Choosing the right Wedding dress for your body type

The Brides dress is such an exciting part of any Wedding day, often becoming a talking point for guests as they anticipate what the dress will look like and how much they love it once they have had the all-important glimpse as the beautiful Bride makes her way down the aisle.

Many Brides relish in the opportunity to show off their individual fashion sense and know exactly what style and shape of dress they want, whereas others may find the whole process a little overwhelming.

To help you decide on what is the best choice for you and you your body shape, I have provided some guidance below, advise which I would give to any of my Brides as part of my Wedding planning service. It is important that as a Bride you feel beautiful, with a dress that suits your height, figure and personality.

Broad Shoulders: Avoid strapless. A strapless dress will accentuate your shoulders and make you look masculine.

Disguising the hips: Avoid dresses that put too much volume in this area like Tulle and bulky fabrics. You might want to consider a dress that falls limply I.e. lace, silk, wild silk and satin.

Curvy Figure: A figure hugging dress follows the body contours and accentuates a curvy figure. These dresses are usually fitted to the knee before flaring out. Its an ideal shape for hourglass and rectangular figures but not recommended for women of small stature.

So, what dress does your body shape suit? INVERTED TRIANGLE SHAPE Shoulders wider than the hips and sometimes the bust is also large. To bring more proportion, you want to try to minimise your upper torso and create more curves and volume around your hips.

Do

• Wear jackets at hip length

• Choose narrow V shaped necklines

• Choose a dress that nips in at the waist (defining the hips)

Avoid

• Shoulder pads / dresses with prominent shoulders

• Wrap or overlapped at the top styles

• Short necklaces (unless you have a long slim neck)

• Dresses that highlight shoulders

• Narrow and Halter neck tops

HOURGLASS SHAPE Shoulder width is the same proportion as the hips and a defined waist. Brides with this shape are lucky and can wear most styles.

Do

• Emphasise the waist

• Wear figure hugging clothes

• Wear lingerie that creates smooth curves.

• Opt for a 40’s, 50’s or 60’s style dress

Avoid

• Dresses that make your hips look wider

OVAL SHAPE Rounded stomach and generally around the central area. To create a more slender streamlined look and hide the tummy:

Do:

• Stick to straight lines, more so if you do not have a defined waist.

• Consider a V neck – they are very slimming for an oval body type

• Opt for an empire lined dress, which pulls in below the bust.

• Wear heels to give height

• Accessorise – take time working out which accessories look best and keep you in proportion.

Avoid:

• Wearing a jacket that squeezes the torso

RECTANGULAR SHAPE Small torso, buttocks and bust, and a waist that’s not so defined. You want to create curves with the dress and the accessories.

Do:

• Choose lingerie that create curves

• Consider a dress with a defined waist and soft feminine lines

• Opt for big round accessories

• Wear a dress with a rounded or V shaped neckline

Avoid

• Dresses with square necks

TRIANGULAR SHAPE Narrow shoulders and wider hips. The aim is to hide your hip area and draw attention up to your face. Do:

• Look for a dress with more detail, drawing attention upwards

• If wearing a jacket, ensure it is structured and defines the torso

• Opt for accessories in the upper region of your body and face

• Consider a dress with an A line shape at the bottom

Avoid:

• A dress which carries a skin tight bottom half – they tend to make the hips look bigger

This advice is a good start to understanding what will and wont suit your body type, but the most important factor to take into account, is how you feel. If you feel beautiful then you look beautiful and will glow like any bride should on your big day. For more information on my services, visit my facebook page www.facebook.com/RDBrookes.events