The Perfect Gown For Your Body Shape

Every bride wants to look perfect on their wedding day. Much of how that turns out will depend on her choice of wedding gown. We tend to mull over clothing even when choosing something casual, so naturally, more care should be taken when choosing the wedding gown that will be with you on one of the most important days of your life!

To find something that will flatter you and make you look beautiful, you'll need to first evaluate your body shape. Whether you are tall or short, you can probably place your body shape under one of the following general styles: 1) The Hourglass - where you have a full chest, round bottom, and small waist. 2) Pear - where you are bottom heavy, but have a petite top. 3) Slender - where you are generally small and slender top to bottom. 4) Full - where you are full on the top and bottom while having a bit of tummy.

Your wedding dress is special, so pay special attention when choosing one! You will generally feel great when wearing a gown that you look good in, and all of that will affect the confidence in which you carry yourself. If you are an Hourglass, try an A-line dress, or something that is slightly form-fitting. A mermaid style wedding dress that flares at the bottom may be suitable. Do not go for gowns that may distort your ideal body proportions!

If you are a Pear, wear something that brings attention to the top, like a ball gown or empire dress. Try to avoid sheath styles, since they hug almost every part of the body from shoulder to knee. On the other hand, sheath styles look quite good on Slenders, who may look overwhelmed in the gowns with bigger designs. Finally, a Full might want to look into ball gowns, which can hide heavy bottoms while looking graceful, or an A-line dress, which generally looks good on almost every body shape.

Theory aside, the best way to find out what you really look good in is to gather your hubby-to-be and/or a few girl friends and head down to a wedding boutique. Choosing your ideal out of so many bridal gowns can be quite daunting, so it doesn't hurt to have a second (or third, or fourth, or fifth, etc...) pair of eyes! If you've booked a  package for your wedding, then the variety of bridal gowns you can choose would have already been narrowed down for you. This may be for good or bad, but you can make the most of any situation by going for fitting with something already in mind at least.

Finally, for many couples, cost may be a major factor in their decision-making, especially if they are getting their own bridal gowns and not renting one as part of a package. But with these styling guidelines in mind and a quick trip to the boutique for gown fitting, getting something on a budget doesn't necessarily mean you have to sacrifice that perfect look as well!