Wedding Dress Silhouette 101 with Extra Petite
Hi Brides, Jean of Extra Petite here talking wedding dress silhouettes! While at the studios of JLM Couture, I tried on a few of the most popular bridal silhouettes and learned about the details of each cut. Being petite, I often hear “dos and don’ts” based on body types and think we should all take those with a grain of salt. I always believe there are no set rules with fashion, especially on your wedding day! Only you can determine what you truly feel the most beautiful in, so I hope fellow brides take the opportunity to try a range of style since you never know what might pleasantly surprise you.
THE FIT & FLARE
To me, this silhouette provides the best of both worlds for brides who want to show off curves but also have some volume in the skirt. For this cut, the torso plus a portion of the legs are narrow and fitted before flaring out into a sweeping silhouette. Variations of the fit + flare can include the mermaid style which begins flaring out at the knees, or the trumpet style which begins flaring out higher around mid-thigh. I love how the layered organza skirt on this Lazaro adds an ethereal twist to the traditional flare.
THE (CONVERTIBLE) BALLGOWN
The ultimate princess silhouette, featuring a fitted bodice and full skirt that flares out at the waist. I love how this silhouette flatters the waistline by drawing eyes inward there to a point that appears very narrow contrasted against a voluminous skirt.
I thought this one by Tara Keely was fabulous with the surprise of convertibility. You get drama with the tulle ballgown skirt (which can be tied either in the front or back) for the ceremony, plus a sultry little lace number for dancing!
THE SHEATH
For the bride who loves understated elegance and iconic glamour. A sheath closely grazes your body and falls fairly straight from the bust to the ground. There are numerous ways to amp up a classic sheath silhouette with details. In particular, I love a good surprise via a stunning backside design like the lace dip and train on this Jim Hjelm. I was told this particular dress could be considered either a sheath or a slight A-line silhouette. PS: Find so much more wedding dress goodness in the new SMP Lookbook! xoxo, Extra Petite