Choosing The Perfect Dress

Camouflaging Concerns

Petite figures are lengthened in controlled-but-full skirts with minimal details. Basque waistlines, simple sleeves, modestly detailed shoulders, vertical pleating, and a-line or princess silhouettes elongate the torso and add height. For slim petites, the sheath or mermaid style is ideal.

Full figures look best in fitted v-neck bodices and dropped v-waistlines. Full skirts camouflage hips and thighs and shoulder pads make waists look smaller. Styling details around the neckline draw the eye up. Long sleeves tapering toward the wrist slenderize arms; avoid strapless or sleeveless gowns which only emphasize fullness. Opt for dresses where the fabric drapes gracefully to the floor instead of ones that are form-fitting, body-hugging.

Minimize a thick waist with an empire waistline. Princess-style dresses elongate a short waist and lengthen the torso. Long waists look shorter when the waistline is cut above the torso, as in a basque-waist gown.

To slim heavy hips, try a full-but-controlled skirt without bows, flounces, or ruffles.

A full bust is flattered in an off-the-shoulder portrait or v-neckline with minimal detailing. Small busts look larger when accentuated with intricate details and on-the-shoulder necklines.

Finishing Touches

Once you've chosen a wedding gown, the bridal salon will order it and then custom-fit it to your body once it arrives. Typically, you'll require three fittings before your gown is ready. It's best to bring the lingerie and shoes you'll wear with your wedding dress to your fittings so that you can see how the entire ensemble looks together. (If you're not sure what kind of undergarments your dress requires, ask your fitter for advice.) It's also a good idea to bring your mother or maid of honor to your second or final dress fitting so she can learn how to help you get into your gown and how to bustle your train, if necessary.

Even if your dress is ready well in advance, resist the urge to pick it up until the week of your wedding. Your bridal salon is better equipped to store your wedding dress properly than you are, and you wouldn't want it to get wrinkled or crushed in your closet.