Finding a Wedding Dress for Your Body Type to Promote Body Positivity (2024)

Our HeartTips and Trends | January 11, 2023

How to Determine Your Body Type

The first step to feeling your most confident in your beautiful wedding dress is to know your body type and have a good idea of the style you’re looking for. You can find out your body type by having a friend or family member measure you. Take a look at our wedding dress size chart for tips on how to measure! This is a helpful resource for you and your measuring partner. You’ll want to measure your bust, waist, hips and body length. Here’s a pro-tip for you: measure twice for accuracy!

Your Bridal Stylist is your biggest resource when determining your body type, however. Make sure to book an appointment at an Authorized Retailer near you to get measured as soon as possible!

Wedding Dresses for Hourglass Figures

PC: Silver Dune Photography | PC: Nick Wild Photography

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. Some of our fave styles for you brides are:

• Montecito by Sottero and Midgley
• Hattie by Rebecca Ingram
• Monaco by Maggie Sottero

Wedding Dresses for Brides with a Smaller Bust

PC: Laverde Studio | PC: The Evoke Company |

Plunging necklines are very flattering and add a lot of shape for our brides with a smaller bust. Another beautiful option to help you dress for your body type is a corseted wedding gown – it adds padding and more shape! Consider a gown that features ruffles and texture to add shape, too! Unlike brides with fuller chests, ruffles and textures won’t weigh you down. Check out our blog post for some ruffled wedding dress inspo!

Our fave gowns for our brides will smaller busts include:

• Casey by Maggie Sottero
• Raelynn by Rebecca Ingram
• Cruz by Sottero and Midgley

Wedding Gowns for Brides with Petite Body Types

PC: Sarah McPherson Photography | PC: Mariel O. Photography

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. When it comes to the right neckline on your dress for body shape, a halter neckline is a great option for brides with petite body types! Pair your gown with a timeless pair of pearl earrings – be it in a stud or dangle design. Some gowns you might love are:

• Minerva by Rebecca Ingram
• Deborah by Maggie Sottero
• Aston by Sottero and Midgley

Wedding Dresses for Brides with a Pear Shape

PC: Tolman Media | PC: Punta Cana Photography | PC: Gricel Photography

Brides with a pear shape… you may be wondering how to dress for your body type. Well, we’ve got some expert tips for you! A fit-and-flare gown is a beautiful dress for your body type, as it accentuates your hips and backside! Accessorize your fit-and-flare gown for extra hip and backside accentuation with a gorgeous overskirt. If you want to take attention away from your hips or backside, consider a ballgown wedding dress for your body type – these gowns also cinch your waist! Read our blog post for some gorgeous, glamourous ballgowns. Here are our top picks for brides with a pear-shaped body type:

• Selena + Lavinia by Maggie Sottero
• Carmen by Rebecca Ingram
• Kimora by Sottero and Midgley

Wedding Gowns for Tall and Slender Brides

PC: Tiffany Pacheco Photography

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! Our fave gowns for our tall and slender brides are:

• Noah by Maggie Sottero
• Joanne by Rebecca Ingram
• Aspen by Sottero and Midgely

Bridal Dresses for Brides with Athletic Body Types

PC: Eagle Vision Photography | PC: Marisa Kinney Photography | PC: Silver Dune Photography

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. Our dress choices for you, brides, include:

• Kevyn by Sottero and Midgley
• Josie by Rebecca Ingram
• Harlem by Maggie Sottero

Bridal Gowns for Brides with Fuller Chests

PC: Katie Sikora Photography | PC: BRK Shots

Brides will fuller chests – also known as brides with an apple shape – have so many choices available to them! When it comes to dress shapes for body types, we recommend wider straps or sleeves to make a soft look and add support to your figure. A sweetheart or V-neckline will work beautifully to flatter your bust, making any gown with this feature the perfect dress for your body type. For the perfect dress for body shape, a fitted gown will accentuate your curves and mimic an hourglass shape, if that’s something you desire! Our fave gowns for you, our gorgeous apple-shaped brides, are:

• Alistaire Lynette by Maggie Sottero
• Zander by Sottero and Midgley
• Helen by Rebecca Ingram

Well, brides, we hope our list of dress shapes for body types helps, and you’ve learned some great tips on how to dress for your body type. Be sure to browse our website to continue your search for the perfect dress for your body type. Remember: these are just suggestions! The only thing that really matters is how you feel in your dream wedding dress – because you will look beautiful no matter what. To learn more about how to best shop for your wedding dress make sure to sign up for our text messages below! Happy shopping!

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