Choosing the Right Wedding Dress Style

A bride's wedding day should be a picture of perfection. Whether the wedding is going to be a casual garden wedding or a lavish fairytale princess event, the bride will want to look her best. Choosing a wedding gown is one of the hardest things a bride will undertake. A bride's body shape and figure can make it difficult to find a dress that fits well, looks slimming, and flatters her overall form.

There are seven basic styles to wedding dresses:

Ÿ A-Line

Ÿ Ball Gown

Ÿ Column

Ÿ Empire

Ÿ Fishtail

Ÿ Princess

The material used to create the dress is important. Silks tend to fall naturally and flow loosely. These are the best materials for those who are carrying some flaws that they want to hide. Shiny satins are generally best on those without something to hide because sheen to the material can make a person appear heavier.

A-Line

A-Line dresses contain a fitted bodice that then flows outward into the skirt. There is no waistline on an A-Line dress. A-Line dresses are therefore perfect for those who have a slender torso and then heavier hips. The flowing skirt hides the hips and bottom while focusing on the bodice. You can make an A-Line dress from almost any material. Silks are often preferred because they flow naturally.

A-Line dresses are perfect for any inside wedding. Often the dresses lack sleeves, so you may want a cape if the wedding location will be cool. Otherwise, A-Line dresses are suitable for all seasons. A Line dresses usually fall below the knee or continue on to the ankle. The variations in length make them perfect for outdoor weddings.

Ball Gown

A Ball Gown can come with sleeves or without. This makes them an exceptional choice for all seasons. The only thing to watch is with outdoor weddings. The skirt does fall to the ground. With an outdoor wedding, you run the risk of getting the hem dirty if you do not have a carpeted walkway.

Ball Gown dresses contain a fitted bodice that balloon out in to a huge skirt that hides a number of flaws including big hips, full behind, and chubby thighs. A Ball Gown is considered the best choice for pear-shaped figures. On the downside, a Ball Gown dress also accentuates the breast area, so if you have large breasts, go with an A-Line instead.

Column

If you are naturally slender, a column dress will work for you. Column dresses are narrow from top to bottom, so if you are extremely curvy or have larger hips or stomach areas, avoid this form of dress. They usually hug all areas of the body. Not only does this constrict movement, but it also highlights all areas of your figure.

A column dress is suitable for all seasons because they can be sleeveless or contain full-length sleeves. The skirt length on a column dress falls to the ankles. For this reason, you may need to use care when dancing because movement will be restricted.

Empire

An Empire dress contains a waistline, but that waistline falls right under the breasts. The dresses can carry full-sleeves that make the dress a perfect choice for winter weddings. Alternately, the halter-top style dress is also available and recommended for a bride who is looking for a summer wedding dress. Remember that halter-top dresses are not usually recommended for someone with a full breast as the gaps can often show too much of the side of the breast. If you have large breasts, avoid the halter-top and instead go for a scooped neck or V-neck dress.

Empire dresses are perfect options for pregnant brides as the waistline does sit above a rounded, pregnant belly. If you are expecting, you cannot go wrong with an empire dress.

Fishtail

Also called the Mermaid cut, a Fishtail dress fits snugly from the breasts to the knee and then flairs out. This style of dress is popular with summer weddings because there are generally no sleeves.

The Fishtail cut is going to slim most of your body, so you should be naturally slender if you want to pull off this look. Those with large breasts or big hips need to avoid this cut. If you want to choose the Fishtail cut in the winter, you will need to have the dress modified so that it has sleeves. Usually, this is handled by creating a high, Victorian neckline and then adding fitted sleeves that flair at the wrists.

Princess

The Princess cut is a modified version of the A-Line. The fitted bodice and fuller skirt remain the same. The difference is that in a princess cut, vertical lines run down the dress from bodice to skirt creating a look that is incredibly slimming. The vertical lines can also create an optical illusion that makes a shorter bride look taller and a chubbier bride look slender.

Princess cut dresses are generally strapless. If you are having an outdoor wedding or will be getting married in a cooler environment, look into capes or shawls to keep the arms warm.