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Perfect Fit

Finding the right wedding gown can quickly go from fun to daunting. The best approach is a figurative one.

THE QUESTION HAS BEEN POPPED. You have the ring on your finger, the date in the books, but no idea how to find the perfect dress. Navigating vast waters like Amerigo Vespucci may seem like a cakewalk compared to finding the right dress for your body type. But if you’re equipped with a few tricks from the experts, gown shopping can go from wading through rough waters to smooth sailing.

Hourglass

You’ve got curves in all the right places, but you don’t want to look like a porn star at the altar. The idea is to stay away from dresses that cling. Satin, chiffon and other thin fabrics are winners. Rebecca Martinez, manager of Here Comes the Bride in Mission Valley, says the hourglass bride looks wonderful in charmeuse. Designer Elena Ham, the mastermind behind Va Lena Valentina Couture, suggests diagonal, asymmetrical lines with ample pleats on the bodice and angular draping.

Chér W. Roesch, owner of Chez Bride Moderne, has a completely different take. “I have heard that a curvy girl should steer away from a form-fitting mermaid silhouette, yet I have seen the curviest bride beyond gorgeous in a nothing-but-curves satin mermaid gown,” she says. “If a dress is The Dress, you love it and you love the way it makes you feel and the way it makes you look…then it is the dress you should wear on your wedding day.” If you fall in this category, try Flora by Ines Di Santo, or Monet by Ulla-Maija.

Full-Figured

When the great poet William Cowper penned, “Variety's the very spice of life,” he might as well have been referring to the human form. Not every woman is shaped liked the Days of Our Lives hourglass, and there exists a trick or two for finding a dress that flows flatteringly.

“The key is really not [wearing a dress that’s] too tight,” says Michele Martin, owner of M bride in La Jolla. “Tight looks bad; it doesn’t matter if you’re a size 2 or a size 22.” Martin suggests staying away from cap sleeves and skirts with too much poof. She says A-lines typically look beautiful on a full-figured bride and there’s no reason to avoid the trumpet style if your bust and hips are proportioned. Try West by Ines di Santo, or Tara Keely’s style 2953 or 2954.

Pear-Shaped

Your hips may be one of the sexiest parts of your body, but they’re not the only thing you want guests to see as you walk down the aisle. The trick is to minimize hips while accentuating the bust. According to Martin, A-line and fuller dresses accomplish this, while mermaid-cut dresses widen the hips.

“There really aren’t as many rules,” says Ham, who adds that even a bias cut, which clings to the hips, could work so long as it has more of a flare at the bottom. “A lot of times, brides think the A-line is more forgiving,” she says. “I would agree, but for me, personally, a lot of times the A-line dress hides the bride.”

Instead, she recommends fit to flare, which gently hugs the body through the waist and high hip, flaring after the middle or bottom of the hip. Ruching in silk taffeta can also minimize the hip area, and according to Martinez, asymmetrical ruching creates the illusion of a smaller waistline. She also suggests a sweetheart neckline for smaller busts. If you are pear-shaped, try Audra by Ulla-Maija, or MacClaine by Ines di Santo.

Fuller on Top

Keeping abreast of fashion trends is one thing, but finding a dress to perfectly accentuate, not exaggerate, your chest is another matter altogether. If your shoulders or bust are larger than your hips, experts say the trick is to think non-linearly.

Sweetheart or scooped necklines lengthen the neck and minimize the bust. The right detailing can also pull attention downward, while a long necklace can work to elongate your neck.
Additionally, “if you’re narrow through the hips, you want to go with a little fuller bottom,” advises Martin. Look for styles that elongate your lower half, but avoid fuller skirts. A-line, mermaid and trumpet are ideal. If you are fuller on top, try Anouk by Ulla-Maija, or Tara Keely’s style 2951, 2952 or 2955.

Tall and Lean

For this particular frame, keeping your options open is perfectly acceptable. “This body type is very forgiving,” says Ham, who adds that the tall and lean bride can wear just about any style.

Martin agrees, but acknowledges that getting those unpronounced curves to appear at the altar warrants a few tricks of the trade. “If you’re too lean, you want something that creates a shape on your body,” she says.

For example, try a mermaid cut, ball gown or a dress with ruching that cuts at a diagonal. One-shoulder dresses are a good option for brides with longer necks. Brides with ample space between the shoulder and center of bust should stay away from strapless dresses, which may appear to fall off the body. The curve-inducing bias cut is another good option. Try Monet by Ulla-Maija, or Cora or Eden by Elizabeth Fillmore Bridal. 

 

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