Dress Your Body
When you have hundreds of wedding gowns to choose from, how do you find “the one”? Experts recommend using your body type as a starting point and keeping an open mind.
“Often what a bride thinks she wants isn’t what she gets,” says Lisa Fuhrman, a bridal consultant and stylist at Kleinfeld Bridal in New York, and a cast member of Say Yes to the Dress.”
Here are some of the most common body types and the dress silhouettes that will best flatter that figure.
Petite/short
If you’re small in stature, your best silhouette is one that elongates your body.
Silhouettes that work best on petite ladies include trumpet styles, A-line sheaths, fit and flare dresses and princess cuts.
Plus
For a small-busted plus-size bride, a dress that cinches your waist will be most flattering, as would a soft A-line that flows rather than poufs out.
Busty
The number one rule: Don’t hide your bust! While a plunging neckline might be going too far, a more modest but still open V-or scoop neck or portrait neckline will flatter you the most. Try on dresses with a fitted bodice for needed support.
Small-chested
A small-busted bride can generally wear just about anything. “She can wear a halter, triangle, or a plunging V because she won’t go flying out of it like a busty bride would,” says Fuhrman.
Pear-shaped
You’re smaller on top than on the bottom, so look for gowns with diagonal draping, which creates a slimming angle and minimizes your lower half.
Slim/straight
“She can wear an unstructured sheath or flowing skirt of any fabrication,” says Fuhrman. “And she looks good in a bohemian style, halter, and a dress with an empire waist that falls and flows.”
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