Dress Styles and Tips

Baby Doll

A baby doll is a shorter version of an empire line, and is in a similar style to a short nightgown or negligee. It is often trimmed with lace, bows, ruffles and ribbons, according to Iamfashion.com’s “Baby Doll or Empire Waist?”

This dress typically has a sweetheart or straight neckline. A scoop neck will counterbalance sleeves and is flattering for bigger-busted women. Due to the short-length, skyscraper legs are a prerequisite to carry off this style well. For those lacking in this department then it is possible to lengthen the leg with high heels and platform shoes.

Empire Line

A very flattering dress for almost any figure as the waistline is raised above the natural waist, which also may fall right below the bust. Good for shorter, petite figures and those with big tums as the empire dress creates the illusion of length and skims the body, camouflaging wide hips or a thick waist.

The baby doll and the empire-line dress are not mutually exclusive, but the empire had a more feminine/mature bust and can also be full-length.The high waist is usually complemented with a deep V-neckline, rather than the more babyish round-neck.

Flapper

Beads, fringes and ruffles give a new twist to the vintage dresses of the 1920s. Figure-friendly for most, as they fall straight, skimming the body. Flapper dresses are sleeveless by tradition, often with drop-waists. Teem it with a flapper headband, red-hot this season.

Kaftan (or Caftan)

The kaftan is the universal cover-up on the beach. Long or short sleeved it has re-emerged as a fashion icon, "swamping the sarong and overpowering the pareo to become the mainstay of the holiday wardrobe." says fashionolic.blogspot.com. It can also be worn as a tunic top over skinny jeans or a full length glamorous gown for evening wear.

Mini

This covers a wide range of styles but basically denotes a short dress, above the knee. 2008 sees a real contrast of styles are both the mini and the maxi vie for a place on the copy-catwalks of the high-street. Pair a mini dress with wedges or flats.
More mature women should balance out the shortness of the dress by wearing it with leggings or pants. Younger ones can wear it with coloured opaque tights, one of the fashion must-haves this season.

Maxi

A figure-friendly dress-style for all shapes and sizes. Floaty and feminine, covering hips, tums and bums. Avoid volumnous skirts if you are petite and wear a maxi with platform shoes or wedges to lengthen the silhouette.

Shift

This timeless classic is one of the most versatile dress styles. Tailored enough for business and sexy enough for eveningwear. A sophisticated classic black shift is the all time little black dress. Very Audrey Hepburn.
Bigger-busted women should avoid a high neck, and go for a lower, wider neck to break up the line between neck and bust, "preventing them looking like an extension of the chin”, say Trinny and Susannah, in their book What Not To Wear:The Rules (Weidenfeld Nicolson Illustrated, June 2004)

Sheath

A sheath dress is a variation on the shift, often with a deep V-neckline. It usually has a defined waist and a figure-hugging silhouette. It may have darts or curve slightly inward at the waist and is often in a lightweight fabric such as silk or cotton.
Good for curvy figures, “This short (mid-calf or shorter) dress works well in sleeveless styles on well-toned bodies” says Cynthis Nellis of about.com in “Definition of a Sheath dress.”

Smock

This figure-friendly smock style will cover all manner or lumps and bumps. Once the domain of pregnant women, if you don’t want to look as if you are expecting then “go for a light, fluid fabric that doesn’t add bulk to your shape”, recommends Shop Til You Drop, December 2007 edition in their feature,“Smock Value”.
Balance out this short dress with platform shoes and chunky heels. Older women can still get away with this style if they teem it with leggings or jeans. Avoid frilly, voluminous puffy and leg-of-mutton type sleeves if you are more mature, to lessen the "baby doll" effect.

Tea Dress

Traditionally worn by ladies who took afternoon tea, the classic floral print tea dress suits almost any figure. Calf-length and floaty, it can hide numerous lumps and bumps.

Toga

Also known as the goddess dress, the toga brings femininity back into fashion. Worn as a mini, knee length or maxi, this Greco-Roman trend is one of the view dress trends which really flatters older women. Evening wear favors one shoulder, flowing styles, favored by such celebrities as Kate Blanchette or Katie Holmes.

Trapeze

Also known as a tent or sack, this is a dress that's shaped like a trapezoid with the cut jutting out and away from the body.
To qualify as a trapeze dress the cut must be above the knee and have no waistline, with the skirt taking on an A-line shape. To carry off this style you need to be more of an average frame than petite. To balance out the full skirt make sure the shoulders are a good fit and a banded neckline can add definition.

Wrap-over

An extremely versatile and timeless style which flatters more curvy women rather than boyish shapes. The wrap dress crosses over underneath the bust, with the skirt falling gently below, whittling down the waist and camouflaging the stomach.
The wrap dress usually has cross over ties which can be adjusted to suit the different bust sizes, making it figure-friendly for big busted women as it lifts and separates the bust, avoiding what Trinny and Susannah refer to as the “uniboob” look!

Choosing a Wedding Dress Shape

In a way wedding dresses are like any other items of clothing - some will suit you, some won't and the secret of looking good is to know which is which.

The relative infrequency of wearing formal gowns these days means that few of us, even if we are confident about our choices of every day clothes, are entirely sure about what sort of wedding dress will make us look our best.

These are the most commonly encountered shapes of wedding gown, with a quick run down of who should, and shouldn't, consider each. If you have not already figured out what body shape you are, look here first.

Ball Gowns

The distinguishing features of the ball gown style wedding gown are a fitted bodice, a defined waist and a full skirt.

It is probably the sort of wedding dress most little girls dream of wearing on their big day, but while it will make some of them look wonderful when the have grown up, it really is not for everyone.

Ball gowns work for:

Thin and tall brides, triangle or rectangle figures, slight pear shaped figure, slim hourglass figures.

If you are tall and slim with a well balanced shape, a classic ball gown can work great. If your figure is less than perfect, try a less defined waist (as in the middle above) or a less full skirt with perhaps some ruching to soften the look (as in the image on the left above).

Ball gowns won't work for:

Petite figure, pronounced pear-shaped figure or larger hourglasses.

While often recommended to disguise a pear shape, this is only true of the hips are just slightly wider than the shoulders, those with larger hips will find it disguises nothing but emphasises the hips instead. These are statement dresses and can overwhelm small brides.

A-Line Dresses

Less full than ball gowns, with a skirt that flares out from either a natural or a dropped waistline, usually with no seam at the waistline.

This is a style that flatters almost all figures and works especially well for pear-shaped or fuller-figured brides. The fullness of the skirt can be varied quite a bit.

A-Line works for:

Petite or full-figured brides, short waists

The simple lines of an a-line dress can make a small bride look taller and a full figured brides one slimmer. It is also flattering for the pear-shaped, especially with a lower waistline.

A-Line won't work for:

Thick waists, hourglass figures.

If your waistline is large, the dress will end up looking straight - effectively losing the a-line that gives it it's name, and will emphasise your waist. While hourglass figures can wear a-line dresses, they will not be making the most of their curves if they do.

Empire Line Dresses

Straighter than a-line and less figure hugging, in an empire line dress the skirt starts just below the bust, and falls softly from there.

The style and shape of the seam above the skirt can vary quite a bit, as the examples above show.

Empire line works for:

Petit figures, larger waist, small bust

Brides who don't want a figure-hugging dress should consider an empire line. It is good to conceal a larger waist. Tends to elongate the body, giving an appearance of being taller.

Empire line won't work for:

Curvy, pear-shaped or full figures.

Tends not to work with a larger bust, and the line of the skirt emphasises larger hips.

Column or Sheath Dresses

Column dresses have a slim outline, cut close to and following the natural curves of the body. Some have a waist seam but generally they are sheath dresses.

They are often bias-cut (centre, right), which allows the fabric to flow around the body and can be very flattering - provided you are slim.

Column dresses work for:

Slim, tall brides, rectangle and triangle body shapes

Column dresses have a very sleek modern look and can be stunning.

Column dresses won't work for:

Curvy, pear-shaped or full figures. Short brides.

A column dress hides nothing - it follows the body contours, wherever they are! They can make a short slim bride seem insignificant, especially if the groom is tall.

Mermaid Dresses

The top of these dresses can be like sheath dresses, but they flare out below the knee, putting more emphasis on the curves above.

Fishtails tend to have most of the flaring to the back of the dress, with mermaid it is very evident in front too. They are invariably quite figure-hugging.

Mermaid dresses work for:

Slim but curvy or hourglass figures

Very good on an hourglass figure, showing off the curves of the body to perfection.

Mermaid dresses won't work for:

Pear-shaped or full figures

Curves need to be in proportion and a waist which is noticeably smaller than the hips or shoulders is essential for this style to work. Really emphasises the hips, so not a style for the pear-shaped bride.

What Shape are You?

When you start taking a close look at body shapes - yours and other people's - an interesting thing emerges: most women are pear shaped, most models have the much less common triangle shape.

Bear this in mind when you look at dresses on a model, what looks terrific on them may do nothing for you at all!

Look at the categories of body shape below and decide which one is closest to you.

Take a look at Yourself

To see what your shape is, stand face-on in front of a full length mirror and have a good look at yourself.

Draw an imaginary line from the widest point of your shoulders to the widest part of your hips. Is it a straight line? Or are your hips wider than your shoulder or vice versa.
Now take a look at the definition of your waist - how far from your imaginary line is the narrowest point of your waist?

Once you have this information, use the images below to see which one is most like you.

What Body Shape are You?

It is obvious that within these 4 main categories is massive variation, you can be a thin or an overweight pear shape, a small-framed or large framed rectangle, a very tall or a very petit hourglass and so on, and these thing must also be considered when thinking about the style of wedding gown that will best suit you.

Pear Shaped

This is the most common body shape - hips are wider than shoulders, waist is usually quite well defined.

What suit's
Strapless, V-neck or scooped necklines, possibly in off shoulder styles. A-line is the best shape, but avoid too full a skirt. Empress line can also work well. Diagonal draping on the bodice is very flattering.

What to Avoid
Halter-necks or high cut necks make hips look bigger. Bias or straight cut dresses also emphasis hips, as do full, gathered or pleated skirts. Avoid any bulk around the hips. Mermaid styles just won't work.

Rectangle Shaped

Here the hips and shoulders are about the same width, and there is not much definition at the waist.

What suit's
Go for a waistline with a V shape at the front to create the illusion of a smaller waist. Structured and corseted bodices with fairly full skirts also achieve this effect. Empire line styles particularly well as do bias cuts if you are tall. Keep necklines wide and use detailing either above or below the waist, not both.

What to Avoid
Halter necks or high necks make the shoulders look narrow and as result do not flatter the waist. Avoid ruching or draping in the waist area. Straight cut dresses are in danger of making you look boxy.

Triangle Shaped

Really an inverted triangle, with the shoulders wider than the hips. Most models are this shape.

What suit's
Bias cut or straight cut dresses can look very sophisticated, and this shape can easily take very full ball gown styles. Halter-necks or higher cut necks balance shoulders and hips and flatter a smaller chest. Bustles or bows in the hip area can add shapeliness.

What to Avoid
Very low cut neckline can make you look "all top" unless carefully balanced. Avoid full or very fancy sleeves and wider necklines.

Hourglass Shaped

Hips and shoulders are the same width and there is a well defined waist. Think Marilyn Monroe!

What suit's
Strapless, V-neck or scooped neckline. Off shoulder styles work well but in any case keep the neckline quite low. A-line is a good shape; a shapely mermaid style works well for slimmer hourglasses. Use ruching or draping to disguise less perfect bits!

What to Avoid
Bias cut or straight dresses don't suit the typical curves of the hourglass unless you are very tall and slim. Gathered or pleated skirts can make your hips look big, so be careful. Empire styles will hide your best features.

What suits your body type best.

Hourglass: Two-piece and corset dresses enhance the hourglass figure. Anything that accentuates the bride’s waist is in. Beautiful ball gowns and corseted bodices normally work for the bust line as well. Bridal bouquets should not overwhelm. Bridal headpieces should not be overdone if the bridal ball gown is elaborate.

Pear shaped. A-line princess dresses disguise fuller hips and the pear shaped body types best. This also balances torso to bust. Chapel length bridal veils add sleeker lines. For wedding hairstyles don’t have all your hair swept up to help emphasize balance.

Petite: Clean, unbroken contours without too much fabric tend to elongate.Big Ball gowns and mermaid wedding dress shapes can overwhelm. Chapel or finger-tip bridal veils ensure that the petite bride is framed well. Keep bridal accessories and wedding accessories to a minimum.

Tall: From ball gowns, princess line and A- line wedding dresses, straight bridal dresses and mermaid dresses; all are great for the tall bride who can carry almost any dress style. Avoid empire line dresses that can look almost “tent like”. Avoid wedding flowers or bouquets that are too small or large. Ensure they work proportionately with you and your body type.

Fuller waisted: Princess-line and drop waist wedding dresses are most flattering. Draw the eye up with stunning bridal and wedding accessories. Killer Diamonds will do the trick! Bridal shoes with height may assist.

Broader shoulder: Wedding tip number #1. Broader shouldered brides should veer from halter and off-the-shoulder necklines, which tend to accentuate the shoulders. Try strapless and scoop necklines. For bridal accessories fine delicate jewelry works best with your body type.

Fuller busted: Bridal corsets can work magic. You will find reputable names under bridal supplies or bridal accessories. Wedding dresses that are scoop and square necklines enhance bust lines. Widely set apart straps diminish fuller busted figures. Strapless dresses are on your wedding checklist as a “wait and see how it looks possibility”.

Fuller Arms: Off the shoulder straps or sheer fabric is a great wedding dress tip. In solid fabric, usually three-quarter or long sleeve works best to elongate the line of the arm. Sleeves should not be cut tight. Ever!