Wedding Dress Style Guide
Before you physically go into to shop for a wedding dress, you’ll probably do some browsing. That’s great! You’ll have an idea of the vision you want to portray on your wedding day ready to go for your stylist. But just HOW do you communicate what you’re looking for if you’re totally overwhelmed by words like “sheath” and “fit-and-flare” and “trumpet”. (We thought that was an instrument!??)
At Savvy Bridal, we’re here to guide you through the foreign bridal language of wedding dress styles to find your perfect bridal look.
Ballgown or “Princess”
This is probably the term that you’re most familiar with. On a ballgown-style wedding dress, you’ll find a full skirt – although the fullness will vary slightly among dresses – all leading up to highlight your waist and upper body. Think Cinderella-style
Column or “Sheath”
These words can be used interchangeably throughout the wedding industry. A sheath wedding dress falls from the hip to the floor creating an effortlessly chic and simple silhouette, thus earning itself the name “Column”.
Mermaid
The mermaid wedding dress is a great way to show off your curves! This style is very fitted from the top through the knees and then pops out with fun tulle, beading, ruching, or ruffled skirts. This silhouette will grab everyone’s attention, creating a very popular and flattering wedding day look.
Fit-and-Flare or “Trumpet”
The fit-and-flare is a slightly “toned down” version of the dramatic mermaid style. A fit-and-flare wedding dress will be fitted from the top, through the waist and hip like a mermaid-style dress. Below the hip is where the style becomes more relaxed. The trumpet dress will more gradually flare out and float across the floor.
A-Line
The A-Line wedding dress silhouette is extremely well-known and favored style. We consider the A-Line gown to be a compromise between the glamorous ballgown and the simple sheath. This romantic style is known as universally flattering, so it’s a good place to start your search.
Short or “Tea Length”
Short wedding dresses are fun for the nontraditional bride, or if you’re looking for a second dress on your big day! They are, as you’d expect from the name, a short wedding dress that allows brides to show some leg and really groove on the dance floor.
If you’re looking for a particular style, or if you need our stylists to help you narrow down what you’re looking for – we’ve got the team you need. Make an appointment with our team today to help curate your bridal look for your big day.