Popular Wedding Dress Styles & Silhouettes

Looking for the perfect wedding dress but not sure where to start? If you’re trying to figure out what wedding dress styles match your bridal aesthetic and what silhouettes look best for you, keep reading! We’re doing a deep dive into all the tips and trends surrounding choosing the perfect wedding dress for your best day ever! Love content like this? Check out our Instagram for more!

What Is The Most Popular Wedding Dress Styles and Silhouettes?

A-line is the most popular wedding dress silhouette. Our Authorized Retailers are always having brides come in dying to try on A-line gowns! (And leaving with their dream dress picked out!) This wedding dress style looks fantastic on just about every bride with its fitted bodice and delicately flared skirt.

The name A-line refers to the resemblance of the skirt to the letter A when a bride is standing, creating a beautifully balanced ensemble that exudes elegance on everyone.

If you’re looking for a wedding dress option that you can’t go wrong with, an A-line gown should definitely be your go-to. After all, it never goes out of style, looks great no matter what your body type is, and can be styled in so many different ways to perfectly match your bridal aesthetic!

Still not sure of what that bridal aesthetic is? Take our style quiz to help you narrow it down and get a handful of dresses hand-picked just for you!

What Is The Best Silhouette For A Curvy Bride?

PC: Mayah Lee | The Crawfords

We love all sorts of different wedding dress styles and silhouettes on our curvy brides! There are a few benefits to each though if you’re looking for a certain look!

For brides who want to accentuate a fuller bust and bring in their waist, ball gown and A-line silhouettes are known for doing just that! They also create a beautiful balance between the top and bottom of just about every body type, creating visual harmony that makes them a fan favorite for a reason!

If you’re looking to show off your hips and bum, a mermaid or fit-and-flare dress is also a great choice because of how snug they are around that area, with a dramatic flare at the bottom for our brides who are feeling themselves and want to bring the drama!

What Are The Different Wedding Dress Styles?

Nature-Inspired Wedding Dress Styles

This wedding dress style incorporates nature-inspired detailing all over the dress. Whether it’s vine-like lace or delicate floral appliques, if you’re all about mother nature, you’re sure to find something you love amongst our nature-inspired bridal gowns! If nature-inspired gowns are what you’re after, you have to see Blake by Rebecca Ingram!

Bold & Sexy

For our daring brides, we have a bold and sexy wedding dress style. We’re talking sexy silhouettes, plunging necklines, statement backs, and dramatic trains that will have your partner falling in love with you all over again! We know you love the drama, and we’re ready to bring it! Love this vibe? Take a look at Yesenia by Sottero and Midgley!

Modern Minimalist

On the other hand, we have the bride with the “less is more” mindset. You’re all about a timeless, sophisticated aesthetic. CUTE. If you’re a fan of clean lines and luxe fabrics, you’ve come to the right place! We love the sense of bridal purity and the way they bring the focus back to you and your love story that these gowns offer! Plus, we know your wedding photos will never go out of style. Bennett by Maggie Sottero and Anniston Lane by Maggie Sottero both suit this style beautifully!

Soft & Feminine Wedding Dress Styles

Listen up, lover girls! Have been dreaming of your wedding day for as long as you can remember? Are your Pinterest boards full of The Notebook-worthy ceremony details and whimsical floral arches? Did you have your vows written after your first date? Yeah, you’re coming with us. Right over to the soft and feminine bridal aesthetic, full of airy A-line gowns, sweetheart necklines, billowing bishop sleeves, and floral painted gowns. Teresa by Rebecca Ingram and Nisha by Maggie Sottero are great examples of this style!

Vintage Vibes

Retro it-girl chic is seriously having a moment right now. If you love a good jukebox tune, spend your weekends rollerblading at the disco with friends, and find yourself feeling like you were born in the wrong generation, it’s time to consider the possibility of a vintage wedding dress style! BTW, have you seen our blog on The Maggie Gown To Match Your Favorite Eras? It’s simply a must-read for you. Plus, make sure to try on Iravati by Sottero and Midgley at your bridal appointment!

Intimate Elopement

We love an elopement. The intimacy, the romance, the freedom! Does it get any better than that? If you’re planning an elopement with your sweetheart, you’ve got to consider this stunning vibe for your wedding dress style! Ethelinda by Rebecca Ingram is a great example of this bridal aesthetic!

What Are The Different Wedding Dress Silhouettes?

A-line Wedding Dress Silhouette

We know we talked about this one earlier, but it is just such a staple we have to hit it again. (You’re welcome!) An A-line silhouette gradually flares out from the waist, creating an A-shaped silhouette. This silhouette is loved universally for flattering every body type, and fits impeccably through the hips and thighs! We love an inclusive silhouette! One of our most beloved A-line wedding dresses is Alexandria by Rebecca Ingram!

Ball Gown Wedding Dress Silhouette

The larger-than-life cousin of the A-line silhouette, a ball gown has a fitted bodice with a voluminous skirt flowing into a dramatic train. This silhouette is known to accentuate the waist and create a balanced silhouette with a touch of dramatic fairytale-level volume. (And for being the ultimate princess vibes, of course!) She’s perfect for dancing the night away with your lover! For example, we love Elton by Sottero and Midgley and Derrick by Maggie Sottero, both ball gown wedding dresses!

Mermaid Wedding Dress Silhouette

Ah, mermaids. (One of our favorites!) With a mermaid silhouette, the bodice is fitted with the skirt cut seam flare starting at or below the knee. With the longer fitted bodice, this creates an hourglass figure. It is meant to be snug from the bust down to below the hip/bum area. (A lot of brides call this the bootie bam!) Most brides love this shape because it plays up their natural curves! Check out Lennon by Maggie Sottero and Bridget by Maggie Sottero!

P.S. Intimidated by a mermaid silhouette? Don’t be! Read our blog on How To Look and Feel Your Best In A Mermaid Wedding Dress instead!

Fit-and-Flare Wedding Dress Silhouette

A fit-and-flare silhouette hugs the body from the bodice to the hips, then flares out at mid-thigh. It accentuates curves beautifully with its striking skirt. This silhouette also often flaunts a dramatic train, which makes it a staple among our brides who want to amp up the drama! This is a great option for the bride that would rather accentuate her bodice, especially her waist, rather than her hips. It is also an extremely comfortable silhouette to wear at any time of the year and is very easy to walk/dance in. In love yet? You will be once you see Tuscany Royale by Maggie Sottero and Almudena by Sottero and Midgley!

Sheath Wedding Dress Silhouette

Sheaths are a straight and narrow silhouette that follows the natural contours of the body beautifully. It showcases the figure elegantly without adding extra volume. We like to think of it as flowing down your body the way water would, which works magic on your figure! This silhouette is not too tight, not too loose, and for the most part, can be just as comfortable as the fit and flare, but giving the bride more of an hourglass shape. A great compromise of the styles that will allow movement in dancing while still showing off her curves. The height of the flare helps to elongate the legs while maintaining a snug fit around the hip/bum area, but the skirt opens up just below that for a better range of motion. (Put on those dancing shoes!) A fab example of a sheath wedding dress is Jett by Rebecca Ingram!

How Do I Know What Wedding Dress Looks Best On Me?

Tall & Slender

Brides, if you’re looking to dress for your body type, and you’re tall and slender, we recommend a sheath gown! This silhouette’s light airiness helps play up your natural height. A flowy A-line gown can also add some romance to your shape if that’s something you’re looking for. Consider a gown with a slit in the skirt to accentuate your height and long legs, too! For example, Dagney by Rebecca Ingram!

Hourglass Curves

For our brides with hourglass figures, a fitted style is destined to highlight your curves! Fit-and-flare and mermaid wedding dresses are sure to look stunning. Gowns with plunging V-necklines, wrap dresses, and strapless gowns are also fabulous choices for hourglass figures. If hourglass curves sounds like you, try on Anita by Rebecca Ingram!

Petite And Sweet

When it comes to how to dress for body shape, for our brides with petite body types, consider an open back – it elongates your shape! Celebrate your body type by opting for a natural or empire waist, delicate details, or a clean, modern gown with minimal embellishment. A slinky A-line gown will also help to elongate your shape and play up your curves, whereas a ballgown might weigh you down. Moon by Maggie Sottero looks great on brides with this shape!

Athletic Build

For our brides who have athletic body types, we recommend an off-the-shoulder or strapless dress for your body type. These gowns will look absolutely stunning to play up your gorgeous arms! To enhance your shoulders, consider a gown with a halter neckline. If you’re looking to play up your strong personality, avoid light and flowy fabrics like chiffon, and stick with heavier, more durable materials like satin for your dress. A perfect dress for this body type? Delores by Rebecca Ingram!

Check out our blog on Finding The Perfect Wedding Dress For Your Body Type for more info!

Ready to go dress shopping now that you have all this info in your back pocket? We love that for you! Gather up your besties and schedule your bridal appointment at one of our Authorized Retailers now! We can’t wait to see which dress you choose! Happy shopping, brides!

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