PETITE / SHORT: Sheath, A-line, or Mermaid are all flattering styles on a petite figure. To add height, combine a short sleeve or sleeveless dress with long gloves. Also consider a dress with a high neckline and empire waist to elongate your figure. Big ball gowns and veils that are longer than the floor can overwhelm a petite frame. Pouf veils and up-do’s will add to your overall height.
FULL FIGURED: Ball gown or A-line styles are especially flattering on fuller figures. The fitted waist and full skirt of a ball gown emphasizes your beautiful curves, and hides any figure “issues” below the waist. An A-Line silhouette will flatter practically any figure. Consider a neckline with beading and other details to help draw the eye upward, and balance your silhouette.
LARGE BUST: The following necklines work well with a large bust: keyhole, high, v-neck or illusion yoke. You may also want to consider finding a gown style that allows you to wear a bra with straps, for the best support. It’s all about proportion and balance, so consider a dress with beading, lace and other details around the hemline and the bottom half of the dress, versus the bodice.
FULL HIPS: A-line, ball gown, flared skirt, or cinched waist styles are all very flattering to this body type. A broader neckline such as off-the-shoulder, Portrait, Bateau or Sabrina can help balance your overall silhouette nicely.
SMALL BUST: While many styles can be flattering, consider styles that include extra details – layering, beadwork, ruching, lacework, etc – around the bust line for fullness and balance. Have cups sewn into your gown’s bodice so you can eliminate the need for a bra – one less thing to worry about!
HOURGLASS: This “curves-in-all-the-right-places” body looks great in simple, classic styles such as sheaths, mermaid, or a fitted princess gown. Consider a v-neck, off-the-shoulder or scoop neck – these necklines provide nice balance and proportion to an hourglass shape.
INVERTED TRIANGLE: Full skirts or full trains are a great way to balance out your overall silhouette, when you’re fuller on top and through the shoulders. Also consider dresses with bustles, bows, and other adornments on the bottom half of the gown.
TRIANGLE/PEAR SHAPED: Consider full sleeve treatments, padded or pouf sleeve to balance out your fuller bottom half. Also consider a textured bodice with heavy beading, and flattering neckline that will draw focus upward.
TALL: A drop-waisted dress with a lower neckline or any off-the-shoulder style looks great on taller figures. If you’re also slender, a sheath or mermaid style will really show off your slim frame. Sometimes when you’re thin, your shoulders and collar bone can look “bony” – and if so, you may want a dress style that covers those areas more. Something else to consider: pouf veils and up-do’s will add to your overall height.
THICK WAIST OR RECTANGLE-SHAPED: An Empire silhouette looks especially flattering on those body types that are fuller through the waist. Consider using strong detail on the upper or lower body, but not both, to give the illusion of curves.
What's the best gown Style For Your Body Type?
Top Wedding Dress Winter 2008
Lela Rose
Alvina Valenta
Rivini
Lazaro
Priscilla of Boston
Monique Lhuillier
Romona Keveza
Vera Wang
J. Crew
Carolina Herrera
Reem Acra
Jim Hjelm Bridal
Oscar de la Renta
Melissa Sweet
Vineyard Collection
Vera Wang
Angel Sanchez
Monique Lhuillier
Priscilla of Boston
Reem Acra
Carolina Herrera
Oscar de la Renta
AMSALE
See Caroline Castigliano's latest dress collection
If you're searching for an exquisite dress for your wedding day, don't miss this special event: designer Caroline Castigliano is launching her new bridal and eveningwear collections at the Castigliano International Room in London, and you could be among the first brides-to-be to see them!
The party, to be held on Monday 19 November, will showcase the new collections with inspiring catwalk shows throughout the evening. Brides and Bridesmagazine.co.uk readers will be treated to a Champagne reception with canapés created by A-list wedding planners The Admirable Crichton, while Michael Dickinson's gorgeous floral designs will be on display. Guests will also receive a fabulous goodie bag packed with exclusive gifts.
Caroline's signature silhouette is feminine and effortlessly elegant, allowing brides to exude confidence and a deep sense of style. Her bespoke collections are handcrafted in the UK and offered in the most luxurious fabrics for maximum glamour.
"The purchase of a wedding gown is one of the most important and emotional in a bride's life," says Caroline. "With this in mind, I have created a collection that will fulfil your dreams and become a beautiful part of your lasting memories. My new eveningwear collection is designed to create impact from the moment you walk into a room."
Other top-name designers available at the Knightsbridge store include Amy Michelson, Toi Couture, Atelier Aimée, Galit Levi, Oleg Cassini, Kenneth Pool and Mariage.
Tickets to the event cost just £10 per person – these are exclusive to our readers and strictly limited. Visit www.carolinecastigliano.co.uk for more information.
We find four designer dresses that could be perfect for you.
After having seen Sarah Jessica Parker wear a stunning white dress from Vivienne Westwood during the filming of Sex In The City in New York last week, we decided to take a closer look at what the autumn/winter ready-to-wear collections have to offer to fashion-conscious brides.
First up is Lela Rose, the American designer who showed her collection in New York earlier this year. Lela also designs a beautiful wedding collection, stocked at Browns Bride, so we were less than surprised when the exquisitely embroidered dress, pictured far left, appeared on the catwalk. If you like romantic cuts, flattering appliqué flowers and delicate shoulder straps, this could very well be the dress for you.
Also in New York, Alice Temperley showed a Ballet Russes-inspired collection that featured the fantastic white suit, pictured top left. The high-waisted trousers, the cropped jacket and the slightly Victorian shoulders all make this suit perfect for super-stylish brides who are getting married in a registry office or at an embassy abroad. The headpiece is for the brave only…
Over in London, Vivienne Westwood, the queen of punk and avant-garde glamour, showed her usual eclectic mix of colours and cuts, including the elegant dress we've now seen Carrie Bradshaw wear. Her show also featured this slightly less extravagant but equally as stunning little gold dress, pictured far left. The dress would be perfect for a registry office ceremony, too – or for the reception if you'd like to change into something a little bit more comfortable.
Finally, Alberta Ferretti created ice queen drama in Milan with the elegant floor-length silver gown, pictured above right, which looks like it's been stolen from a F. Scott Fitzgerald character's wardrobe. While silver might not be the colour of choice for many brides, it remains a great option for, in particular, winter weddings as it allows you to glisten and glow discreetly.
www.bridesmagazine.co.uk
Summer 2007 Top Ten Gowns
Silk faille gown with draped skirt and topstitched strapless bodice by Angel Sanchez, $4,950 at Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier; Akoya cultured-pearl studs, $420, and pearl-and-diamond tiara in eighteen-karat white gold, $12,000 at Mikimoto; Carolina Amato opera-length white kidskin gloves with three-pearl closure, $325 at Saks Fifth Avenue.
Photographs by Erica Shires
Ivory georgette gown with English net neckline and ruffled sleeves with layered ribbon sash by Vera Wang, by special order; emerald-cut diamond studs set in platinum, $91,000, and Tiffany Novo diamond ring set in platinum, $82,500 by Tiffany & Co.; silver and gold floral necklace on nude tulle, $995 by Vera Wang. Photographed at 60 Thompson.
Photographs by Erica Shires
Silk faille gown with bateau neckline and rolled-edge pockets by Angel Sanchez, $4,840 at Bergdorf Goodman. Photographed at 632 on Hudson.
Photographs by Erica Shires
Cava silk organza dress with latex slip, $7,690 by Calvin Klein. Photographed at Hudson. 
Chantilly lace A-line halter gown with low shirred back over layers of silk chiffon by Elizabeth Fillmore, $5,830 at Saks Fifth Avenue; headband with pearls, crystals, and silver leaves by Brides Head Revisited, $375 at the Wedding Library by Claudia Hanlin and Jennifer Zabinski. Photographed at Hudson.
Silk organza empire gown with embroidered bodice and ruffled neckline by Marchesa, by special order; 212-463-8135. Photographed at 60 Thompson.
Cap sleeve re-embroidered lace gown with godet skirt and scallop ribbon belt by Monique Lhuillier, $5,830 at Mark Ingram Bridal Atelier. Flowers by LMD Events, $650. Photographed at 632 on Hudson.
Ivory silk chiffon gown by Roberto Cavalli, $2,795 at Bergdorf Goodman. Blue hydrangea and white rose petals, for tossing, by Katrina Parris, $45. Photographed at Hudson.
Photographs by Erica Shires
Silk faille gown with black drape, illusion yoke, and bias trim by Vera Wang, price upon request. Flowers by LMD Events, $450. Photographed at 632 on Hudson. 
V-neck empire gown with draped taffeta bodice and side-gathered tissue organza overskirt by Vera Wang, price upon request. Photographed at 60 Thompson.
Photographs by Erica Shires
Spring 2008 Collection Oscar de la Renta
Oscar continues to design all of the collections and remains Chairman, he handed over his previous title of Chief Executive to son-in-law Alex Bolen in 2004. In 1997 Oscar launched OSCAR by Oscar de la Renta, a high-end sports line for the working girl, and in fall 2004 he debuted O Oscar, a sportswear line for the masses, with all items retailing for less than $100. Although that line is currently on hiatus, the new brand president Maria Vaccaro is re-launching the line for spring 2006. It's this marked ability to straddle diverse markets and worlds that has ensured his continued success.
Ask an Expert: Oscar de la Renta
What was your own wedding like?
I’ve been married twice—or, I will say, three times but to two women. My first wife was the editor-in-chief of French Vogue. This was back in 1967, and I said, “Why don’t we get a marriage license, and then, one day, if we feel like it, we will get married.” And that’s exactly what we did. We just went to City Hall, right here in New York. There is something wonderful and humbling about City Hall, because you wait in line with a lot of people, and there is a chapel, though it’s not a religious ceremony. I was married for eighteen years and then my first wife died. When I remarried, it was in the Dominican Republic, and I arranged everything.
You planned the wedding yourself?
I planned the entire wedding. Some friends were staying with us, and the night before we married, which was my wife-to-be’s birthday, I made a toast and said, “I want you to know that we are getting married tomorrow.” She didn’t really know.
You surprised her?
She was a little shocked, but we got married. And we have been married for almost nineteen years. Last year, we had a religious ceremony because we had only had a civil ceremony. It was just the two of us and our sons, Moises and Charlie, as witnesses.
What did your wife wear?
She was worried because she had come to Santo Domingo for vacation and felt she had nothing proper for a wedding. So she wore a white polka-dotted suit, which was the closest thing.
What did your daughter wear for her wedding?
When Eliza got married, I was so nervous that I made her two dresses. The second was the one, and she looked beautiful. She got married in our house by the same cardinal who married me and my wife. There are many emotions for a parent. I think, in a way, it’s harder for a man to accept that his little girl is getting married.
What prompted you to start designing bridal?
I’ve been doing wedding dresses for a long time, on and off. I love to do this, so I decided it was time.
How important is the veil?
I’ve always liked the traditional aspect of a wedding. I love the idea of a father walking the girl down the aisle and lifting the veil in front of the altar. Lately, there has been a lot of skin exposed in wedding dresses. I’m from a Catholic country, so it’s always a little bit difficult [for me], this idea of walking half-naked into a church.
What inspired your upcoming collection?
The eternal thought of making that day a very special one.
From the Summer 2007 New York Wedding Guide
