Harsashen's Bridal Magazine ( Issue # 1 ) 2012 | Page 15

The Right Bridal Gown for Your Body T here are two things that everyone remembers about a wedding, goes the saying. They will all talk about the cake, and the bridal gown. There is a lot of truth to this. The bride's gown is a statement about who she is. It also communicates so much about her style, her relationship, and her hopes and dreams. The wedding is the day when a bride should feel her absolute most beautiful. She should be able to walk down the aisle with complete confidence that she is the bell of the ball. One of the best ways to ensure that the bride really floats on clouds of confidence and grace is for her to know for sure she is in the perfect wedding dress. Today, we are bombarded with wedding fashions. There are so many styles of dresses that it's a chore to sort out what we like, what we dislike, and what we can afford. However,there is more to picking a wedding dress than just selecting a pretty design. For a bride to be beautiful, and comfortable, on her wedding day, she needs to pick a gown that works with her body. There are four basic body shapes and most women have. Keep in mind these have nothing to do with weight. They are about over all shape. The first is a rectangle; a woman who's shoulders, waist, and hips are all about the same in width. The second is an upright triangle; a woman who's hips area is her widest point with her waist and shoulders being narrower. An inverted triangle body shape occurs when a woman has broad shoulders, a medium waist, and noticeably narrow hips. Lastly, an hour-glass shape features wider shoulders, a narrow waste, and wider hips. If you have a rectangle body, congratulations! You can wear almost anything with the proper undergarments and still look amazing. The only thing you should stay away from are garments that hug your body in search of defined curves. Mermaid dresses usually fall into this category. Otherwise, you can wear most bridal styles. For the triangle woman, you need a dress that balances out your shoulders and hips. Look for a dress with detail on the top that draw the eyes upwards. A fuller skirt will usually look better on you. Stay very far away from asymmetrical sleeve designs. Inverted triangle body shapes are very easy to fit also. Strapless dresses with full skirts will usually give you a very balanced looked. This body shape is also the best for dresses that have a lot of detailing around the hips. Don't wear puffy sleeves or gowns with extremely fitted bodices though, as these will make you look chunkier than you are. For those with an hour glass body, there is a significant challenge to finding a great dress. Mermaid and trumpet style dresses will be universally flattering to this shape. However, almost everything else will be hit or miss. The only things you absolutely must avoid are dresses that hang straight from the shoulders. These will tend to make your look heavy, and if you're buxom, they might create and artificial 'baby bump' look! Following these simple guidelines will make it much easier to find a dress that really makes the wedding day complete! HM 2012/2013 Harsashen.com ñ 13