BRIDAL GURU / Oct 07, 2021
3 WEDDING DRESS STYLES FOR SHORT BRIDES (PLUS STYLING TIPS!)
Wedding gowns can be extravagant. They can be big. They can be bold. And they should be—you want to make a statement on your wedding day, after all.
That last bit is important. You want to make a statement, which means your wedding dress should still play a supporting role.
If you're a short bride, you may be worried about "drowning" in your dress, and the only dress style that'll look good is a short, basic dress.
Girl, don't you worry—there are many options for small frames. While you should be conscientious of not overwhelming your figure with lots of fabric, you can still rock a long wedding dress.
So today, we're going to discuss two long wedding dress styles that look fabulous on short brides:
- ✿ Mermaid: A mermaid silhouette is defined by a slim, tapered, curve-hugging skirt that follows the line of the hips and thighs, flaring out from the knee or below the knee. Keeping the fabric close to the body, and having a flared skirt with moderate volume, accentuates rather than engulfs your curves.
- ✿ A-line: An A-line silhouette gradually widens towards the hem, mimicking the shape of a capital letter A. While the waist doesn't have to be cinched at the waist, this is most common. Similar to mermaid-style gowns, A-line dresses feature skirts that don't overtake short frames.
1. Mermaid Silhouette with Mesh Fabric
For short brides, mermaid gowns with mesh fabric are a match made in heaven. Sticking close to the body, the mermaid silhouette accentuates your frame rather than hide it. But you can still add dimension—with mesh! Because mesh is sheer, you avoid drowning your curves. You can even add an overlay skirt to pump up the volume. As you can see, you don't have to go simple. Mesh allows you to showcase intricate embroidery and embellishments. With a long skirt, we recommend thin sleeves or a strapless dress to balance out your look. 💞 Styling Tip: Throw your hair up in a bun to elongate your neck. Some shoulder-grazing earrings can also help lengthen your look.
Get the look: style GL2934 | Spaghetti Strap V-Neck Mermaid Long Dress
2. A-Line with Pleated Satin Fabric
Another fabric we love for short brides is satin. It offers a fluid drape over the body—which means it hugs and conforms to your shape. A pleated skirt is a total bonus. These vertical folds create long lines from the waist—making your legs look longer than they are! Again, to balance out a fabric-heavy bottom, we recommend showing off your shoulders. Off-the-shoulder sleeves, paired with a sweetheart neckline, are oh-so-trendy right now, and for a good reason—they accentuate all the right curves! 💞 Styling Tip: A sweetheart neckline offers the perfect canvas for a bold necklace—but sometimes, it's just as bold to keep your collarbone bare. Whether you leave your hair completely down, in a half-do, or an updo, be sure to add some loose waves to capture a whimsical look.
Get the look: style GL1908 | Pleated Waistline Sweethearted Cut-Away Shoulder Satin A-Line Dress
3. A-line with a High Slit
If you're a short bride who wants a dress with a bit more volume, then this is the wedding dress style for you. Again, we see thin straps and mesh for this A-line dress, but it features a more voluminous skirt. To ensure your legs don't get lost entirely, look for a skirt with a high slit. In addition to pumping up the sexy, showing off your leg also elongates your body—in the same way that a short dress does. So I can have a full skirt and lengthen my frame? Absolutely! If you're also looking to elongate the torso, a V-neckline works wonders, especially with thin straps. 💞 Styling Tip: If you want more dimension, add a simple mesh veil to your look as well. For jewelry, pearls would be just the right feminine touch!
Get the look: style GL1907 | Embroidered Sheer Bodice V-Neck Wedding Gown /w Tail
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