Choose A Wedding Dress For Your Body Type
By Nancy Seguin
"What type of dress would look best on me?" This is a question that I get over and over again. And it is a very good question to ask. Because some body types just don't do well is certain dresses, and since you want to look as stunning as possible on your big day, you want the dress that will make you look as good as possible.
Fact: Just because a dress comes in your size, does not mean that it is going to look good on you. All women are shaped differently, and because of this there are many different types of wedding gowns. Each will make the right shaped bride look stunning, but if you pick wrong, you may be very unhappy with the results.
By knowing before you go shopping, what type of dress would be the most flattering for your body type; you can easily save yourself a lot of headaches. I have seen it time and time again. A newly engaged bride finds her dream dress in a bridal magazine. She must have it; this is THE dress for her. So she travels 120 miles to the one bridal shop in her area who sells this designer, only to try it on and absolutely hate the way it makes her look. Any dress is going to look fabulous on the modals in the magazines, but for the rest of us real people, we have to be more realistic.
Another advantage to looking into this before you shop is to try to help you narrow down your choices. There are hundreds of thousands of wedding dresses out their. Unless you have a proportionate and slender figure, at least half of these can be eliminated as options right off the bat making your shopping trips less intense and stressful.
“So what type will look best on me?”
For Slender / Short Brides: You should look for a simple style. Strait or slight A-Line style will make you look taller. Choose a gown with princess seams, that is not too full. If it is too full, it will make you look shorter. Too much beadwork or beaded lace can make you look shorter as well if it covers up the heightening princess seams.
Things to avoid: Really full or puffed sleeves. These make you look wider and that will also make you look shorter. Gathered skirts or tiered skirts, these will also make you look shorter.
For Full-Figured / Short Brides: You should look for styles that will make you figure look longer and leaner. Vertical silhouette lines like A-Line, princess and strait styles will achieve this. Do not pick a dress that is clingy or too tight. The dress should just skim the body and flow down without hugging your curves too much.
Things to avoid: You should stay away from bouffant or tiered silhouettes and very full veils. These will give the illusion of more bulk, and that is what you are trying to avoid. Stay away from large prints, even if the pattern is all one color. Heavy and shiny fabrics are also best avoided since they can make you look heavier or draw attention to curves that you may prefer to keep hidden.
Average Weight / Average Height Brides: Well, if you are reading this section then you are in luck. You are also the minority, but you are the category of women that most designers target. So you have the most options available to you. Almost anything will look good on you, especially defined waistlines like basque and gathered skirts. You will also look good in fitted styles of any type.
Full-Figured / Average Brides: You should look for silhouettes that are flowing and draw attention to your face. The princess cut, strait style and A-Line gowns will look good on your body. An empire waist is also a good choice if you have a thicker waistline that you would like to hide. Dresses that flow over the hips and do not gather too much around the waist will be the most flattering on you.
Things to Avoid: Very large or very tiny prints are not flattering for you. Heavily beaded gowns or heavy fabrics should not be used when picking your dress since these can make you look heavier. Avoid any dress that hugs or is snug around the waist or hips. These will just make you look larges and accent curves that are best not showing off. Round necklines can also make your face look rounder. You may not want this with your body type.
Full-Figured / Tall Brides: You should look for styles that will make you look more slender. A-Line, strait or princess styles all will accomplish this, especially an empire waist that will hide your waistline. This will make you look thinner and accentuate your height.
Things to avoid: Anything that adds bulk or makes you look larger should not be considered. Full skirts and veils, puffed sleeves or gathered waists will add bulk and not be your best choices. Very heavy or heavily beaded fabrics will make you look larger, and shiny fabrics could draw attention to areas that you want to keep un-notices.
Slender / Tall Brides: You are the lucky ones who look good in almost anything, just like the modals in the magazines. But if you want to look shorter or if you are very thin, there are ways to add some fullness to your figure. Dresses with features that extend past the silhouette, like tiered skirts, French bustles, ruffles and beaded laces. These will all add some fullness. Another great choice is a layered tulle skirt. Puffed sleeves and flowing fabrics that don't hug your figure too much will also make you look a little thicker and shorter.
Things to avoid: Very straight dresses or something fitted skin tight. These will make you look very thin and tall. Also steer clear of blush length veils that may look too short compared to your height.
For the Plus Sized Bride: You should look for simple designs that hide some of the bulk of your figure. Avoid anything that is overly frilly, shiny or heavily beaded. Princess seams and A-Line styles can help hide some of your natural curves. Empire waist dresses that flow from under the bust instead of the waist can make you look fabulous and hide a lot since they are not clingy.
Things to avoid: A tight fitting dress or clingy fabrics will accentuate curves that you may want to hide. Gathered skirts or full skirts can make you look bigger. Textured or printed fabrics will give the illusion of more weight, compared to a plain matte satin or luster free fabric. A full veil or long train is also not the best choice if you are trying to minimize your figure.
It doesn't matter what body type you have, there is a wedding dress out there that is perfect for you. The right dress can mean the difference between you having the perfect wedding day, and being disappointed with the way you look. If you follow these guidelines, then you should be able to make the most of your time and money when dress shopping.
Nancy Seguin is the owner of an online bridal shop named "Fairytale Endeavors Bridals". She has been selling Wedding dresses online since 2002, and loves helping brides find the perfect gown, that can easily fit into any budget, without sacrificing style or quality.
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