There are wedding dresses on the market in every size and shape you can think of. In order to feel wonderful on this big day, it’s important to choose a dress that suits you and flatters your figure. The right dress can do wonders. Your best parts will be accentuated and the parts you don’t like will be covered up. When you are looking for a wedding dress it’s good to determine your body type and learn how to dress to it. For every body shape is a dress that makes you look great on the wedding day. As it should, of course.
Determining your body type
We can divide body types into five categories. Below you could check with which type you have the most similarities.
- Apple shape: women with an apple figure are often in proportion. They have a protruding tummy and round hips. Most of the time they don’t have a defined waist. As an apple-shaped woman, you probably have fantastic legs and breasts.
- Pear shape: the pear-shaped figure is the most common body shape in women. They carry most fat around their hips, buttocks and thighs. This means that you probably have beautiful collar bones and a flat stomach.
- Triangle shape: a triangle figure can be recognized by a wider top half of the body, wide back, narrow hips and subtle waist.
- Hourglass shape: women with an hourglass figure have large breasts and hips and a relatively narrow waist. Hugely sexy and feminine.
- Rectangle shape: the rectangle body shape is straight on all sides. They don’t necessarily have a narrow waist or wide hips, although they often have larger breasts.
After determining your body shape, it’s time to see how this affects the choice of the dress. The following rules generally apply to your body shape:
Apple
- Avoid short jackets and wide skirts.
- A dress with an A-line fits apple figures the best. The A-line falls tight around the narrowest part of your waist and flattens your tummy. The skirt is wide enough to create an A-shape. This draws the attention away from your belly. Enhance this effect by wearing a strapless dress or a dress with a lace V-neck.
Pear
- Avoid tight pants or skirts.
- Wear decorated tops in bright colors to remove the attention from your hips and buttocks. You could combine this with a flat bottom. The A-line dress works well with this shape. The A-line emphasizes your narrow top while obscuring your wide hips. A prom dress is also a good option because the full skirt covers the widest part of your body. A strapless, halter or V-neck top works well with this body shape.
Triangle
- Avoid shoulder pads, puff sleeves and halter tops.
- Choose a dress with a wide hem like an A-line or prom dress. These dresses will provide some volume in your narrow waist. A lower neck, such as a U-shape or V-shape, makes your upper body appear smaller. Wear a belt and choose a decorated bottom to give it a more balanced look.
Hourglass
- Avoid wide tops.
- You are a lucky person: most forms will fit your body. A mermaid dress will bring out your curves the best. It has a tight top and a skirt that reaches the ground from your knees.
- Choose a top with an asymmetrical sleeve that falls of one shoulder or go for a strapless dress.
Rectangle
- Avoid dresses, pants and skirts that have a lower hemline around your waist or hips. This creates the illusion that you have a longer upper body.
- This shape needs some help at the waist. A prom dress or A-line dress with a corset and a full skirt will work good. A colored sash around your waist is a good option to create curves that your body doesn’t naturally have of itself. Try a mermaid dress because of its flared skirt. The skirt creates the illusion of an hourglass. Also go for a strapless dress.
Physical features to keep in mind
- Do you have a tall and very slim figure? A dress without a waist is a good choice for you. This draws the attention to your beautiful body shape. Go for little decoration and choose a strapless dress to make your shoulders appear less wide.
- If you aren’t tall, a dress with a high waist is a good choice. Your legs will seem longer. Make sure you don’t choose a full skirt because that doesn’t suit your height. A strapless dress and a halter top will definitely suit youThis will make you seem longer.
- If you have large breasts, you can certainly show a bit of cleavage. Just try something that doesn’t show too much. A square neck or V-neck will do good. Compliment your look by choosing a full skirt.
- Are you a curvy woman? Go for a mermaid dress. Formless dresses are terrible with your body shape. Something with a high waist fits well with you because your belly and hips are covered. Choose satin instead of loose material and avoid strapless tops and choose a V-neck.
- Are you pregnant during the big day? Choose a dress that is wider under your breasts to cover up your tummy. This also ensures that you feel more comfortable.
- Do you have small breasts? Don’t go for a strapless dress. Choose a decorated halter top that gives volume to your bust. A good bra can make them look bigger. An A-line dress will fit you well.
Dress analysis
The A-line dress
This dress is named after its shape: the capital ‘A’. The dress is tight around the breasts and then gradually gets wider from there. This is a classic dress that suits every occasion. The dress will attract attention and flatters your waist. Smaller women can take advantage of this dress because it creates the illusion that you are taller. This form is also perfect for women with curves. It draws the attention away from wider hips. This dress is not suitable for women with a wider waist, because it will emphasizes this part of the body.
Prom dress
The prom dress, also called the ball gown, is a real classic. Didn’t we all dream of a wedding in a beautiful lace ball gown? This dress is known for its tight fit around the upper body and a full skirt. It’s a good choice for longer brides who want to emphasize their height. The prom dress is also suitable for women who want to hide their hips. The dress is perfect for more curvaceous women. Especially form women with a larger behind, like the pear-shaped women. Do you have a fuller upper body? Avoid the dress. The prom dress is also not a good choice for extremely small and slender women. You don’t want to look like you’re drowning in your dress!
The empire dress
This dress has a high waist that reaches just under the breasts and it has a wide skirt. This dress is just like the A-line: very versatile because the height of the waist can be adjusted. The dress is recommended for women with smaller breasts and a narrow figure. It’s also a perfect choice for women who prefer not to focus on their wide waist. For fuller brides, this is a less good choice. Because of this shape they seem heavier.
The mermaid dress
This dress can do a lot of good for your body. The mermaid dress is tight from your breasts to your knees and then continues on wider to your toes. Perfect for the bride who is proud of her curves. Be careful: moving isn’t easy in this dress. Try a few dance moves in the dress before you definitely settle on it. This dress fits perfectly with an hourglass figure. For women with a fuller body, this is a less good choice. There is a high probability you will feel uncomfortable in it.
The trumpet dress
The trumpet dress is almost identical to the mermaid dress. The only difference is that the dress is wider from the middle of the thigh onwards. This dress also fits best with hourglass figures, because it closely encloses your curves. The dress is also tricky to walk and dance with. Especially if you have big legs.
The tailored dress
This dress is characterized by the waist that starts low. This dress suits all body shapes. It creates the illusion of a narrow waist and hips and a longer torso. This is useful when you’re going for a more well-rounded shape.
Extra tips
- Check in advance how the material falls
- Check how your waist feels
- Make sure the dress fits well around your breasts
- Check if there are any creases or bumps in the dress while you move.
- Make sure all decorations are secure
- View yourself in the dress from all angles and not just from the front. If you see something that you don’t like, say it. The dressmaker can probably tell you what needs to be done to solve the problem. The guide below can help you make the selection of dresses smaller.
To make it less noticeable that you are long:
If you are tall, a big belt is a good choice. Ruffles around the dress can also help. A low neckline is a good idea. Hats or a large veil are effective.
To appear longer:
A dress with a high neck makes you look longer. A dress with no or short sleeves will also give you that effect. Make sure you don’t disappear into your dress. You wear the dress, the dress doesn’t wear you.
For more curves:
Choose a heavier material such as velvet or satin. A filled upper body with narrow sleeves also works well.
To look slimmer:
A high waist, for example an A-line, makes you appear slimmer. A classic trick that always works: wear vertical stripes. Stay away from lace, ruffles and puff sleeves. Larger brides shouldn’t opt for dresses that fit tightly around their bodies. Choose light fabrics.
If you want to make big breasts look smaller:
A V-neck is ideal. A straight skirt directs attention to your legs instead of your breasts.
To make your hips look smaller:
Wide hips are easy to cover with a ball gown or a wide skirt. Draw attention to your upper body and waist by choosing a decoration there, such as lace.
For small and slim brides:
You will drown in a big ball gown. You can still try it. This gives you more affinity with what you want and what you don’t want.
For pear-shaped brides:
A strapless ball gown covers your lower body and emphasizes your strongest point: the upper body.