Find your best wedding dress style without trying on the whole boutique
Finding the perfect dress may not always be a piece of (wedding) cake. While a certain style may work well with one body type, it may not flatter another.
Newsday.com enlisted designer Liz Marshall to illustrate some of today’s most popular dress styles and help brides determine which would suit them best. From recommendations for each body type to fun facts about celebrities who’ve worn each style, our hope is that you’ll walk away informed — and down the aisle with confidence.
Ballgown
Credit: Liz Marshall
What it is: A fully structured bodice with a full skirt
Flattering for: Hourglass, pear and apple shapes
Accentuates: Waist
Hides: Stomach, hips, legs
Era it was popular: 1850s
Who wore it: Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Anne Hathaway
Mermaid
Credit: Liz Marshall
What it is: Form fitted with a flare at the lower leg
Flattering for: Hourglass, pear and rectangle shapes
Accentuates: Waist, hips
Hides: Stomach
Era it was popular: 1950s
Who wore it: Jayne Mansfield, Hilary Duff, Fergie
Sweetheart
Credit: Liz Marshall
What it is: A dress with a dip in the front of the bodice that mimics the top of a heart symbol
Flattering for: All shapes
Accentuates: Chest, waist
Hides: Stomach, hips, legs
Era it was popular: 1960's
Who wore it: Kendra Wilkinson, Alyson Hannigan, Kim Kardashian
A-Line
Credit: Liz Marshall
What it is: A fitted bodice with a skirt that gently angles outward
Flattering for: Pear and rectangle shapes
Accentuates: Chest, waist
Hides: Stomach, hips, legs
Era it was popular: 1950s
Who wore it: Ivanka Trump, Reese Witherspoon, Salma Hayek-Pinault
Ruched Bodice
Credit: Liz Marshall
What it is: A structured bodice with pull-up ruche detail
Flattering for: All shapes
Accentuates: Waist
Hides: Hips, legs
Era it was popular: 2000's
Who wore it: Brooklyn Decker, Khloe Kardashian, Kristin Cavallari
Empire Waist
Credit: Liz Marshall
What it is: Cinched at the ribcage with a flowing skirt
Flattering for: Pear and rectangle shapes
Accentuates: Waist
Hides: Stomach, hips
Era it was popular: 1800's, with a revival in the 1960s
Who wore it: Alicia Keys, Tia Mowry, Megan Fox
Long Train
Credit: Liz Marshall
What it is: A dress with a back skirt that extends past the floor
Flattering for: All shapes
Accentuates: Dependent on dress style
Hides: Dependent on dress style
Era it was popular: Middle Ages
Who wore it: Princess Diana, Kate Middleton, Grace Kelly
Cocktail
Credit: Liz Marshall
What it is: A short, casual dress, typically tea-length or shorter
Flattering for: Rectangle, apple and hourglass shapes
Accentuates: Legs
Hides: Stomach, hips
Era it was popular: 1950s
Who wore it: Audrey Hepburn, Mia Farrow, Keira Knightley
Sheath
Credit: Liz Marshall
What it is: A streamline dress with no cinching or flaring
Flattering for: Rectangle and hourglass shape
Accentuates: Waist, legs
Hides: Stomach
Era it was popular: 1950s
Who wore it: Kate Moss, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, Christina Ricci
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