WEDDING DRESS     by O'Hanlon           A wedding dress is often something that every girl dreams about from an early     age. It is her BIG day and naturally she wants to look absolutely fabulous and     feel like a princess. The first step in choosing your wedding dress is deciding     on a style and cut that is going to compliment your figure. Having a good idea     of what suits you will eliminate the endless choices of wedding gowns out     there.           To avoid disappointment make sure that you allow yourself plenty of time to     find that special dress. A good time frame would be about 6 months prior to     your wedding. Be inspired and look through plenty of bridal magazines,     attend bridal expos and make an appointment to try some dresses on at a     bridal shop that has a variety of styles to choose from. Keep an open mind!     Don’t become fixated on a style until you have tried on something similar.     What looks really stunning on the model in the bridal magazine may look very     different on you. We all have different shapes and sizes and if you are unsure     about what will suit you, then try on several styles, and choose the shape most     flattering to your figure. Take someone along whose opinion you trust so that     you don’t make a bad decision in the excitement of the moment, but     remember it is your day, so choose the wedding dress that YOU love.           THE MOST POPULAR STYLES     The A-Line dress: is fitting around the bodice, hugs the waist and flares out to     the ground. It can either flare out from the waist or flare out from the hips. It is     flattering on almost all figure shapes. If you have fuller hips the A-Line will     conceal them well and if you have narrow hips the style of the skirt will give     you shape. It is the ideal shape for the bride that is fairly short, as it creates the     illusion of height. Using creative detail at the neckline will draw attention     away from the hip line.           The Empire Line: is defined by the raised waistline that sits just below the     bust. This style will suit the bride that has a small bust with a wide waistline. It     is the ideal style for anyone with a long torso, or a pear shape. Short brides     also look good in this style, yet it is not always recommended for brides with a     large bust. This style draws attention to the neckline and creates definition. It     is a popular style for pregnant brides.           The Sheath style: also known as the shift dress. This style is not for everyone,     as you need to be tall and slender to carry it off. Not suitable for brides that     are pear shaped, curvy and full figured or too short. Petite figures can look     good in this style as it creates the illusion of height.           The Mermaid style: is defined by the top part of the dress being fitted with a     flare from the knee down. Some mermaid styles are more accentuated than     others. This style looks gorgeous on figures that are slim and curvy with     balanced hips and bust. Be careful if you are apple shaped or pear shaped, as     this style accentuates the hips. Not suitable for straight up-and-down shapes.     This style is best worn by brides who have poise and confidence, as it can be     very sexy, highlighting all the curves in the right places.           The Ball Gown: perfect for that fairy tale wedding. This style boasts a fitted     bodice to the hip line with a skirt with loads of volume. This is a perfect style     for brides who have a full bust and narrow hips. For the petite bride the full     skirt may be too much, as this is a statement dress and can overwhelm the     small brides. If you have a small frame and are quite petite, rather go for a     skirt that is more A-Line in shape with the fitted bodice.     So now you know what gown silhouette to go for, you can eliminate all the     others and focus on the style that flatters your body shape best.           Another important thing to consider is comfort. Make sure that your dress is     comfortable! Don’t have your dress so tight that you cannot breathe or eat.     Even if you want to loose some weight, rather have it so that the dress can be     taken in, it’s easier than having to let the seams out. Think about movement     too. You will want ease and comfort when getting in and out of cars. If you     decide to have a train, make sure that it can be hitched up at the back so that					it’s not in the way for dancing. The last thing you want is to trip on your first     dance! Ask your designer if a detachable train will work with the design of your     dress; that way the train can be removed once the formalities are over.           Fabrics are another consideration. Do you want something soft and floaty or     something heavier, like a duchess satin or taffeta? If you have bumps and     curves that you would prefer to hide, then go for the heavier fabrics. Soft satin     fabrics tend to show up every little lump and bump, so be sure to try on     something in the same fabric before you have a dress made up for you.           The traditional colours for brides are white, ivory and cream. Again establish     which colour suits you best. White comes in varying shades and undertones, so     if you have a fair skin the white might make you look pale and pasty and it     might prove wise to choose an off-white or ivory instead. Darker skin     complexions can wear almost any colour. A good designer will be able to help     you choose the correct colour for your dream dress. These days shades of gold,     champagne, coffee, blue and pink are considered acceptable with tradition.           The venue and time of your wedding will determine the formality, but     otherwise it’s really whatever moves you. One can always wear a bolero jacket     or shawl in church and remove it once you get to the reception. The season     that you get married may also determine the design of your dress. Consider a     shorter more manageable train for wet weather; it just makes it more stressful if     you have to worry about your dress getting wet and bundling your train up all     the time.           Today there is a huge variety of gowns that are imported. Most of these gowns     come in standard sizes. Make sure that wherever you buy your gown from that     they know how to do professional alterations. A beautiful gown just does not     look the same if its ill fitting! If you can order a custom-fit gown, rather spend     the little extra to make sure that it comes in your size. Make sure that you have     confirmed your style, size, colour and wedding date in writing. Never feel     pressured to buy your dress; you need to be absolutely sure before the gown is     ordered that you are making the right choice. If you are unsure, go home and     think about it and try the dress on again a few days later. Some imported     gowns can take between 6 to 12 weeks to get to you, so make certain you have     enough time. Rush orders can be done at an extra expense.           Hiring a gown is another option and there are several bridal shops that have a     large selection for hire at extremely good prices. Remember, a hired gown has     been worn before, but there are some beautiful dresses out there. You might     just have to look a bit harder if you are set on a particular style. When hiring,     make sure the dress can be altered to fit properly and that you are getting it     properly dry cleaned.           When having a gown designed and made for your big day, make the     appointment to meet the designer and don’t feel shy to ask for references. A     wedding gown is probably the most expensive piece of clothing that you will     ever buy and your wedding day is one day that you want to look and feel like     a princess. A good designer will sit with you and sketch a couple of designs     and suggest the best fabric options. Make sure you understand what the quote     includes and excludes. You don’t want to walk down the isle in a dress that     looks home made, so make absolutely sure that whoever is making your dress     has experience in bridal wear or has a good reputation in the industry.           Once you have found the perfect wedding dress, then you can decide on     accessories and shoes. Start playing with hairstyles and decide if you are     going to have a veil and tiara.           Whether you decide on a ready-made gown or to have one especially made     up for you, the whole experience should be a happy one, creating wonderful     happy memories and making dreams come true! Give yourself plenty of time     to plan and enjoy every moment!               to top
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