When it comes to body shapes and sizes, most of us know our own all too well, but reading certain ‘guides’ and listening to Trinny & Suzanna hasn’t left us any wiser about where we fit in the world of ‘the main body types’. For all intents and purposes, there are five ‘general’ terminologies for body shapes: Apple, pear, straight (‘banana’), hourglass, ‘v’ shape or inverted triangle… But as most of us women know, you can’t squeeze us into any single one of them. With that in mind let us start this piece off with a little disclaimer: this article is intended as a mini guide to wedding dress shopping for particular shapes according to general guidelines for dressing, and we’ve added in a few more body types to try to cover some more shapes and sizes. Now, anyone who reads the weddingsonline blog regularly will know that we’re of the ‘wear whatever you want and feel comfortable in and you’ll look drop dead gorge in it’ thought camp and have no intentions of telling someone they should cover their arms or hitch up their hemline or don some crippling heels to make them look good. What this feature is doing is merely presenting some of the gowns and guidelines we think some brides would like to have under their belt before they embark on shopping for the dress of their dreams. All we ever really ask brides is, whatever they wear, to wear it with a smile and everything else will fall right into place.
Hourglass Figured Brides (see main image)
Hourglass ladies are often the envy of women everywhere and your shapely figure is going to love slipping itself into some of the most beautiful wedding dresses currently on offer. Hourglass figure brides-to-be can choose any one of their fabulous assets to accentuate – a sweetheart or v-neckline to show off the chest, a beautiful beaded belt to accentuate the waist.
We love this ‘Charade‘ ballgown from Monique Lhuillier (left) with its sweetheart neckline and wrapped tulle bodice to show off the waist at its best without being too obvious. Alternatively, you can go for the the va va voom of a slinky fit-and-flare mermaid style gown, which hugs every curve and celebrates your body in all the right places. Monique Lhuillier’s 2014 collection and 2013 collection showcases many beautiful fit-and-flare or fishtail gowns (a fishtail being for the more daring curvy lady) but we’ve chosen this high impact fit-and-flare rouched gown from Mori Lee’s Julietta collection (right) to show just how much you can embrace your hourglass curves on your big day!
Petite Brides
The regular advice many petite brides will come across on their wedding dress quest is to stick to empire line gowns which will elongate the torso and create the illusion of height. Petite brides may even feel that they should stay away from princess style gowns for fear of drowning in them, but we beg to differ – the idea is to stay clear of big ballgowns, a-line and princess styles are still a-ok for petite, traditional-loving brides.
We love this Temperley Bridal (left) take on the short, princess style wedding gown, which uses a graduated hem to add volume and depth, and we think it’s ideal for petite brides! Many petite brides will be well-adversed in the art of walking in heels, so why not wear a tea length or graduated hem with a pair of killer colourful heels to elongate your legs on the big day itself? Another great option for petite brides is the Grecian style gown so popular nowadays at weddings. We love this ‘Athena’ gown by Elizabeth Fillmore, which uses softly draped fabric to elongate the body with it’s sheer, unbroken lines. The incredible beading on the waist and shoulders isn’t bad either.
See our top 10 tea length and ballet length wedding dresses here!
Plus Size Brides
Before heading out to find the dress of their dreams, many plus size brides may be feeling a little apprehensive reading forum posts or blogs about how disappointing wedding dress shopping can be for a full figure bride. If you’re dreading walking into a bridal shop for fear that the shop owner will have you trying on size eights and asking you to ‘imagine what they’ll be like once their altered’ please read our guide to the best designers and bridal shops for plus size brides in Ireland first!
This fabulous A-line lace and tulle gown from the Mori Lee Julietta collection (left) is one of our top picks for the full figure bride. An illusion neckline creates a perfect frame and just the right amount of coverage for girls blessed with a bigger bust. A corseted bodice accentuates the bust and waist in all the right places, while the cascading lace on tulle skirt elongates the body. Illusion sleeves and long sleeve wedding dresses are a huge trend for 2014, and this lace and tulle gown from Callista (right) is perfect for those who prefer to have their arms covered in a more unassuming way. The shape of this gown is similar to the Mori Lee, but shows a little more neckline creating a beautiful frame.
Tall Brides
Girls that stand at around 5’9 or 5’10 are in luck when it comes to purchasing a wedding dress – particularly designer wedding dresses which often are given plenty of extra length to play around with. However, if you are standing statuesque at over six foot, you may find yourself running into the same problems you had finding that first elusive perfect pair of jeans at the age of 16.
Tall brides look incredible in simple column style gowns like this gorgeous Cymbeline gown (left). These gowns use draping to create movement, and are usually better for taller brides than their fussy counterparts. Tall brides are generally advised to stay away from ruffles or pleats, which can overwhelm the frame. A mermaid style gown is another great option, like this Monique Lhuillier lace fit and flare dress (right). The trick is to make sure your bridal shop knows you want your full length dress to be just that – and not to stop short at your ankles (bring in a pair of heels of the height you wish to wear on the day to emphasise the point!)
Apple Shaped Brides
Apple shaped women tend to carry their weight above their waist, therefore a dress that cinches in at the waist before flaring out into an A-line or empire line is the best shape to go for. A line just under the bust will create a longer body while ‘skirting over’ the tummy, the area most apple shaped women prefer to play down. Strapless sweetheart or low v-necklines will draw attention to the upper part of the body, accentuating the bust and creating a feminine shape.
Our hearts are all aflutter with the soft tulle empire line ‘Ojeda’ from Pronovias (left) with features a sweetheart neckline covered with ivory feathers and silver and pearl gemstone embroidery below the bust. Another option for apple brides is to create a waistline with colour, such as with this beautiful lace Claire Pettibone gown which features a sweet, colourful floral embellished belt and empire-line lace skirt.
Athletic Shaped Brides/Small Bust
Straight, athletic, small busted, whatever you like to call this shape, it is probably one of the easiest shapes to dress for 2014 weddings. Particularly for boho brides, the launch of Temperley London’s new bridal range, and the popularity of Jenny Packham and Claire Pettibone’s Gatsby style creations mean you won’t have to look far to find something that flatters your shape.
The good news is that you can wear a low v-neck without worrying about offending the Priest, and the even better news is that if cleavage isn’t your bag, you can go for a super on-trend high neck and a daring low back. We love this deep v-neck A-line gown by Jenny Packham (left) which has the most delicate lace insert on the bust to complement its soft lace capped sleeves. If the boho look isn’t for you however, something like this 50s princess style boldly belted Stephanie Allin gown (right) may just be the ticket. A statement belted waist draws attention to the centre of the body, while the box pleats provide extra ‘oomph’ to the look.
