Pear shaped

How To Choose The Right Wedding Dress For Your Body Type

Many brides-to-be spend hours flipping through the pages of bridal magazines in search of the perfect wedding dress. They may find several that they fall in love with, but it could be that none of them are the right dress for the bride. The fact is that not all dresses look great on every bride.

Choosing the best wedding dress is about how the dress looks on your body. All brides even those who are very thin have to keep this in mind. Choosing a dress from a picture is just not a good idea. Instead, you must try on gowns so that you can figure out which style looks best on you. Below are some of the most common styles of wedding dresses.

Sheath

This style of wedding dress typically falls away from the body. It is best suited to brides who are tall and slender.

Empire Waist

An empire waist wedding dress features a waistline that falls just below the bust line. This dress is a good choice for a bride who does not have a large bust. For shorter brides, it can add height.

Ball Gown

This very popular style of wedding dress is what many girls think of when they picture a princess gown. It has a full skirt and is wonderful for hiding imperfections around the hips or thighs.

Mermaid

A mermaid style wedding dress is very fitted and is a good choice for those brides who want to accentuate their curves.

There are hundreds of variations within each style of wedding dress. Once you determine the shape that looks best on your body, you will be able to start your search in earnest. For example, you may have to try on a dozen ball gowns before you find the one that is right for you.

Some other tips:

Try It On

Yes, try on that wedding dress even if it is nothing like what you imagined wearing on your big day. You would be surprised at how many brides end up falling in love with a dress that is much different from what they thought they wanted.

It doesnt hurt or cost anything to just try it on, and you just might find the dress of your dreams.

Dont Settle

Just because you always wanted a wedding dress of a certain style does not mean that you should get that dress even if it does nothing to flatter your body type. Conversely, do not be talked into a wedding dress that everyone else says is great on your body if it is not really what you want.

Keep looking until you find the perfect wedding dress that both flatters your body AND lives up to the picture that you have in your mind of what your wedding dress will look like.

Choosing Your Wedding Dress

Every girl dreams of finding the perfect dress for their wedding day and many have a vision in their mind of what they picture the dress to be like.

Before going shopping be sure to determine your budget so that you stick with the gowns that you know are in a realistic price range for you and also keep in mind the season and time of year that you are getting married in. You dont want a big heavy gown if youre getting married in the hottest part of the summer.

The most important peice of advice that a bride to be can be given before she sets out to shop for her dress is to be open minded about trying on many different styles of dresses! As it is common that the dresses that many brides to be have pictured in their minds is very different then the actual wedding dress they end up wearing on the day!

When you start looking at wedding gowns, have a chat to the attendants in the bridal dress shops and query them as to which style and colour of wedding dress they would reccommend. These people generally have an idea of what dress styles suit particular body shapes and which shades of white suit particular skin tones.

Many brdes to be go looking for their perfect white wedding dress, when in fact, an ivory or latte dress is more suited to their hair and skin colour. Below is a quick guide to the different shades of white and what skin and hair colours they are best suited to;

Champagne or oyster

This wedding dress white is an off-white with pink undertones and will flatter olive or darker skinned brides with dark hair.

Diamond white or natural white

This is a soft wedding dress white, common in the more expensive fabrics such as silk. This tone of white is well suited to fairer brides.

Latte

This shade of wedding dress white is slightly darker than the champagne and oyster shades. Latte is a popular choice today with brides and the tone is perfect for tanned or darker skinned brides.

Ivory

Wedding dresses girls black dress in this shade of white have golden or yellow undertones. This shade of white suits fairer brides with honey coloured hair.

Stark white

Not suited to blonde or fair skinned girls. This shade of white is most unflattering if you are fair however looks amazing on dark skinned brides particularly hispanic brides.

Before you go shopping, get ideas from websites, magazines, and any other source that allows you to preview the various types of styles, lengths, and designs out there. Be sure to consider your body type as you make your selection for a wedding gown. You certainly want to go with a style that flatters your body type and doesnt make you feel self conscious.

Below is a guide to which styles of wedding dresses will suit different body shapes;

Hourglass

Choose a wedding dress that accentuates your waist. Gowns with a full skirt and corseted bodices that flatter the bust line are great for this shape.

Pear shaped

A-line princess dresses which balance out the bottom half to the top half and disguise fuller hips and thighs suit the pear shape best.

Petite

Simpler desses without too much fabric will make the more petite bride appear taller. Big Ball gowns, gowns that are broken up, mermaid wedding dress shapes can overwhelm someone with a smaller figure.

Tall

Ball gowns, princess line and A- line wedding dresses suit this bride. Most can carry off straight bridal dresses and mermaid dresses also. Avoid empire line dresses.

Fuller Waisted

Princess-line and drop waist wedding dresses are most flattering.

Broader Shoulder

Broader shouldered brides should avoid halter and off-the-shoulder necklines which bring attention to the shoulders, and instead try strapless and scoop necklines.

Fuller Busted

Bridal corsets will provide shape and support for this body type. Scoop neck dresses and dresses with square necklines enhance bust lines.

Fuller Arms

Off the shoulder straps or sheer fabric is flattering to the arms. Three-quarter or long sleeve are also flattering on this shape and work to elongate the arm.

Shop around and try on a variety of different gowns so you will be satisfied that when you find "the one" you have considered many different alternatives and you can be happy you have not just settled on the first dress you tried on.

Finally, enjoy the process because trying on wedding gowns can be just as much fun as wearing it for your special day. Savor the journey and be sure to remember it by taking pictures of you in the various gowns you try on along the way.