The most important choice for a bride is usually selecting her wedding dress. Finding the style to suit your body shape helps narrow the search . . .

Dress shape is important

Choosing a fashionable silhouette and picking the right dress for your shape will leave you looking a million dollars – even if you haven’t spent it! But whatever your size, choosing styles to flatter your figure can give you a real confidence boost on the big day.

Full skirts will draw attention to your bottom half, while full sleeves and fancy bodices will emphasise your top half. If you’re curvy, make the most of it and go for a classic hourglass shape and a simple neckline.

If you’re a full-figured woman, the best silhouette is the A-line style, which lengthens the whole body without drawing attention to your waistline. An empire-line dress, which is narrowest just below the bust, so concealing your waist and hips, is another good choice.

Deep V-necks and scoop necks flatter curvy figures, and always look best on full-figured women.

A-line wedding dresses are also flattering on petite women as the style lengthens the body. Sheaths seem to shorten a small body even more, so petite women should avoid sheath-style wedding dresses. Also steer clear of very full skirts, which will make you look bottom heavy; the aim is to keep your wedding dress proportionate to your body.

Strapless gowns might cause problems for a petite bride if she raises her arms to reach up to her new husband, so it’s safer to go for cap sleeves, which gives the feeling of a strapless gown yet still safely hold the dress in place.

Off-the-shoulder gowns look wonderful on a full bust. It draws our attention upward, emphasises the shoulders and minimises the chest. Keep your skirt narrow, as wearing a full skirt will make you look large both on top and bottom.

Women who are larger on their hips and buttocks should look for a wedding dress that focuses on their upper body – preferably with a full skirt. A corset-style bodice with lacing will highlight your upper body, drawing attention away from your hips. Avoid pleats or gathered fabric around the waist. An A-line skirted wedding dress always works the best for this body type.

From a show-stopping short prom dress, to a flowing full-length gown, whatever your choice of dress, accessories are key to pulling your desired look together for top-to-toe perfection. Once you’ve finally chosen your ideal dress, shopping for shoes, headwear and accessories will give your gown an added touch of individuality.

Accessories are vital to creating the overall look and should complement the dress perfectly. Many brides want to create a more traditional look in the day and can do this using a shrug to cover shoulders, but when the evening comes they are increasingly looking for a much more glamorous look – more of a red carpet statement.

By adding a sash softly tied at the waist, and a careful choice of jewellery and accessories she can completely change her look.