Bridal Gown come in so many lovely varieties, but they can roughly be categorized in five different silhouette. Knowing these basic wedding dress silhouette, as well as which ones are flattering to your figure is an essential prerequisite to going wedding dress shopping.
Ball Gown or Princess Silhouette
The princess or ball gown is the traditional fairy-tale dress. If you can picture Cinderella in her ball gown, then you’ve got a pretty good idea of what the ball gown looks like. The bodice of the dress is very fitted, and the skirt is full (amount of fullness varies between wedding dresses.)
Choose ball gowns if:
You are very tall
You are full figured
You have an hourglass figure
Avoid ball gowns if:
You have a small bust
You are short or petite
A-Line Silhouette Bridal Dress
The A-line wedding dress has side seams running down from the armpit all the way to the hem.
Choose A-lines bridal dress if:
You want to appear thinner
You are short-waisted
You have a pear-shaped figure
You want to hide wide hips or thighs
Avoid A-lines bridal dress if:
You have an hourglass figure
You are full-figured
Mermaid Bridal Gown (or Trumpet Gown)
Mermaid style wedding gowns are very fitted, with one exception. At the knee or slightly below, they flare out like the tail of a mermaid. They are probably the least common wedding dress choice, but the mermaid wedding dress’s refined feminine flare is perfect for brides who can pull it off.
Choose mermaid silhouette if:
You are naturally very slim
Avoid mermaid shapes if:
You want to disguise problem areas
You are short-waisted
You are pear-shaped
Empire Waist Silhouette
The Empire waist (or Grecian) is a very timeless and elegant look. Think of the dresses that the muses of folklore traditionally wear, and that’s essentially an Empire waist. The Empire wedding dress is very fitted through the shoulders and chest, with the hemline just below the bust. The skirt is fairly narrow.
Choose empire waists if:
You have wide hips
You want to look taller
You are pear-shaped
Avoid empire waists if:
You are very tall
You are full-figured
You have a large bust
Sheath Silhouette Bridal Dress (or Column Silhouette)
Column or sheath style dresses are very form-fitting from top to bottom. They are very modern and fashionable. (There is a fine line between fitting tastefully and being too tight to be appropriate for a Mormon wedding, however, so make sure to get a second opinion before buying a sheath or column wedding dress.)
Choose sheath dresses if:
You are naturally very slim
Avoid sheath dresses if:
You are full-figured
You are short-waisted
You want to hide or disguise certain areas
You are pear-shaped
