away. Remember--you only get married (for the first time) once! If you really like something you see, put it on hold and do some more hunting. You want to make sure you've comparison shopped so that you get the best quality garment for the right price. And if you're just in the brainstorming stages, this is a great time to window shop. Check out bridal magazines
Once you've clipped out photos of your favourite designs, find local bridal shops that carry the designers, styles and cuts you're looking for. This may require a bit of travel and some recommendations from friends, but it's well worth it. Once you've made a list of places to browse, all that's left is assessing your budget and hitting the racks. When you've snagged a few good options, never rule out using a tailor, and finally, buy something because you like it--not because it pleases your friends and family. This is your day!
Below are some common wedding gown shapes, waists and sleeves. Choose a design that is flattering to your unique body type.
| Common Shapes | ||||
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This shape features vertical seams from the shoulders which move down the gown toward a flared skirt, "A"-shaped This shape works well for women with short waists and/or fuller figures. It also fits petite frames well. |
This is the typical "Cinderella" type gown, with a very full bodice and skirt. This shape works well for women who are pear-shaped, as it de-emphasizes a larger bottom half. It also works well for the petite and thin bride as long as it's not overly poofy. |
Since the sheath silhouette closely follows the line of the body, it's best for a tall, thin bride. The sheath shape can emphasize every imperfection, including short or thick waists and large hips. Women with square or ruler-shaped figures (no curves) should not be fooled into thinking that the cling of the sheath gown will create an illusion of curves. Instead, it will emphasize your lack thereof. |
Because the mermaid shape hugs the curves until just below the buttocks, it works best with an hourglass figure. It emphasizes all the right curves and balances them out on the bottom. If you are a pear shape, this dress will over-emphasize your larger lower half. If you are a square shape, it will not create an illusion of curves. |
Tea Length This length and shape works best on petite frames. Fit is important, however, as a skirt that falls anywhere past just below the knee can make a short bride appear shorter and frumpy. Tea length gowns are more popular for casual, outdoor weddings. |
| Sleeves | ||||
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Spaghetti straps, tank straps and off-the-shoulder gowns work well for a the short bride with a petite figure. The straps emphasize her small shoulders, while the skirt can add a bit of volume and flair. |
Strapless or off-the-shoulder gowns work well on hourglass shapes, as they tend to have smaller shoulders and arms that can be nicely showcased with this style. |
Short Sleeves/ 3/4 Length Sleeves Since a pear-shaped woman has a smaller upper body and larger lower body, she could benefit from sleeves that add a bit of volume or interest with beading. The right sleeves can balance out a bigger bottom-half. |
Long sleeves work well for both thin and full arms. They can work to either hide chunky upper arms, or showcase the thin, sleek lines of slender arms. |
Cap Sleeves Cap sleeves work best if you have small shoulders and small upper arms. If you have a larger frame on top, cap sleeves can call attention to problem areas--especially if they fall in the wrong place. |
| Waist | ||||
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The empire's high waistline that usually falls into a slimmer skirt is good for camouflaging a thick waist and large hips. Moving the waist higher than the natural waist-line skims these larger areas, creating a slendering effect. |
This shape works well on full or pear- shaped figures since they usually have larger busts and thicker waists. This style slims the mid-section by coming to a point at a lower than natural waistline. |
Brides with large busts and a small to average waist size are the best candidates for a lowered waistline like this. |
Natural waistline dresses look best on women who have small natural waists. This is most commonly found on square and hourglass figures |
If you have a small waist but larger hips, princess seams create vertical lines that draw the eyes away from trouble areas. |
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