As we all know, there are so many wedding gown styles and designs, and that makes it more frustrating to know where to start from when shopping. It’s even more frustrating when you walk into a bridal shop and being asked ‘what kind of wedding gown are you looking for?’. Most brides have no answer.
If you’ve ever felt lost lost at where to start when choosing the style of wedding gown to buy, this post is for you. Wedding gown 101 starts by knowing the different bridal silhouettes or shapes, so that you start picturing yourself in them and imagining which ones will suit you.
Whether or not you’ve started familiarizing yourself with the different wedding gown silhouettes, this post summarizes everything for you by looking at each wedding gown silhouette and explaining the type of body shapes/ figures they look best on, and highlighting the body shapes that they don’t flatter. As you read this, be sure to note down the wedding gown styles that are most suitable for your own figure.
After reading this post, you won’t have to try on one million wedding gowns to find ‘the one’ – because you’d already narrow down your search to specific styles, and start from there. Now, let’s dive into it – helping you find the best wedding gown silhouettes that will flatter your figure. You’ll also see pictures of each style being explained. Read on to find out. Read on!
Explaining the Best Wedding Gown Styles for Each Body Type
1. Ball Gown Style Wedding Dresses: The Body Shape it is For & Who Should Avoid it
Also known as the ‘Cinderella dress’, the ball gown style of wedding dress looks good on many body shapes, but best for brides who are generally slender or for brides who are slimmer on top (i.e. pear shape with a slim waist and generally on the bodice area).
Who Should Wear Ball Wedding Gowns: If you have a straight-line shape and little or no hips, the full skirt of a ball gown will perfectly hide your lack of hips and generally enhance your figure. Ball gowns also suit curvy women – if you have curvy hips or big backside but don’t want to highlight it, a ball gown can help you hide your curves and keep them away from being the attention.
Ball gowns are not fitted below the waist and so are great for hiding fat hips or fat thighs if you don’t want to show them; so, if you don’t want a wedding gown that is fitted from below the waist (i.e. around the hips), the ball gown is a good option for you.
AVOID IF: The ball gown style is not suitable for women who are bigger on top, because the fullness of the skirt part of the ball gown can make you appear bigger (than you actually are).
Ball gown wedding dresses are not suitable for some short or (smallish) petite women because a very full-skirt ball gown can make it seem like the dress swallowed her and make the bride appear shorter. You want to look perfect in your wedding dress, and not looking like the dress is wearing you.
STYLING TIP: If you’re short or petite and prefer a ball gown style of wedding dress, choose one with a not-very-full skirt part, like the one this bride wore here. In short, if you have a small body-frame, avoid ball gown wedding dress styles, because it could overwhelm (or swallow) your entire frame, making it look like the dress is wearing you.
You want a dress that will flatter your body, and there are other silhouette styles to try – every woman’s figure has a wedding gown shape and style designed to perfectly suit her.
Appropriate for What Type of Wedding? Ball gowns are most suitable for formal weddings, big, society weddings or over-the-top owambe style weddings. That is not to say that (if you like) you can’t wear the ball gown or any type of wedding gown if you’re planning a small or low-key wedding – hey, it’s your wedding and we’ve seen many brides not follow the rules.
2. Princess-Cut or A-Line Wedding Gowns: Who Should Wear it & Who Should Avoid it
Also known as the Princess cut dress, the A-Line style of wedding gown looks good on all body types (petite, average, big) and shapes. The cut of the A-Line silhouette will make you appear slimmer and taller, and also look like you are more curvy at the hips – therefore, A-line gowns look good on smallish (petite) or slim brides.
The A-line cut also hides big tummy or big hips or large backside, making those from-waist-to-hips body areas appear smaller than they actually are.
Therefore if you have a roundish body or if you’re bigger below and want to look slimmer, choosing an A-line wedding gown will enable you to achieve that. Since this silhouette hides a big lower body, curvy brides who desire to hide their curves or make it appear smaller will find the A-line cut flattering on their figure.
RELATED: 17 Wedding Dress Shopping Tips to Avoid Mistakes & Save Money
Suitable for What Type of Wedding? A-line style of wedding gowns are suitable for every type of wedding ceremony, whether a simple low-key wedding or a small wedding or a big, society wedding or a luxurious owambe style wedding. However, A-line cut wedding dresses are most appropriate for formal weddings.
3. Sheath/ Column Wedding Dress Style: Best Body Shape for & Who Should Avoid it
Also known as column wedding gowns, sheath wedding dresses look good on any type of body shape but they look best on I-shaped slim women with slender figures. If you have a straight-line shape with no visible curves, wearing a sheath style wedding gown will create an illusion of curves where you have none (thanks to the curving part of the style).
WHO IS IT FOR? Sheath or Column wedding gowns look good on petite (smallish/ slender) brides who have small frames. That’s because the narrow/ straight-cut of the sheath silhouette wedding dress will make them appear taller than they actually are. If you have an hourglass figure (curvy) and want to show off your shape, a sheath wedding dress will also work for you – because it hugs onto the outlines of the body and highlights every curve.
AVOID IF: Sheath or column wedding gown styles do not look good on full-figured (plus size) brides. Also, women who have a pear-shaped figure (i.e. slim upper body and full lower body, with small busts and tiny waists) should avoid this style of wedding gowns, because it could make your already-big lower body appear bigger it actually is.
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This is the most honest written post I’ve ever had to read about the choice of a dress.
I am petite, with a size 26 waist and I was hoping on using a mermaid dress with minimal design so I don’t look too busy.
My family thinks I am crazy wanting to look so simple, but it’s something I love and feel I’d look great in. This just confirmed it!! God bless you for sharing such wonderful advice with intending brides for little or nothing in return. I am getting married in November by the way!!!!
IreneMary, thank you for that compliment. It made me smile. I’m happy to know that my tips helped you validate your wedding gown style choice. Feedbacks like yours motivate me to do more and do better.
I like what you said about your choice of wedding dress style: ‘it’s something I love and feel I’d look great in’. Period! That’s the point. It’s your wedding and it’s important that YOU like your wedding gown – because if you don’t, it’ll show on your face, affect your mood and confidence (you don’t want that).
I get what you mean about the beauty of minimalist designs, and that could be why your family is not in agreement with your choice. Most Nigerians love ‘extra’ and bells and whistles, but then minimal designs are also classy.
I’m glad that you found what you love, and it looks good on you. Stay true to yourself and I’m sure you’ll look amazing on your wedding day!
The truth is that outfits have feelings and emotions they conjure in the wearer – they have a connection to how we feel and look in a dress and how we feel when it’s on our body. When we wear what we like, we tend to feel pretty and confident, and the reverse is also true.
Do have fun on your big day, and don’t forget to share your wedding looks with us on Instagram.
Thanks. Is this your insta handle so I can tag you? I discussed using a larger dress and fitting the bust and waist but the vendor wasn’t keen on it for some reason. Till tomorrow sha.
Hello Uz, glad to see you back _-_.
Yes, @NaijaGlamWedding on Instagram. Sure, we love to be tagged. Lol.
If the vendor can recreate a new one customized to your body stats, that would be amazing. Just be sure that the dress would be done a few months to your wedding, to give enough time for you to do any minor adjustments, if there’s a need to. That’s very important.
I’ll be looking forward to seeing you in the dress (after your day). I’m sure it would be a perfect fit, as you dreamed it.
For some reason I’m unable to reply you directly.
I’m sorry for the late response, the notifying email went directly to spam and I was just cleaning up my mail when I came across it.
Indeed my bad! I missed the page 2 before but I’ve gone through it now. My tummy is flat, no rolls, but my thighs are huge. I tried out mermaid dresses at a shop and they were all crazy tight. I couldn’t sit when I wore one fitted closely enough to be beautiful. All the ones I tested had the same issue of either too loose at the waist when it passed my hips, or impossiby constricted at the hips when the waist looked okay. So I decided to sew a mermaid type gown afresh with my specs (and return after use) but I think this trumpet style would be a bit more forgiving to my thighs.
I found your reply just in time; I was to make the deposit on Friday, but I’ll discuss further with the vendor keeping this one (trumpet) in mind.
Thank you very much, you’ve been extremely helpful.
Hello Uz, happy to hear from you again. No worries – thank God you finally found the reply-notification email.
I was smiling while reading your experience trying out a mermaid style wedding gown. Tight-fitting is just how mermaid dresses are designed. You’re right about the Trumpet-style for your body shape. I agree – a Trumpet wedding gown would balance out the appearance of your figure. The fact that its flares begin at the thighs would make hide your thighs and not make them look too big.
I’m happy to hear that you made progress. Having a custom-made mermaid dress cut to how you want it to hang on your body is a great idea. I am sure your wedding gown will look perfect on you, because you know what you want and did your homework.
Look forward to seeing the wedding photos. Thanks again for letting me know how it went. I’m glad to have been of help.
But again what some brides do is to buy one that is a size bigger than their dress size and have a good tailor take it in slightly to ensure it’s not too tight.
Hi, thanks for the guide. I’m still confused about what type is best for my figure, for a January wedding.
I’m 36-28-43in (with a corset, my waist gets down to about 26in) and 5ft4in tall. I was hoping you’d comment on mermaid/fish tail dresses but it seems you skipped it.
What do you suggest, and do you think mermaid type would look good on me? Thanks.
Hello Uz, thanks for reading but I did write about the Mermaid dress in full. You didn’t read to the end, that’s why you missed it. The Mermaid/ FishTail wedding gown style (click to see it) is there on page 2. If you read to the end of this page, there’s a CLICK NEXT PAGE.
Here’s how to know if the Fish-tail dress will look good on you: If you have a flat tummy, some hips that show a curve (can be small or big, as long as a curve shows from your waist to hips), and no protruding fat rolls on sides of your upper body. Check page 2 for the full info.
Fit-and-Flare (or Trumpet style) wedding gowns are similar in style to mermaid style and often people confuse them for each other. It’s also covered on Page 2 (next page) of this post where I covered Fish Tail or Mermaid Style; Fit n Flare or Trumpet Style; and Empire Waist or High-Waist. Click on to the next page.
>>To see every type of style on real Nigerian brides, check out our Latest Wedding Gown Styles (Photos)
Good day Admin, thank you for the wedding gown guide, it was very helpful. My wedding is coming up in December and I am still torn between the Cinderella and mermaid gown. I am slim ( burst-32, waist -26 and hips -35) and averagely tall (a little above 5ft). Please which will you advice I go with?
Thank you.
Hello Karyn, thanks for the feedback. I’m glad that this post has been of help to you. Now here’s my reply:
-I am glad to know that you have narrowed down your wedding gown choice to 2 the cinderella and mermaid silhouette). That’s amazing.
-At this point, the next step is to do a trial session at one or more bridal shops, to see how each dress actually looks on you, get feedback from a few friends/ family, snap pics of each look, and finally choose ‘the one’.
The purpose of the above post is to help you figure out the wedding gown styles to start looking from and narrow down to a few. I also advised completing the search with trial-wears face-to-face at a bridal store.
You’ve done well with the preliminary steps. Wearing the dresses you’ve narrowed down on your body (trial) is the only sure way to know the right wedding gown. Once you try the right wedding gown you’ll know.
So, I encourage you to go to a wedding dress shop to wear the styles and pick the one that fits best.
Hope that helps.