Every Silhouette Can Be Yours: Plus Size Wedding Dress Styles
There can be a lot of wedding dress advice and rules out there for what a bride should and shouldn’t wear. Some brides find them to be useful, while some other brides don’t find much use in it especially when met with contradicting advice. At Bijoux, we believe the most important thing is how a bride feels in her dress. So, if you’re a curvier bride, know that every silhouette can be yours.
At Bijoux Bridal, we’re all about celebrating our lovely brides. We know and have heard from many brides, how frustrating the experience can be when shopping for a plus sized wedding dress and not being satisfied with either the sizing options or the wedding dress styles on offer. Which is why we carry options across a range of styles and silhouettes, so no matter what kind of dress you are looking for you are sure to find a wedding dress that you love.
A form-fitting mermaid is as much yours as a soft A-line. So is a sparkling ball gown or a boho gown with sleeves. All that matters is for you to bring the vision you have for your wedding dress or even notes of what you know you like and don’t like in a dress and we can help you with the rest.
Plus size wedding dress styles with sample sizes from 18 to 36
Having options makes such a difference. Being able to try on dresses in or near your size in our Hamilton store can help you visualise what a dress that you liked from a photograph would look and feel like when you’re wearing it.
Some brides come in and they are quite certain that they want a specific type of dress, for example a dress with sleeves. But then they’re drawn to a sleeveless dress that they happen to notice, and it has happened that they end up falling in love with a dress they hadn’t expected to just because how how amazing it looks and feels when they’re wearing it.
Mermaid or fishtail and fit-and-flare gowns for curvy brides
Are you a plus sized bride looking for a dress silhouette that accentuates your beautiful curves? Well, you may be looking for a mermaid, fishtail or fit and flare silhouette.
A mermaid or fishtail gown holds close through the bodice, waist and hip before flaring out low, usually around the knee, so it moves beautifully with your curves.
On the other hand you also have the option of a fit-and-flare sits which also sits close to the body (the fit) before it softly opens outward (the flare). An internal corset and boning hold the line and that support is a big part of why a fitted gown feels so secure once it’s on.
Ball gown, A-line and sheath styles with drama
Plenty of brides don’t want a close and fitted wedding dress, and that’s just as valid a choice.
A ball gown gives you the full skirt and a fitted bodice that nips in at the waist, the shape a lot of us pictured long before we were engaged. An A-line is its gentler cousin, skimming from the waist to the floor in an easy line.
If you want the dress to catch the light, look to beadwork, sparkle and glamour on the bodice, and many designers add beautifully detailing like lace and beading on to these dresses.
But if you’re looking for something more understated and classic, if sleek and minimal is more your thing, a sheath wedding dress could be the perfect option as it skims straight down with no flare at all.
Necklines, sleeves and backless styles
Silhouette is only half of it. The neckline, sleeves and back are what make a gown feel like yours rather than a style off a list. A sweetheart or square neckline frames the bust, an off-the-shoulder style sits softly across the arms, and an empire waist falls from just under the bust for a looser line through the body.
Sleeves are everywhere again, from fine lace to structured off-shoulder straps. Additionally, low-back and open-back styles are popular options with many of our plus sized brides, meaning you don’t have to have to sacrifice style when it comes to your dream wedding dress.
Materials and wedding dress fabrics
Let’s face it, there is no best fabric when it comes to wedding dresses. It all comes down to personal preference, which is why you’ll be able to touch and feel real dresses in store. If you have any questions regarding the materials used or the fabric you’d really like to try on like silk, our stylists will be more than happy to help.
Pull any two items out of your wardrobe and you can tell right away how the fabric changes the look of item, like a leather jacket compared to a soft wooly jumper.
The fabric changes how a style feels more than almost anything else in wedding dresses too. Crepe has a gentle stretch and a smooth, modern drape that skims as you move. Mikado and satin hold more structure and catch the light, while tulle and lace bring softness and romance over the top.
Ruching gathered across the bodice adds a soft texture plenty of brides fall for. Some brides choose to shapewear under their gowns while plenty of other brides wear nothing special at all beneath a structured gown.
Our stylists are experts at clipping and pinning, so even if you fall in love with a dress that doesn’t have a sample in exactly your size, they can work their magic at your fitting to show you exactly how a fabric will sit once your gown has been ordered in your size.
How our stylists help you choose your gown
Your appointment begins with a chat about the styles you keep coming back to, and then our stylists gather beautiful dresses based on what you’re looking for you to try on. Most gowns are made to order, so we suggest booking around seven to nine months before the wedding to leave time for delivery and for our independent seamstress to make every alteration perfect (if you choose). Bring the people who make you feel wonderful and let us do the rest.
Plus size wedding dress styles FAQ
What wedding dress styles suit plus size brides?
All of them. A-line, ballgown, fit-and-flare, mermaid, fishtail, sheath and boho, every style we carry comes in sizes 6 to 36. The better question is which one you love and how you want to feel on your wedding day, and that’s exactly what your fitting is for.
Can I wear a fitted or mermaid dress as a plus size bride?
Absolutely. Fitted gowns are designed with internal corsetry and boning to support and shape the body as they follow it, and they look beautiful on curvier brides. If a form-fitting style is the one you’re drawn to, wear it and enjoy every second.
Do you carry plus size samples to try on?
Absolutely, Bijoux Bridal stocks plus size samples from sizes 18 to 36 in store, so that you can try on styles in or near you size to best understand how the dresses look and feel before you wear it on your wedding day.
