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Wedding
Gown Styles for the Plus-Size Bride
By Teresa
Delisi
Every bride
deserves the right to look beautiful on her wedding day. For the
plus-size brides of America, finding a dress can be as stressful
as making the wedding cake yourself. Finding the wedding dress
of your dreams is not an easy task for plus-size brides. The
biggest challenge for a bride size 20 or above is that she can’t
try anything on. While warehouses like David’s Bridal generally
have larger sizes on hand, most traditional bridal shops do not,
making it very hard for a bride to get a real feel for the
dress.
This
doesn’t mean you should go on a starvation diet or start feeling
ashamed of your shape. Voluptuous women have two choices—you can
either accentuate your beautiful curves, or you can minimize
them. Just like a bride of any size, as long as you’re prepared
to work with your body’s strengths and weaknesses, you’ll look
fabulous when you walk down the aisle.
Here
are some very helpful guidelines to finding a style for you:
-
Get an
A:
A-line-shaped dresses are great for plus-size women. Styled
closely at the shoulders, this style flares away from the
bodice, creating one clean, flowing line. Empire waists -
which fall from just below the bust line - will also work
well. While mermaid, form-fitting gowns should probably be
avoided.
-
What A
Waist:
If you’re a petite plus-size bride, dresses with a basque
waist (an elongated waist that dips to a point in the center
front) will add height.
-
Go
Long:
Long,
fitted sleeves or sleeves that come to the elbow have a
tendency to look better, they camouflage the stretch marks
and loose skin on the arm. But, stay away from puffy sleeves
– they just add unwanted bulk.
-
Get
The Scoop:
Look for
gowns with open necklines - V-necks, scoop necks, and
keyholes. They’re more flattering to full figures. To
accentuate a full bust, choose an uplifting support bra. To
minimize curves, opt for a one-piece minimizing garment.
-
Lighten Up:
Steer
clear of clingy fabrics such as crepe and jersey, and bulky
fabrics such as velvet and heavy satin. Opt instead for
lighter weight satins, chiffons, and silk shantung.
·
Photo Finish:
Skip shiny, glossy fabrics in favor of matte satins and
silks.
·
Details Count:
Bring attention to your face by framing it with a sparkling
necklace, drop pearl earrings, or a glistening headpiece.
Beware
of the Extra Fee:
Once you’ve found your dream gown, don’t be surprised if you’re
asked to cough up “a little extra” to order it in a plus size.
Designers generally charge more for plus-size gowns in order to
compensate for the extra material used. Fees can range from $40
to $150 and up.
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