Many bridal shops, always foaming at the mouth to hop on anything that will bring some additional cash in the door, have recognized that there is a whole niche market of full-figured women out there, ready and willing to buy if only they could find garments that fit and flatter them. Therefore, many bridal salons now feature their most popular gowns in an extended range to include plus sizes. Unfortunately, as is so often the case in the fashion world, the “most popular” gowns are determined by how they look on the bones of 6-foot, size-0 models; it’s hard for “average” size-12-and-under brides to bring off the same dramatic look in these gowns, much less size-14’s and above, up to size 28 or 30. The fact that most design lines overlook, is that plus-size brides don’t simply want a wedding gown built large enough to zip up–nobody wants to look like a bulging sausage, even if stuffed in a couture casing. Like every bride, plus-size brides want a gown that is beautiful in its own right, yet also enhances their own best features–which is achieved by directing the eye away from problem areas. What this means for the larger bride is that it may take more shopping to find the gown with the combination of specific features that will make you look your best.
If you’re not already aware of wedding-dress sizing, the first shock you may encounter is that wedding gowns are usually cut smaller than regular gowns–one to two sizes smaller: a size-10 wedding dress will often fit a size-6 person. Knowing this in advance can help you from being discouraged or frustrated at the outset, feeling that nothing fits. You should also know that plus sizes are likely to cost a little more than the identical dress in a smaller size, and that you are more likely to require a bit more “customizing,” so that your alterations total may also be higher. It’s not generally a huge difference–and it’s so worth it to be comfortable at your wedding, feeling that you are wearing the dress instead of it wearing you.
Trying on wedding dresses is the first time that many women come face-to-face with the seriously functional bridal undergarments that are designed to help contour, firm, smooth, and support–much more than compared to our everyday bras and panties–and make no mistake about it, regardless of your size, these underpinnings are important and really do help not only one’s appearance (sometimes even one’s posture), but give the added benefit of self-confidence, which is priceless on such an important occasion. Spring for the underpinnings!
One problem that many plus-sized brides have in common is heavy upper arms. Despite the popularity of strapless gowns in recent years, if the upper arms are an area of concern, it’s probably not a feature any bride wants to showcase. Steer clear of strapless gowns–which not only put upper arms on display, but often sink visibly into the flesh at the front and/or back of the armpits–and consider a gown with sleeves (they can be lace or sheer and still serve their purpose). Cap sleeves are not ideal, because they tend to cut across the upper arm on a diagonal line, making the arm appear wider. A gown with a wide collar that scoops into a boat neckline or a slightly-V’d neckline, with the collar itself riding off the shoulder, cuts across the widest part of your arm, and the eye is drawn to the dress detail, not to the arm itself. Example: http://www.davidsbridal.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplayView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10051&categoryId=-49998981¤tIdx=14&subCategory=-49999486%7c-49998983%7c-49998981&catentryId=6092787 . Both this example, with the wide, off-shoulder collar, or a gown with short sleeves (next example) not only take the spotlight off of the upper arms, but also broaden the line across the shoulders and upper body, visually balancing the generally wider waist or hip area of full-figured brides. Example: http://www.houseofbrides.com/product.php?productid=22354&cat=590&page=3 .
Notice that both of these gowns have dipping necklines, which elongate the appearance of the neck and also detract from a rounder face. V-necklines have the same effect, as does the sweetheart neckline, which emphasizes the shapeliness of those womanly curves. Example: http://www.houseofbrides.com/product.php?productid=31344&cat=590&page=1
Many full-figured ladies are very buxom, and should take care not to dip too low–too much exposure isn’t flattering, especially for this occasion. If you would like to play down a very full bust, look for a gown with flattering draping over “the girls.” Example: http://www.davidsbridal.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplayView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10051&categoryId=-49995489¤tIdx=78&subCategory=-49999486%7c-49998998%7c-49995489&catentryId=2000169
If your midriff is an issue (if you are what is referred to as an “apple-shaped” woman), consider an overjacket of beautiful lace. This example features a train of lace flowing from the jacket over the dress in back, and is very unique:http://www.bridalonlinestore.com/collection/product-page.asp?SKU=7011 . If necessary, buy it large and have the shoulders made smaller, so that there is no hint of tightness at the waist. A less-formal example of a simply-cut gown with overjacket: http://www.plus-size.com/image.asp?MODE=ITEMFULLCOVER&ID=307&ALTIMG=product_holder_thumb.gif . A larger midsection can also be offset by a great pair of legs! Example: http://content.nordstrom.com/ImageGallery/store/product/Medium/19/_5742959.jpg . Another tummy-hider is ruching at the waistline, such as this example: http://www.davidsbridal.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplayView?storeId=10052&catalogId=10051&categoryId=-49998981¤tIdx=16&subCategory=-49999486%7c-49998983%7c-49998981&catentryId=6092783
Note: if you find the perfect dress, but it’s strapless or has only spaghetti straps, chances are very good that the bridal salon can match it with a coordinating shawl, in a sheer fabric for warm weather or a solid that is a good match to the gown itself. Actually wearing the shawl for your ceremony and pictures will give you the benefits of upper-arm coverage and widening your shoulder line, and you can remove it during the reception. (Of course, uou can get this accessory much more inexpensively from the fabric store, if you or a relative sews.) This little bit of extra coverage might be all you need to start up the aisle with confidence.
Some final tips for full-figured brides:
• remember that the quickest way to become height-weight proportional is to add a couple of inches of height with a pair of heels. However, be sure that you really are secure walking in them, and that they are comfortable enough to wear for the full length of your event–don’t kid yourself now and be miserable later. Break them in a bit: put on ankle-high nylons and wear them around the house for an hour one evening, two hours the next, etc. And take a piece of sandpaper to the broadest part of the soles (the balls of your feet) to kill that new-shoe slippery-ness–this is one occasion where all eyes will be on you, and a slip would be mortifying. (Also, be sure to wear “the” shoes when you try on your dress for alterations.)
• If the shade is flattering to your complexion, ivory or champagne gowns do reflect less light than pure white, and make one appear a bit smaller.
• Consider wearing an updo (or hair part up, part down), which shows more neck and visually elongates your upper body. If the hairstyle has some additional height on top (which it will need anyway if you are wearing a veil with a tiara or other headpiece), so much the better.
• Remember that if you are wearing a veil, its style can add balancing dimension to your total look as well–a 2-tiered veil, with the top tier to just above the elbows and the bottom tier falling to hip length is flattering, with fullness at the top and the transparency of the veil confusing the eye as to what is body and what is veil–even more so if you select a veil with a narrow colored band at the border–its zigs and zags of color will cut the all-white look.
• Keep your bridal jewelry simple, particularly your necklace; a heavy or multi-stranded necklace will tend to make your neck disappear.
• You don’t have to choose between cutting off your circulation or wearing your garter below your knee. Here is a selection of garters just a bit more generously cut (and, since garters are elasticized, they won’t appear “plus size” when off your leg): http://www.bridesvillage.com/plus-size-garters.html .
• Consider the proportion of your wedding bouquet–particularly if wish you had a bit less waist.
Your first appearance (and your pictures!) will be holding your bouquet. Without going so far that your bouquet is clownishly oversized, a clever bride will opt for a slightly larger and less compact shape than just a small round nosegay–something softer, with the blossoms not packed so tightly, perhaps with a few trailing vines or ribbons, in colors that will show up against her dress, effectively putting a visually darker color (which the eye reads as “smaller”) at the midsection, and adding some additional camouflage to the tummy area.
Your fiancé is marrying you for all the many things about you that he finds beautiful. As well as the two of you may know each other, this is one day that you can very memorably knock his socks off when he sees you. And in your whole lives together, what better day? So don’t give up the search and “settle” for a dress that isn’t quite right. It’s worth it to do some researching online, find out local shops that carry the gowns you’re interested in, and check out just one more shop–and then maybe one more. When you find it, you’ll absolutely know.
05.23.09
