Wedding Dress Trends for 2006: Expressing the True Woman

Today, a bride's perfect wedding dress is one that is unique to all the others and reflects the bride's personal preferences and personality. Today's wedding dresses are designed in so many different varieties that it is easy for a bride to find something that uniquely expresses her. For years the growing trend in wedding dresses has been to create/wear dresses with lines that enhance the body and trims and accessories that enhance the personality. The 2006 wedding dress collections are no exception to this growing trend and offer even more silhouettes, waistlines, necklines, sleeve styles, and trim trends to create a flattering, original look.

For 2006, the trend in silhouettes is to go slimmer and narrower because it helps to make a woman's body look slimmer and can enhance her curves. The A-line, or Princess-line wedding dress silhouettes are very popular designs for 2006 because they are made with long graceful lines that can help to outline and form the lines of the waist, hips, and thighs. The A-line can also caress and embellish the natural lines. Another slimming silhouette is the sheath, but it has undergone some transformations. Now, the newest trend is to design sheaths with part of the train built into the dress so that it gracefully trails behind the bride. Also the bias-cut silhouette has increased in popularity. This style is cut so that it traces the lines of the body; it is reminiscent of gowns worn in Hollywood in the 1930s. But of course, if the bride prefers a gown with more substance and a fuller skirt, ball gowns are still being designed, including the Princess-line ball gown. If you prefer a wedding gown with more of a defined waistline, while Basque waistlines are still common (waistlines that dip down into a "V" in the front, just below the natural waistline), it is more a wedding dress design trend of 2006 to do away with the "V" and raise the waistline to the natural waistline or even just above it. It is also part of the latest wedding dress design trend to have skirts that are pleated into deep folds, rather than gathered, or even skirts that are simply cut to flare.

For necklines, the design trend is to show off the shoulders, collarbone, and bust, to create a "fresh, open look without risking any overexposure," so square and curved-square necklines have become popular, as well as v-necklines.

As far as sleeves are concerned, the most common wedding dress design trend is to go completely sleeveless with a neckline that's either cut straight across or a graceful sweetheart. The sleeveless look adds a new and fresh sex appeal or glamour. But if the bride prefers, she can add spaghetti straps for a light summery look. For more of a romantic look, off-shoulder is still quite popular. And for those who prefer sleeves, designers are still creating wedding gowns with short sleeves and capped sleeves. And for those who desire even more coverage long sleeves are still available, but the common trend is to have narrow, smoothly form-fitted long sleeves made of either sheer fabric or very see-through lace.

But, it is in the bride's new options for fabrics and trims that a bride can truly show off her unique tastes and preferences. In 2006, the design trend is towards softer, more feminine, lighter fabrics and many sheer fabrics, such as chiffon and organza, are being used. What is particularly trendy is chiffon draped over satin. Laces, too, have gone softer and the popular design trend today is smaller patterns with more intricate detail, spaced far apart to give an airy vintage look. Metal is also commonly being used, but 2006 is tending more towards using metallic threads to accentuate the dress, or sequins among other beadwork. Using metal as an overall look for the dress is more 2005. 2006 has also developed new trends for using color as an accent. Color is now appearing as an accent in trains, as a strip along the neckline, as a sash or ribbon tied around the bride's waist, or as an underskirt to flash with color when the bride moves.

One last 2006 wedding dress design trend worthy of note is that for the casual 2006 wedding, skirts have gone shorter. A lace dress with a tea-length high-low hemline or even a feminine chiffon dress with a flirty tea-length pixie-like handkerchief hem would look great for a wedding on the beach.

Whatever you choose for you 2006 wedding dress, make sure it expresses the true you.