But many of them aren.

Choosing Your Perfect Wedding Dress Silhouette

Il admit it: Even though there are, at last count, 4,386 reality shows that share the premise that fashion is the most important thing in the whole universe, I hadn really been paying attention.

So when I started shopping for my wedding dress, I had some catching up to do. My saleswoman started throwing new and faintly terrifying terms at me. I thought about just trying to fake it, cute black dresses but I became increasingly sure that if I said the wrong thing a trap door would open up under my feet and send me tumbling down a long, greasy Chute of Shame. At the bottom would be Anna Wintour, and Tyra Banks, waiting to confiscate my Girl Card.

I dove in with hand gestures instead: want it to sort of?go up here?And then maybe like this??The saleswoman cocked her head at me like the RCA dog and took a moment to consider pressing the silent alarm, then suggested I look through the racks a bit.

To save you from that particular slice of pre-wedding embarrassment, here a quick rundown of basic wedding dress silhouettes.

A-line

Youe probably worn an A-line dress at some point. (If you haven, give one a try! Theye flattering on just about any figure.) Some flare out gently from the shoulder, creating kind of an overall letter A shape, and other versions flare out from the waist with a more fitted bodice. Either way, youl look terrific.

Ball gown

Youe seen these on most animated princesses. A ball gown has a closely fitted bodice, then poofs out into a very full, bell-shaped skirt that is usually floor-length. The waistline may dip down into a V, and may sit higher or lower on the hips, depending on your preference.

Ballerina

This is a less common wedding dress style, and youe probably already guessed how it looks. Like the ball gown, a ballerina dress has a fitted bodice and a skirt that poofs out from the waistline, but in this case there more of a tutu effect, with the skirt hitting about mid-calf. Youl be working with very light, floaty fabrics in lots and lots of layers, and there may be some petticoat action.

Bustle back

When seen from the side, this dress has an S-shaped silhouette that was popular from the 1890s through the 1910s or so, when folks liked to (demurely) emphasize the fact that Baby had back. Youl see either a big bow-style decoration or maybe even an extra bunch of fabric in back. Some women automatically freak at the idea of emphasizing the badonk, but I think bustles are classic and fun.

Empire

This confusingly named waistline actually starts just below the bust, and then the dress drops straight down, or close to it. Youe seen these in Jane Austen adaptations like Emma and Sense and Sensibility. Ie read alleged experts who say that empire dresses look best on slender women and others who say they look best on full-figured women. Me, I think they give all women a little-girl look, which may or may not be your bag. So forget the experts and just go by whether or not you like them.

Mermaid

A mermaid dress will give you a shapely silhouette without being inappropriately sexy for a wedding dress. The dress hugs your curves from your bust to your hips, then simple plus size wedding dresses flares out at the knee to create a fishtail effect. (That looks way better than it sounds.) Mermaid dresses can be strikingly beautiful, but because they are fitted so closely, they may not be good for ceremonies in which you have to kneel. You may even have some trouble sitting down if your dress is very form-fitting, so consider changing into another outfit for your reception.

Princess

In this case, youe going for a grown-up princess instead of a Grimm. Think Grace Kelly. This dress is less close-fitting than a mermaid or sheath, but still follows your natural curves. The bodice has vertical panels of fabric and then the skirt flares out gently. This is an elegant style that brings out the inner stone-cold fox in most women.

Sheath

Like mermaid dresses, sheath dresses are very form-fitting. In this case, though, your guests get to see your feet as well as your curves. A sheath dress will be clingy from shoulder (or bust, if youe going strapless) to hem, with no flaring out. It looks like an evening gown ?one that really hugs your body, so make sure youe feeling bold. And, as with the mermaid, make sure youe not feeling like sitting down or kneeling.

Slip

This is an elegant style that is usually kept very simple. It a slinky fall of satin (or satiny material) that clings to your body. Slip dresses are often cut on a bias, with shoestring shoulder straps.

A final word on fashion xperts?br /> Ie seen a lot of expert commentary on how women should dress to look their best lately, and Il just say this: Many of these people are well-intentioned men and women who love, love, love women and their bodies.

But many of them aren.

Some love clothes but don like women, and some only like very tall skinny women, and some sincerely mean to love women but are carrying around great big laundry baskets full of issues, and some of them like to lash out at anyone who might be an easy target because they secretly don like themselves and being snarky reassures them that theye superior to somebody.

Some of them are people who just need to fill that magazine issue and sell some ads and are terrified of doing anything different from the last 117 issues lest someone else get mad or make fun of them. And some people just can stand it evening dress shoes when not everyone conforms to their idea of what looks good.

My point is that you may want to take expert advice with a grain of salt, and maybe the whole shaker. Some fashion experts can be positive and wonderful, and some can really mess with your head, whether they mean to or not. By all means, read or watch them, but if youe starting to feel worse about yourself as you do, pull out. The strapless white dress most useful fashion experts are the ones who start with the premise that youe a babe and then work to help you become the most fabulous version of yourself.

And, in the end, your instincts trump them too. If a dress breaks all the rules but makes you feel absofreakinglutely amazing, that The One.

Good luck, Gorgeous. Happy shopping!

Adding Color to Plus Size Wedding Dresses

If your dream of a white wedding includes at least a splash of color, then youl love some of the latest designer wedding dresses for the upcoming season. From ribbon sashes, to embroidered accents, to colored edgings, the latest wedding gowns bloom with color.

While most brides will be wearing traditional white or ivory walking down the aisle, adding a little long sleeved sequin dress color to your wedding dress is becoming increasingly popular. Whether you want to be just a little daring or want to jump into color feet first, there are lots of options out there for brightening the wedding gown palette.

The trend toward colorful wedding dresses is a special perk for the plus size bride. Because color ?whether it a touch of lace at the neckline, or a bright fuchsia sash ?is a great way to call attention to your best features and help define all those lovely curves that you have. If youe thinking about wearing a dress with color, consider where and how the color is placed when choosing your wedding gown.

Colored Sashes

One of the easiest ways to add color to your wedding gown is to add a satin ribbon or sash to the dress. One very popular wedding salon with a national profile offers nearly three dozen wedding gowns with colored accents, and the majority of those dresses feature a colored sash or ribbon at the waist.

The placement, tying and drape of a ribbon sash can make a surprising difference in the dress that you choose. A narrow stripe of bright color accenting the line of an empire waist can draw attention up from your natural waist and accent a beautiful neckline. A wider pleated sash wrapping around your natural waistline and falling in fanned tails over the train adds drama and can give you lovely hourglass silhouette.

There are so many ways that a colorful ribbon can change the shape and lines of your dress. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Take a simple A-line wedding gown with a strapless bodice and add a ribbon in your favorite accent color. Wrap the ribbon once at the waist and tie in a small bow off-center, letting the ends of the ribbon drape to knee length. This draws the eye away from the center of your body and creates a long line that lengthens your torso and makes you appear slimmer.

Or, tie the bow at the back instead, puffing it just above a full bustle, and sweep train to minimize the width of your hips and pull attention to the small of your back. Do the same thing with a scoop back or backless style wedding gown to call attention to the beautiful curves of your waist. Try different placements and bow styles to create a look that uniquely your own and distinctly flattering.

Colored Embroidery

Some plus size wedding dresses feature a spray of color across the bodice or hem. Wedding gowns with embroidered necklines and bodices are beautifully suited to plus size women with hourglass, pear and rectangular shapes because they draw the attention upwards and emphasize the curve of the waist. This can be especially flattering for women whose shoulders, hips and waist are all close to the same width. A spray of embroidery and beads that outlines the bodice and creates a diamond shape down the front can create the illusion of a curvy waist even when there a minimal curve.

Embroidered flowers in a rich color can trim the sweetheart neckline of your dress, extending in a delicate scatter of asymmetrical flowers down the front and back of an A-line silhouette. This creates long, off-center lines that flatter any figure. It an absolutely stunning look for an autumn bride.

Stunning Color Accents

If youe really daring, you might choose a dress that packs a major punch of color. One of the most dramatic looks youl find from any designer is a gorgeous satin A-line strapless dress with a split back chapel train and rich color accents at the cuff, hem and back. The front of the dress can be more demure, featuring a slender outline in the color of your choice along the top of the sweetheart neckline. The back shows off your daring nature, as the bright satin edging follows the hem of the split back and opens to reveal an underskirt in the same rich, vibrant color. Beaded embroidery edges the back opening and the hem of the chapel train to create a stunning effect.

Whether you want just a hint of tint or a daring dash, youl find that color can really make a huge statement on your wedding day.