8 Wedding Dress Silhouettes for Every Shape

We know where all the brides start their wedding dress shopping journey – it’s right here, online, looking at countless photos of wedding dresses, Pinterest boards and selection in online stores. It is an endless ocean of bridal gowns, various silhouettes, fabrics, colors and styles. They all look so gorgeous, and the models wearing them look beautiful, but how to know which is the right kind of dress for you?

It’s not like you can try every single dress that catches your eye. And even if you love the look of the dress, there is a chance that it will not be the right fit for your shape. So when you finally get to try the dress on, you will be unpleasantly surprised, which will send you into a spiral of self-loathing and despair, and that is the last thing we want for our beautiful brides. So, where to start?

Stylists of Madame Bridal have put together this wedding dress styles guide, to help you determine which silhouette is the most flattering for your figure. Remember, the secret to find the dream dress is not to hide your flaws, but accentuate your best features. Go through our list and see which dress ticks all the boxes for you.

Ball Gown

Let’s start with the classic ball gown. This used to be the most sought-after wedding dress silhouette, because almost all the girls have imagined their wedding as a fairytale, and themselves as beautiful princess brides. Ball gown can be a good fit for practically any shape, it is just the matter of making the waist of the dress hit at the right place and figuring out the perfect length and volume of the skirt. For example, if you are petite, avoid the overly voluminous skirt, and tailor the length to just skim the floor when you wear it with your pair of heels. If you are a busty bride, it’s all about finding the best neckline for your style. A dress with a scooped or rounded neckline will draw attention to your face and highlight it, without being too revealing.

Bottom line is, if you want to wear a ball gown for your wedding – do it! You will hardly get another chance to wear this elaborate (some would even say over-the-top silhouette) Just make sure you get it tailored to fit your body perfectly.

A-line

A line style is like a toned-down version of ball gown. This cut is narrow at the top and extends out along the body in the shape of a letter A. This silhouette is super-flattering on every body type and allows tons of movement on the dance floor and beyond. If you are not a curvaceous girl this style will create the illusion of curves and make you look super sexy. If, on the other hand, you are blessed with womanly figure, this cut will highlight your best features. If you have small bust, but large hips pick a chiffon A-line dress with ruching on top to accentuate your neckline, as the flowy skirt drapes beautifully over your hips.

You can’t go wrong with A-line, just make sure you choose the right kind of fabric and the right details to play up your best features.

Sheath / Column Dress

A sheath dress will truly show your entire figure. This narrow and straight cut best fits girls with slender frame, hourglass, lean or petite figure. A simple silhouette emphasizes your natural shape, so every aspect of the dress needs to reflect your proportions. The sheath silhouette will elongate a bride’s body, and is best for athletic or straight body types. Choice of fabric depends on which look you are trying to achieve: satin sheath dresses are the ultimate Old Hollywood glamour, lace column dresses are for brides that are into romantic and vintage inspired look, chiffon sheath dress looks light and airy and it’s the perfect choice for beach wedding.

Some sheath gowns fit like a slip dress, closely tracing your body’s outline, while others drape a little straighter, like a column. Whether you are into the minimalist bride look, or just want to look effortlessly elegant, this modern silhouette will ensure you look stylish and sophisticated on your big day.

Mermaid

If there is one style of wedding gowns that can show off you figure beautifully, without sacrificing volume and drama it’s the mermaid cut. This curve-hugging silhouette, is on the list of favorites of brides and designers alike, and every season on Bridal Fashion Week we can see a new take on this classic style, from exaggerated fishtails to more subtle designs. The reason that this silhouette is so popular is that it looks beautiful in variety of fabrics, such as silk, satin, lace, even with organza or tulle added for dramatic effect.

We have already written about mermaid, trumpet and other fit and flare styles, so we recommend that you check out that post for more about this sexy silhouette.

Empire Waist

This silhouette is defined by its fitted, high-waisted bodice. It cinches at the narrow point under the bust line, which creates a slimming, elongating effect. The empire style fits well on most body types, but it is especially flattering for petite brides or those with a smaller bust since it draws attention to the neckline. There is nothing that shows off toned arms and shoulders than a strapless empire line dress.

Another plus for this style is that it is very comfortable. Unlike those tight-fitting wedding dresses, you can move comfortably and dance the night away wearing this cut.

Tea-Length Wedding Dress

Tea length dresses feature a hemline that ends between the ankle and the knee. If you don’t like trains, or the hemline of your dress sweeping the floor, plus you are into retro and pin-up look of the 1950s, this is the right style for you. Tea length styles work well for energetic brides who want to dance and show their dancing shoes.

We all loved the Audrey Hepburn’s cute gown in Funny Face, but you don’t have to be tall and thin to pull of this style. The trick is in the details that will make proportions of your body be just right. For example, unless you are very tall and slender with tiny waist, avoid any kind of horizontal lines on your dress, so no colorful sashes. You should rather opt for an accessory like a shiny buckle, or a brooch on narrow belt to pull the eye toward the center of the body. This has a slimming effect and accomplishes what every curvy bride wants – to make the waist look small in comparison to the hips, bust and shoulders, creating killer curves.

Mini Wedding Dress

Mini wedding dresses have become so popular in the recent years, that now you can find a short wedding dress in any designer’s collection. Whether as a wedding dress for a casual wedding, or as a reception dress, more and more brides dare to wear this fun and flirty style.

Naked Wedding Dresses

This season, the world has gone crazy over this style. They might be the hottest trend at the moment, but “naked” wedding dresses are certainly not for the faint of heart. It all started last year with the scandalous bridal jumpsuit by Pronovias that challenges ALL wedding dress traditional rules you could think of. This sparked a wave of sexy “barely there” wedding dresses, designed for the brides that are not afraid to experiment with their look, and make their big day style truly unforgettable.

While it looks like a completely see-through dress, with only few pieces of lace covering bride’s modesty, it is actually a sheer dress over flesh-toned lining, so there is an illusion of baring it all. This style can be seen on various silhouettes and cuts, from sheath dresses to jumpsuits.

Women have never had so much liberty and options over what they wear, and that also translates into bridal fashion, with many now opting non-traditional and radical designs. Whether you want to rock the latest trend or pick a classic and timeless dress for your big day, we hope that our little guide helps you find your perfect fit.