Fit and Flare vs Mermaid Wedding Dresses
For brides who want to show off their curves, a fit-and-flare wedding dress and a mermaid gown are two lovely options.
Both have a fitted bodice and follow the body from the bust through the waist and hips. The difference is in the skirt: a fit-and-flare opens out higher, while a mermaid gown stays fitted further down the legs before flaring.
This guide compares the two silhouettes, including how they feel to wear, and explains where the trumpet style fits in.
The difference lies in where the flare begins – By Bijoux’s wedding dress experts
On a fit-and-flare dress, the fit continues through the hips and the skirt begins to flare somewhere between the hip and mid-thigh.
A mermaid carries the fitted line further, through the thighs and down to the knee, before it flares out dramatically below.
Both are designed to create a beautiful hourglass figure.
Fit and flare is often used as a general term for any gown that is fitted on top with a flared skirt, and the trumpet and mermaid both sit within that family.
Designers use these names a little differently, so the quickest way to see exactly where a flare starts is to try the gown on.
The fit-and-flare wedding dress
A fit-and-flare silhouette stays fitted through the waist and hips before flaring out with an easy, flowing line.
The higher flare gives the fabric room to swing as you walk, so the gown moves with every step down the aisle.
A minimalist crepe fit and flare gown looks sleek and modern.
The same shape in lace or layered tulle feels softer and more romantic, and you can try both moods among our fit-and-flare wedding dresses.
The mermaid wedding dress
Also known as a fishtail in the UK, a mermaid wedding dress is fitted through the bodice, waist, hips and thighs before it flares out below the knee.
Mermaid wedding dresses are fitted to accentuate your curves, and the long, close line down to the knee gives the mermaid silhouette its drama.
The dramatic flare at the hem sweeps behind you whenever you turn, like the tail that gave the style its name.
Lace, beading and appliqué look beautiful across the fitted section of a mermaid style, and our mermaid wedding dresses include sleek crepe and satin gowns for a glamorous finish.
How each wedding gown moves and feels
Dancing works beautifully in both silhouettes, and the difference is the kind of movement each one gives you.
The higher flare of a fit-and-flare dress leaves freedom of movement through the legs, so the gown swings with a full, easy stride.
In a dramatic mermaid, you glide with a graceful step, and the flare swishes behind you.
Not to worry, as sitting down, climbing into the car, and hugging your guests all work in either gown, and you can try each move in the fitting room.
Ease of movement depends on the fit as much as the silhouette, so we clip and pin every sample to help show you how a gown will sit on you.
Where the trumpet wedding dress sits
A trumpet gown sits between the other two, fitted through the hips with a flare around mid-thigh.
Trumpet dresses flare a little lower than most fit-and-flare dresses, while mermaid dresses flare lower still, below the knee.
Both trumpet and mermaid styles share a close fit through the hips, and the trumpet silhouette features a soft kick at the hem.
Fit and flare, trumpet and mermaid are three popular styles that hold a fitted line through the bodice, and our stylists can pull all three for you to try in a single appointment.
How both compare with sheath, A-line and ball gown dress styles
A sheath dress follows the body in one straight line with no flare at all. An A-line skims gently out from the waist, and a ball gown builds a full skirt around you.
Fit and flare and mermaid share the sheath’s close fit through the body, then open into a flare below.
Which one is right for you? That’s completely up to you to decide!
Wedding dress shopping is the perfect moment to see different silhouettes side by side, alongside different necklines like the sweetheart neckline and the V-neck.
Our stylists often suggest a silhouette a bride never pictured herself in, and sometimes that’s the very one that wins her over!
Choosing the right silhouette at Bijoux Bridal, whatever your body type
Each silhouette flatters whoever wears it, and Bijoux Bridal carries a huge range of silhouettes in UK sizes 6 to 36.
Our stylists start with the shapes and details you’re drawn to, and the gowns you try on are always your choice.
The fit-and-flare vs mermaid decision comes down to personal style, whatever your body shape, and to how you imagine moving through your wedding day.
Some brides who want a sleek line all the way to the knee fall for a mermaid, and others who want the flare to begin higher choose a fit and flare.
You’ll know the silhouette is right when you feel completely yourself in it.
Frequently asked questions about fit and flare and mermaid dresses
What’s the difference between a fit and flare and a mermaid wedding dress?
The two gowns are fitted in much the same way, so the height of the flare is what sets them apart. The flare opens at the hip or upper thigh on a fit and flare and at the knee on a mermaid.
Is a mermaid dress the same as a fishtail?
Mermaid and fishtail are two names for the same silhouette, with fishtail the one you’ll hear most often in the UK.
Which body type suits a fit and flare or mermaid dress?
Both silhouettes are designed to celebrate every body, so our stylists begin with the gowns you love. The right choice is whichever one makes you feel most confident.
Can I try a fit and flare, a trumpet and a mermaid at the same appointment?
Our stylists pull gowns from across the boutique based on the silhouettes you’re drawn to, so all three can be tried one after another, with clipping and pinning to show how each one sits.
Can a fit and flare or mermaid dress have a train?
Both silhouettes come with trains from a subtle sweep to a longer chapel length, and our stylists can pull gowns with the sleeves and details you love.
Try both silhouettes in the Bijoux fitting room
Trying a fit and flare and a mermaid back to back is the quickest way to feel where each flare begins.
Bring up to four guests and enjoy a glass of prosecco while you try them on.
You’ll be part of the Bijoux community, surrounded by friends who are all there to hype you up while you find your dress.
Book your appointment and find out whether your dream dress flares at the hip or below the knee, with a glass of prosecco in hand before you’ve even taken your coat off.
