It’s a beautiful fact of life that we all come in different shapes and sizes. When you’re searching for your perfect wedding dress, a good place to start is to streamline your choices according to the best silhouette for your body type. Whether you’re looking to conceal a less favourite body part or flaunt your figure (slay honey!) there are dresses to suit your shape and stay true to your own style at the same time.
Plus-sized
You’ve got more to love and more to 'werk' also, you can choose the areas to camouflage and those to accentuate.
An asymmetrical wedding dress is eternally slimming. Think single strap, a side-gathered skirt and/or diagonal draping around the torso. The draping will hug your curves in the most flattering way.
You can conceal a fuller midriff by keeping the waist area structured instead of flowy. A waistband will cinch your waist while jewelled bodycon seams, ruching or boning will create a corset-like effect.
An empire waistline that is snug under the chest then flares in a gentle A-line lengthens your frame. Satin and taffeta are awesome because they won’t cling.
Busty
It is totally up to you whether to minimise or showcase your endowments.
A scoop neckline shows off the area without spilling out the goods. Choose a subtle dip or soft V-neck over a plunging neckline to keep it tasteful. An off-the shoulder style is also great because it shifts the attention to your collarbones. You can wear a strapless gown; just avoid the straight-across style and choose a gentle sweetheart shape.
You’ll need serious support, especially if you want to go braless. So look for wider straps instead of spaghetti; and dresses with boning and even built-in cups.
An A-line skirt or faux peplum will balance out the bottom.
Lean-and-straight
Aka boyish figure; you are runway material. Since models with your body type are who designers put in wedding dresses, you are spoiled for choice you lucky girl! You can show off in a sheath dress, dare to bare your legs with a long slit, or try a trend like the crop top wedding dress.
But if what you want is to create the illusion of curves, there are quite a few tricks. A sheath dress with contouring seams will give the illusion of curves. On the other hand you can easily pull off the most dramatic wedding gown: an over-the-top ball gown, a very full A-line or a faux peplum will create hips there are none and will not overwhelm your statuesque figure.
Hourglass
You have a delicious shape that needs to be shown off. Anything that accentuates your enviable midsection is a winner: a bodycon wedding dress, the fit-and-flare with a drop waist... and you are one of the few that can pull off a true mermaid silhouette that flares out below the knee. If you prefer to hide your hips with a full skirt, choose a dress with a nipped-in waist or a sparkly waistband.