Wedding Dress Styles

YOUR GUIDE TO BRIDAL GOWN SILHOUETTES

Shopping for a wedding dress is an exciting experience but it can also be daunting as well. With so many spectacular styles to choose from, you want to be absolutely certain that you select a dress that is perfect for you. An easy way to reduce the burden of choice is to decide on a particular dress silhouette. Choosing the correct dress style helps to accentuate the best features of your body while minimising or concealing any facets of yourself that you feel less fond of.

Listed below, is a compilation of the most popular wedding dress styles you’re likely to come across on your quest to finding the ultimate wedding gown.

A-LINE

True to its name, the A-Line is tapered at the top, near the rib cage and expands outwards along the length of the body in a fluid and outstretched fashion. Out of all the wedding dress styles, this is seen as the most compatible, allowing women of all shapes and sizes to look fabulous while wearing it. Along with the conventional A-Line, there is also an altered version, which is a blend of the traditional and the mermaid style dress, which you will see further down.

The modified version is more spacious around the hip area than a typical mermaid silhouette, but still wide at the bottom, giving the dress a sense of liveliness as you move. The modified A is a great choice for brides-to-be who desire more body than a regular A-line and greater flexibility than a mermaid silhouette.

BALL GOWN

A classic ladylike style, renowned for its abundant skirt and tailor-made bodice, the ball gown silhouette flatters those with a less defined figure as it helps to create the appearance of more pronounced bodily contours. The ball gown is ideal for women who have narrow hips and a fuller chest as well, as the gown creates a perfect harmony between top and bottom. Taller brides also benefit from this style, as the ample gown creates a truly grand spectacle.

EMPIRE

With a waistline that begins just below the bust, the Empire silhouette is an excellent choice for those with a smaller chest and the elongated line helps to create the illusion of height for more diminutive brides. The long, loose-fitting gown of the Empire dress is also ideal for brides who possess a larger midsection.

MERMAID

Like the mythical mermaids of folklore, whose scales closely clasp the contours of their beautiful bodies, the mermaid silhouette features a close-fitting gown that emphasises the bride’s natural curve lines before expanding outwards at the knee. This style is a fabulous look for those who wish to showcase their curvaceous figures.

SHEATH

Also known as the column style, the sheath silhouette smoothly glides over the contours of the body from top to bottom and looks particularly stunning on brides who are tall and delicate with a gorgeous figure. The continuous line also looks great on small and slimmer brides. Similar to the mermaid, the sheath style is close-fitting so it has a tendency to accentuate the hips.