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The Beginner Brides Wedding Dress Silhouette Breakdown
- Georgia L
- Apr 10, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 5
Wedding dress shopping can be daunting for newly engaged brides to be. It can feel like a whole new world as its not every day we have extravagant events to attend, where we search for such glamorous gowns.
Understanding the common wedding dress silhouettes during your research/ browsing stage, is going to ease you into the process.
This way you can pin point your most desired styles and be able to narrow down your search when it’s time to buy.
However, note that experts do say to be open to multiple silhouettes, as you may not feel the same way about your desired style once on and that another fit may accentuate your shape and figure best.
A-Line
Silhouette: The A-Line silhouette is characterized by a fitted bodice that gradually flares out from the natural waist line to the hem, creating a shape that that resembles the letter "A" when viewed from the front.
This classic and universally flattering style gently skims the body without being too tight or too voluminous. Making it versatile to suit various body types, offering a balance between elegance and simplicity. The A-line silhouette is often enhanced with lace, beading, or other embellishments, and can be paired with a variety of necklines and sleeve lengths to achieve the desired look, making it a popular choice among brides for its timeless appeal.
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Empire
Silhouette: The Empire wedding dress features a high waistline that sits just below the bust, creating a long, flowing skirt that skims over the hips and falls gracefully to the floor.
This style is often accompanied by a slim and flattering bodice, which accentuates the bust and elongates the overall silhouette making you appear taller. The Empire silhouette is known for its timeless elegance and romantic appeal, making it a popular choice for brides seeking a classic look on their special day.
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Ball Gown
Silhouette: Characterized by its fitted bodice and voluminous, full skirt that billows out from the waist, typically made with layers of tulle, organza, or satin. The skirt's volume is often achieved with the help of petticoats or hoop skirts, giving the bride a princess-like appearance.
The ball gown wedding dress silhouette is the epitome of classic romance and regal elegance. This silhouette creates a striking and dramatic look. This timeless style is perfect for brides seeking a fairytale-worthy princess gown for their special day
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Mermaid
Silhouette: Mermaid style gowns have a fitted bodice that hugs the torso and flares out dramatically at the knees or slightly below, resembling the shape of a mermaid's tail.
This style accentuates curves and creates a glamorous, sleek look. The skirt typically features layers of fabric, such as tulle or satin, to enhance volume and movement, adding a touch of elegance and sophistication to the overall design. The mermaid silhouette is a popular choice for brides who desire a show-stopping gown.
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Trumpet
Silhouette: This silhouette mimics the bell of a trumpet horn with a fitted bodice through the waist and hips, flaring out subtly around the knee level.
This style accentuates curves and creates a flattering, elegant silhouette, similar to a mermaid silhouette but with a softer flare. The trumpet silhouette typically allows for ease of movement while still maintaining a touch of drama, making it a popular choice for brides who want a combination of sophistication and romance on their wedding day.
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Fit and Flare
Silhouette: Typically features a fitted bodice that hugs the torso and flares out gradually from either below the hips or mid-thigh, creating a flattering silhouette reminiscent of an hourglass shape.
This silhouette is known for accentuating curves while allowing for ease of movement, making it a popular choice for brides who want a blend of elegance and comfort. The fit and flare style can vary in the degree of flare, ranging from subtle to dramatic, offering options to suit different preferences and wedding themes. Overall, it's a versatile and timeless choice for brides seeking a romantic and feminine look on their special day.
Often mistaken for a mermaid or trumpet silhouette, here is the easiest way to differentiate between the three.
Mermaid: Flare at knee level – Dramatic and voluminous
Trumpet: Flare at knee level – Soft and subtle
Fit and Flare: Flare from below hips or mid-thigh – Either subtle or dramatic flare.
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Slip
Silhouette: The slip’s sleek and minimalist design features an airy fitted bodice that flows seamlessly into a slim, straight skirt, often with a slight flare or train at the hem.
The dress typically has thin spaghetti straps or delicate straps, adding to its elegant and understated appeal. Known for its simplicity, showcasing the natural curves of the body while exuding timeless sophistication. It's a popular choice for modern brides seeking a chic and effortless look on their wedding day.
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Sheath/ Column
Silhouette: Both the Sheath and Colum are known for its slim, straight shape that follows the natural curves of the body from the neckline to the hem. This style typically features a fitted bodice and a skirt that flows smoothly down without much flare or volume. Often partnered with a split in the skirt for movement.
There is much confusion on how to determine the difference between the two silhouettes as they seem identical to the eye in many ways.
However, the main difference is simply the fabric or material used for the dress.
A sheath dress is commonly made from softer, lighter and more flowing materials such as matte crepe or a light beaded lace.
Columns are usually made with thicker and sturdier materials such as taffeta, beaded satin or heavy lace to keep their structure.
Both silhouette creates a sleek and elegant look, accentuating the figure without overwhelming it. It's a popular choice for modern and minimalist brides who prefer a clean and understated aesthetic. This silhouette works well for various wedding styles, from casual beach ceremonies to formal evening affairs.
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Tea Length
Silhouette: A tea-length wedding dress silhouette typically features a skirt that falls between the knee and the ankle, usually hitting around mid-calf length.
This silhouette is known for its vintage charm and timeless elegance. The bodice can vary in style, from fitted to more relaxed, and the skirt often has a flared or A-line shape, allowing for ease of movement and a flattering silhouette. Tea-length dresses are often chosen for more casual or outdoor weddings, but they can also suit a variety of wedding themes, from classic to retro-inspired.
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High Low
Silhouette: This silhouette combines elements of both a traditional long gown and a shorter hemline. Typically, the front of the dress is cut at or just above the knee, while the back flows into a longer train.
High low creates a dramatic and elegant contrast in length. This style allows brides to showcase their legs while still enjoying the glamour of a traditional bridal gown. The High Low silhouette is perfect for brides seeking a modern and playful twist on a classic look, ideal for outdoor or beach weddings where movability is desired without sacrificing style. This style is also a big hit for those brides that want a fun second dress for their evening do.
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Mini
Silhouette: A mini wedding dress typically features a shorter hemline that falls above the knee, emphasising the legs.
This makes it perfect for brides who want a more casual, playful, or non-traditional look for their wedding day. This silhouette can range from simple and sleek to flirty and embellished with lace, beading, or other decorative elements. It can also come with a variety of skirt flares to create either a sleek or voluminous shape. Mini wedding dresses are popular for outdoor or destination weddings, as well as for brides who want to dance and move freely without the restriction of a longer gown.
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Happy hunting...
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