Red Wedding Dresses | Wedding Dresses

When it comes to choosing a wedding dress for your big day it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking you need to follow the latest trends, copy the celebrities or choose a gown made by a ‘cool’ designer.

However what is really important when choosing your wedding dress is making sure that the cut and style suits your body type. There’s no point in wearing a dress that looks great on the store mannequin but accentuates parts of your body you’d rather disguise.

So with this in mind let’s take a look at the various body types and the styles of dress that will work best for each.

Hourglass figure or curvy

This body type is characterised by hips and shoulders that are equal in width, with a well-defined waist. The look is proportional – think Marilyn Monroe!

If you have an hourglass figure then you’re pretty lucky whatever your weight may be as this shape is easy to dress. Anything that accentuates your narrow waist will create an ultra-feminine look, the bust area can be accentuated with a corset or bodice style top, or you can show off your wiggle with a dress that tapers into a fishtail skirt.

But remember subtly may be the key. Hourglass figured women are lucky because they can literally flaunt any of their feminine features. However don’t try to accentuate everything – you don’t want to end up looking cheap! Remember – you can accentuate your glorious figure without showing off too much flesh.

Also hourglass women need to be aware of things such as ‘back fat’ overspill caused by too tight corsets and flabby upper arms spoiling their look.

Pear shape

The pear shape is a very common body type and can be exasperating to dress. This body type is characterised by narrow shoulders and a small bust combined with a fuller bottom half that can be wide in the hips, with weight carried on the upper thighs.

First of all – what to avoid. Bias cut dresses are definitely out, as dresses cut in this way will cling to the bottom half of your body. Pears need to accentuate the upper half of their body, which usually combines a slender torso and non-flabby back with slim upper arms.

Corsets and bodices work well on this body type to show off these desirable features as do halter neck styles. These can be teamed up with a flowing or full skirt for the bottom half of the body to disguise any heaviness in this area. Think Empire line dresses, ball-gown styles and A-line dresses.

Apple shape

Apples carry their weight around the stomach although the rest of their body may be relatively slim. Generally this body type is characterised by the shoulders, waist and hips all being around the same width.

As with pear shapes A-line dresses work well on this body type, particularly if combined with a bodice or corset to help nip the waist in a few inches. Apples should avoid ‘column’ style dresses. This style will highlight a bulging stomach and not flatter the figure.

Boyish or athletic

This body type is the opposite of the hourglass and the pear in that it is straight up and down and usually without curves. Boyish types are usually slender with a small bust and slender limbs.

This body type can show off their toned arms, shoulders and back in backless or halter neck style dresses to great effect. Because there is less need for bust support a backless dress can look particularly stunning on this body type.

Gowns cut on the bias also work well on this body type – think supermodel Kate Moss at her recent wedding to rocker Jamie Hince – as do long, fitted dresses that show off a toned, taut figure.

Wherever a bride may live in the world it has to be said that the big day is all about the dress. And while many of us in the Western World associate wedding dresses with the color white, traditionally brides around the world choose an array of colors.

White for wedding dresses, as a symbol of purity and chastity, became popular in the UK during the reign of Queen Victoria who wore white lace for her wedding to Prince Albert. This popularized the notion of a ‘white wedding’ the world over, before this brides wore many different colors on their wedding days, with red being particularly popular in England and Europe.

Today many brides in many different countries opt for the traditional white wedding dress but this has not always been the case. Below is a list of different countries from around the world and their traditional wedding dress colors.

China – Chinese brides get married in red wedding dresses, as this is the color that symbolizes ‘good luck’ in their culture. The red theme can be seen throughout the whole of the wedding day with lanterns and tablecloths also featured in this auspicious color.

India – This is a country that knows how to dress its brides! Color and elaborate detail feature heavily on the dresses of Indian brides. Silk saris in shades of red, green and yellow are popular for an Indian wedding with intricate threads of gold woven through the material. Jewelry also features heavily – and it’s not all about the ring – Indian brides adorn themselves with nose studs, bracelets and jeweled tiaras fitted to their head veil.

Japan – Japanese ladies traditionally get married in white silk kimonos that are lined with bright red. As with other East Asian cultures red is the color that symbolizes good luck and happiness. This is one wedding day when a bride really does get to be the center of attention as changing her dress up to 3 times throughout the day is not uncommon!

Korea – Korean bridal dresses usually come in shades of red, pink or green and are embroidered with butterflies or flowers. Ribbons of different colors are sometimes sewn on to the dress to symbolize different meanings associated with good luck for the future couple.

Mexico – Traditional Mexican wedding dresses are inspired by the nations’ Spanish heritage and many brides wear elaborate dresses featuring flamenco style ruffles. White is the popular color and the material used will often be lace, silk or feature crochet. Modesty is important for Mexican brides so shoulders are covered with a traditional Spanish style bolero jacket.

Morocco – Brides in Morocco will often opt for a yellow wedding dress as this color is thought to combat the so-called ‘evil eye’. Green is another popular color as Moroccan’s associate it with good luck. Moroccan wedding dresses are traditionally made of silk or satin and feature embroidery or sequin detailing.

Spain – In the past – but less so now – Spanish brides wore black silk dresses with black veils on their wedding day. The color black was worn to represent their devotion to their future husband until death!

Turkey – Traditional Turkish wedding dresses were made in bright colors with red being the most popular choice as a symbol of joy. However a wide range of color was used in Turkish bridal dresses including blue, purple and pink, often depending upon the region of the country the bride was from. Again the influence of a country’s Royal Family meant that white wedding dresses became more fashionable when Turkish princesses chose to wear white on their big day at the end of the 19^th Century.

This is an exciting year to get married, as our world is changing faster than ever before. The evolving styles of wedding dresses reflect this very clearly–although many women still love the beautiful old traditions of “something blue, something new,” these traditions are worked into ceremonies which are highly individualized and reflect the personalities of the new couple, whereas not that long ago a wedding was always highly traditional. This article is about some burgeoning trends for wedding dresses in 2012, and also some tips for a fun, memorable, modern wedding.

Incorporate Color!

A traditional white or ivory dress is beautiful, but many new brides are choosing to be wed in their favorite color nowadays. Imagine the church or field, bedecked with beautiful white flowers, and you, floating down the isle in an emerald green dress! This particular trend is a fun spin on old traditions. It’s easy to have your dress dyed to any color–and if you are feeling particularly bold, try an ombre wedding dress. The shock of vibrant color will electrify any fairytale wedding, and you can be sure your dress will be mentioned again and again.

Vintage or Retro Themed Weddings

If you’ve got a pinup or rockabilly style, chances are you’ve been dreaming of an old fashioned wedding for years. However, vintage themed weddings can be wonderfully appropriate for all sorts of people, especially those who are into crafts. Decorating your space will be even more unique and fun if you incorporate your favorite elements out of the past into it–and vintage wedding dresses are jaw dropping. Look for a long, body skimming wedding dress from the 1930s. Many of these beautiful pieces feature delicate buttons all down the back, and the frothy hem looks amazing from the front and the back. 1930s wedding dresses truly were showstoppers–unfortunately it can cost you a mint to buy an original, but consider having one made specifically for you. Spend some time looking around for the perfect seamstress–just because this is your wedding dress doesn’t mean it’s okay for her to charge you crazy prices.

Lace

This romantic material has been all over the runways for some time, and it is perfectly suited for a wedding dress. There’s nothing quite so becoming against glowing skin as lace, and it is flattering and supportive as well. For a gorgeous spin on a traditional lace dress, look up Alexander Mcqueen’s “Oyster” dress series from 2003. These stunning dresses used hundreds upon hundreds of layers of silk organza for a soft, organic look–arguably one of the most unbearably romantic dresses the world has ever seen.

High Necklines and Sleeves

The royal wedding this year triggered a flurry of wedding dress styles which incorporated Kate Middleton wedding dress, which featured a graceful, high neckline and sleeves. Although this style was popular in past decades, it seems unusually fresh now as the trend has been all but absent for many years. This look is modest and classic–great if you want to cover up your tattoos, or even if you want to highlight them. There’s nothing like a classically beautiful dress on a punk rock girl, which is truly the ultimate trend for wedding dresses this year.

Whatever dress you choose for your wedding, remember to have fun with it. Themed weddings are much more fun for everybody, so consider choosing one for yours. Find a photographer who will be able to bring out your personality in your photographs–there’s no reason you should have to do everything just the way your mother did. For example, if you love zombie movies or puppy dogs, make sure you include them in your pictures. Your wedding should be a celebration of wedded personalities–let your dress and ceremony celebrate who the both of you are!

Finding the perfect wedding dress is one of the most important aspects of planning a wedding. Some women dream up their perfect dress at a young age, while others may feel uncertain about what kind of dress to wear. Style, shape, and colour should all be carefully considered for a bride to find a truly perfect wedding dress.

Style
Style is all about personality. Though style can be related to a dress’ color and shape, it also refers to qualities distinct from these elements. Style determines the overall look and feel of a dress, whether a dress is minimalist and modern with clean lines or more traditional and elegant with many embellishments.

Generally, the style of the wedding dress should complement the style of the wedding. For beach or other outdoor weddings, a dress that is flowing, with sheer layers and frothy lace, will match the natural setting. If the wedding decór features vintage elements, a dress with a vintage-inspired silhouette will enhance the overall feel of timeless beauty.

To chose the right style of wedding dress and wedding, some women find looking through bridal magazines and websites or window-shopping at bridal stores to be the best way to determine their own personal style. Some women prefer to simply go into a bridal store and try on dresses of many styles, even styles they might not think they will like, to find the best match.

Style can also come through in the choice of accessories. For traditional, formal weddings, a pair of elegant elbow-length gloves adds a touch of class. For modern and slightly nontraditional weddings, a pop of color or texture drawn from the decorating palette can be introduced in the choice of shoes or jewelery, or with a sash or other decorative element on the dress.

Choosing the style for the wedding and the dress is very important in influencing many other factors of the wedding, so should be one of the first choices made in planning.

Shape
In addition to finding the right dress for the bride’s personal style, choosing the right shape for a wedding dress ensures that the dress fits in the most flattering way possible.

Pear-shaped women should look for A-line dresses that highlight narrow midsections and flow loosely around the hips and thighs. Apple-shaped women should similarly choose a dress that cinches at the smallest part of the waist to create an hourglass shape, and can try a dress with lace or ruching that fits snugly to camouflage a larger waistline.

Plus-sized women should choose a well-fitting empire-waisted dress to draw in the waist and play up natural curves. Women without many curves can pull off an elegant sheath dress or a full ballroom-style gown that emphasizes a slender waist.

Busty women can enhance their own features with a scooping neckline, even choosing a daring and sexy off-the-shoulder gown. Small-chested women should look for a dress with a ruched bodice because the extra fabric will help fill out the bust line.

Whatever the bride’s figure, her dress should enhance and emphasize the most beautiful features of her body, so the shape of the dress should be chosen carefully.

Colour
Of course most people think traditional pure white when thinking about a wedding dress, but today there are an array of beautiful colours that are appropriate for wedding dresses.

Simple variations on white such as ecru, cream, champagne or ivory are color choices that are still formal but offer a slight departure from tradition. More nontraditional brides may choose to completely break from tradition and wear dresses in bold colours like hot pink, cherry red or even sparkling lavender.

When choosing the colour of a wedding dress, it is important to consider what the bride’s skin tone will be at the time of the wedding. Lighter dress colours offset and enhance medium to dark skin tones, while pure white will look best on fairer skin.

When shopping for a dress, holding color swatches up against the skin helps to determine what shades best complement the bride’s skin tone. It is also helpful to consider what colors the bride usually finds most flattering to wear and look for dresses within that range.

If there is a dress that is the perfect style and shape, brides should ask about all of its available colour options to find the hue that is most flattering and most suited to the overall style of the wedding and the bride.

Conclusion
The perfect wedding dress can be hard to find, but taking the search step-by-step and making choices about style, shape, and colour along the way will help make the search more manageable. All of these choices should be made carefully so that the bride feels her most beautiful and most like herself in her wedding dress.