Here Comes The Bride

Now that you know your budget, you know the theme of your wedding, and hopefully have the date and location locked down, you can find your dream dress!

You've probably been pinning gowns day in and day out, adding gowns to your favorites list on your computer, you're maybe even positive what style you are going for, but don't fool yourself. It is okay to be specific on a type of fabric or fabrics you want on the gown, and you probably know what color works best with your skin, but when you go into your first try on appointment, be open to more than just one silhouette of dress.
 The models look good in pretty much all of the gowns, let's be real, but also, let's face it, we aren't all models, and even if you are, you're body isn't necessarily the same type as the model; so what you think looks best based on a picture, may not mean it's the best for you.
And it's okay to know what you hate, and know what you absolutely won't wear, but be open to the ones you just aren't sure about, once you try some on, you may surprise yourself. Trying on multiple styles will help reassure what you thought you loved and it may help you out when the style you thought was for you, didn't really look like you expected it to.

The basic Silhouettes:

Ballgown:

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This silhouette is the most formal and traditional of the silhouettes with a dramatically full skirt and a tight fitting bodice with a natural waist line, sometimes seen as a variation with a little bit of a dropped waistline or a basque waist, which comes to a point in the front. The skirt can come in many variations, from tulle to lace, with pick-ups or tiers. 

This silhouette works with a more traditional or formal wedding (the perfect princess/fairytale look) and helps to make a wider waist look smaller and hide bigger/ heavier bottom halves. 

If you're a short bride, however, this silhouette tends to make you look shorter, while it also shortens the appearance of your torso. 

A-line: 

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This silhouette features a fitted bodice and gradually flares out past the natural waist, towards the bottom, making an "A" shape, giving this silhouette it's name. It is slightly fitted through the hips. This style is also sometimes called a princess gown. The fullness of the gown can be more or less dramatic depending on the style you want to go for, giving the style the slim a-line variation and the full a-line variation. 

This style, like the ballgown de-emphasizes a wider waist, while hiding a larger bottom. It also adds feminine curves to women who have a straight figure, and helps give shorter brides the appearance of being taller. This silhouette is known as the universally figure-flattering. 

Mermaid:

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The mermaid gown hugs the curves of the body down to the knees or slightly below, where the skirt then begins to dramatically flare to the floor. Different variations of the mermaid can have the skirt more or less full/flared. This style is very glamorous, high-fashion and sexy. 

This is one of the best dresses for hourglass figures because it highlights feminine curves, while it also adds the appearance of curves to straight figured women.

If you have a straight or wide waist, the mermaid silhouette tends to show that off. It also will accentuate wide hips. 

Similar to the mermaid are the trumpet and fit-and-flare gowns. 

Trumpet gowns begin to flare about mid-thigh and fit-and-flare gowns begin to flare right below the hip. 

Sheath:

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The last main wedding gown silhouette is the sheath, it is a long, narrow, slim-fitting silhouette, and usually made with lighter weight fabrics. 

It is great for shorter  brides because the long narrow silhouette elongates your body. 

It is most flattering on slimmer and straight figures, and is not very flattering if you have a pear shaped body. They also tend to emphasize a short waist. 

When most people see a sheath gown, destination weddings come to mind. 

A variation of the sheath dress is the empire silhouette; defined by the high waistline, sitting right beneath the bust. Sometimes the skirt of the empire gown is more similar to an a-line gown than the sheath. 

This variation helps to elongate the frame as well while hiding lower body flaws and curves. It is flattering on women with a smaller bust and great for long, short, or wide torsos. It's a perfect style for pear-shaped figures and also helps to hide a baby bump. 

This style does not complement hour-glass figures though. 

Keep this in mind while you're madly pinning those wedding gowns and saving dresses to your favorites bar. 

Next time we will discuss necklines. :) 

Til then, happy planning!