Full
Skirt or Ballerina wedding dress
This is Perfect For......
If you have a slim-hipped figure and a full bust, the Full Skirt shape will
balance bottom and top perfectly, giving you a "fairytale bride" look.
This style is generally thought of as the most romantic shape.
Who must avoid this?
Avoid the Full Skirt if you are not full busted, as it will make your bust
look smaller. If you are petite, avoid this option because you will
disappear into the wedding dress! If you have wide hips, avoid the
Full Skirt because it will over emphasize them.
Empire Line wedding dress
This is Perfect For......
This is another fairytale look. Starting the waistline beneath the
bust works well for smaller busts, and the long line makes petite brides
look taller. The Empire line with an A-line skirt will also do a marvellous
job at concealing wider hips. An Empire Line with a column skirt adds
height and balances a smaller bust.
Who must avoid this?
The long line makes tall brides look taller. If you have a marvellous
figure and want to show it off, a figure-hugging dress might be preferable,
but it is difficult to find too much wrong with the Princess style, which is
probably why it is so popular.
A-Line or Princess Line wedding dress
This is Perfect For......
This is a fitted bodice shape with an A-line skirt. It hugs the waist,
so it flatters slim waistlines while making the most of the bust. If
you have wider hips, the A-Line will cover them up effectively
Who must avoid this?
If you have a fuller figure, you may choose not to have a dress which hugs
the form quite so closely. The tighter bodice will tend to draw
attention to a smaller bust.
Bias Cut wedding dress
This is Perfect For.....
If you are slim and want to look very chic, the bias cut is for you.
This is the wedding dress for the bride with the perfect figure. The
bias cut flatters tall girls, but is also complimentary for a petite figure.
The cloth of the bias cut is diagonal, giving a different fit to the Column,
described below.
Who must avoid this?
A bias-cut dress hugs the hips, so if you are fuller in the hip, avoid this
style. It will show off a perfect curvy figure, but if there are
curves where you don't want them, they'll show too!
Corset and Skirt, Separates or
Two-Piece wedding dress
This is Perfect For......
Corset and Skirt, as in this picture, should normally be indistinguishable
from a complete dress, i.e. they shouldn't part company at the waist.
A better fit can be achieved with Separates, especially if you are not stock
size. If you would like to show a bare midriff, this will look
better if it is well-toned.
Separates help break up lines if you use two different colours or
patterns, which is ideal for tall brides who want to look shorter. A
corset works well at tapering the bodice in to the waist, and is effective
if you want to emphasize your bust.
Who must avoid this?
Separates tend to emphasize the hips because of the corseting, while a gap
draws attention to the waistline, so if these are not your best features,
separates may not be for you.
Asymmetric wedding dress
This is Perfect For.....
The asymmetric design is an unusual look which on the right figure can be
particularly striking. Beautiful shoulders and arms will look their
best in this style, while the flaring skirt is good for hiding fuller hips.
Who must avoid this?
Beautiful asymmetric strap designs will distract from square shoulders, but
there is a danger that bringing the eye to the unusual diagonal look will
emphasize the shoulders too.
Column wedding dress
This is Perfect For...
Like the bias cut but with a straight weft and vertical seams, the Column
dress hugs the figure and looks great on tall, willowy women. This is the
one to give you that catwalk look! The unbroken line will also work
well for a more petite figure.
Who must avoid this?
The Column shape sits quite close to the body, so if you have fuller hips,
this will tend to emphasize them.
