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Gowns Can Flatter Different Figure Types |
Working on the size-18 mannequin, Reflections owner Joy Salyards demonstrates the various slenderizing aspects of a gown. |
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HARRISONBURG — There comes a moment for every bride when, after sifting through the racks for what seems like hours, she strikes gold.
It might come in the form of finding just what she was looking for, or, it might come as a surprise for the blushing beauty — a cut she hadn’t considered, or embellishments she had shied away from before.
It’s inevitable she will find it, but in the sea of silk and satin on the market, narrowing the search down takes some insight. And with so many styles to choose from, knowing what works best for her body can make the all-important search a little bit easier.
A Matter Of Shape
If you’re not sure what sort of body you have, Anne Moody, of Anna-Joy’s in Harrisonburg, has some tips.
According to Moody, there are five basic body types. Some girls are long and lean, others are pear- (bigger on the bottom), apple- (round and short-waisted) or triangle-shaped (a bigger bustline with smaller hips). And then there are those who fall into the petite category.
Selecting a dress style that highlights those features you love, while hiding those features you don’t, is going to be a key element in how happy you are with your selection.
Gown cuts include the mermaid cut or sheath, which hugs curves and can make a body appear statuesque; the ballgown, which has the signature pouffy, fairytale skirt; and the A-line and modified A-line cut, which flares at the waist and may have simple, clean lines or embellishments.
“We suggest [brides] try on about five different styles of gowns and compare one against the others,” says Moody. Brides can then see how different cuts will look on their shape.
Joy Salyards, owner of Reflections in Harrisonburg, says choosing a dress to match your shape shouldn’t be hard, but it might take a bit of patience, and an open mind.
What might look good on the model in the magazine may not translate well to your own body shape, says Salyards. “An average girl is not 5-foot-6 and wearing a size 6. That’s not reality.”
Best Bets For Every Body
These bridal experts offer valuable tips for the bride searching for the perfect gown.
• Petite brides: Small girls might want to avoid the ballgown cut, or else look “like you’ve taken a doll and squished it into a cupcake,” as Salyards says. “A ballgown can be more dress than her body can handle,” Moody adds.
If the petite bride does decide she wants a ballgown, Megan Mele, manager of
Bridal Impressions in Harrisonburg, recommends choosing one with a low drop waist. “It stretches out the torso and makes her appear taller,” she says.
Petite brides might also want to avoid mermaid cut gowns, since their proportions tend to make shorter girls appear squat and compact.
Sheaths and A-lines look good on the petite bride, as they tend to elongate the body. Salyards adds that on these particular dress cuts, ruching and shirring (or the bunching and gathering of fabric) can help to add some volume and shape when used around the bustline and hips. “[Shirring] tends to increase the bust size,” says Salyards.
• Triangle-shaped brides: As Salyards explains, a bride needs to be aware of the biggest part of her body. That part is going to dictate what size she wears.
“She might wear a 10 in the bust, a 6 in the waist and an 8 in the hips,” Salyard explains, but that bride would need a size 10 to fit the biggest part of her body. As both shop-owners explain, alterations can take in the excess fabric, but letting a gown out is a lot harder.
For brides with a bigger bustline, straps are often helpful in offering the support a larger chest needs.
Mele recommends busty brides look for halter-top styles, specifically those with a square neck cut. “They will basically cover up any fullness through the top half and will offer good support,” she says.
But strapless gowns can work too, so long as they’re fitted correctly and are snug on the chest.
“The key to wearing a strapless gown is to have it fitted correctly,” says Moody.
“No bride should be pulling up her gown.”
If a bride really likes a strapless gown, but simply can’t pull it off without help, “we can usually add wide straps, halter straps or sleeves,” says Moody, adding that most strapless gowns often come with detachable straps anyway.
• Pear- and apple-shaped brides: Hiding the hips and emphasizing the waistline might be a priority for these brides, and the best way to do it is with an A-line dress or a ballgown.
“By wearing a ballgown, you’re camouflaging [the lower body],” says Salyards. Underneath the pouf of the ballgown style, and the flare of the A-line, hips are not only hidden but also not constricted, which can be more comfortable for the bride with a wider bottom half when sitting and moving about.
Also, these styles tend to define the waistline, drawing the eye to the narrower waist and making the round, apple-shaped bride appear slimmer and more defined in her mid-section.
Asymmetrical gowns also help to emphasize the waistline, while simultaneously drawing the eyes across the body. “Any girl, whether they have no waist or if they’re pear-shaped, [or are] self conscious about their body, can wear an asymmetrical gown,” says Mele. “The way the fabric comes across the front and pleats, will hide anything that’s under there.”
Sheaths and mermaid cuts might not be the best choice for very curvy brides, because of their proportions and curve-hugging cuts, but that doesn’t mean they’re out of the question.
If a bride’s body is well proportioned it doesn’t matter if she’s a size 4 or 14, says Moody. “As long as the body shape is balanced.” She cites Star Jones Reynolds’ wedding gown as an example of a flattering sheath on a larger frame.
A Perfect Fit
There are also a few tricks of the trade that can be used underneath the gown to mold the body shape and increase or decrease the emphasis on certain body parts.
Padded bras will boost a small bust, while bustiers will help to flatten a tummy and add support to the chest. The latter can also help to straighten the bride’s posture.
Gowns with a built-in corset or laces in the back also help to define the waistline and create curves. “A lot of wedding gowns and bridesmaids dresses this year have that corset lace-up back,” says Mele. “It fits everybody,” she adds, and can save on alteration costs.
However, if a bride is going to use these tricks, she should have them with her before the alterations on her gown, or risk receiving an ill-fitting final product.
“[Brides] need to go to the seamstress with all the proper undergarments and the shoes they’re planning to wear,” Salyards says. Otherwise, alterations could be inaccurate.
Purchasing these products either before or once the bride has selected her gown will help make the fitting process run smoothly, and create results that please.
And brides should know that alterations are inevitable. “Wedding gowns just have to be altered,” says Salyard.
Both she and Moody say that the instance is rare when a dress fits a bride perfectly off the hanger.
“Waistlines have been dropped, hems have been taken up and straps have been added,” says Moody, who adds it’s all a part of making the right wedding gown truly perfect.
And Mele advises brides to begin the dress search soon after the engagement. In addition to the time it takes to find the right gown, “they’ve got to know that it takes time to get them in,” she says. It can take up to five months for a gown to arrive once it’s been ordered.
“As soon as you get engaged,” says Mele. “Start planning.”
Contact Nicole Barbano at 574-6269 or skyline@dnronline.com
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