Curvy women often get the short end of the stick when it comes to fashion. High fashion has long favored the stick thin figures of models like Kate Moss, whose pre-pubescent body type came into vogue in the nineties when she was herself a teenager. Designers argue that clothes simply fit better on a body that’s more like a clothing hanger than a real woman’s figure, and so for years and years, the pin thin frame has been in. Happily, things seem to be shifting.
Within the past year, plus-size model Crystal Renn, who wrote a memoir, Hungry, about her struggles with eating disorders and body image in the modeling industry, has become an in-demand body. Marie Claire magazine has a column written by curvy girl, Ashley Smith, and Vogue Italia recently featured a cover with three plus size models. It seems that curves are coming back into fashion in the industry, and when this happens, the rest of the world follows. Actress Christina Hendricks, who stars on Mad Men, has been heralded for her curves, and designers are working to dress her body in a way that’s flattering and fashionable.
Such is also the case with wedding dresses – they’re not just for pin thin girls. In fact, wedding gowns have always looked best on curvy girls. After all, what’s a strapless gown without a chest to fill it out? Curvy girls may think they’re going to have a harder time finding a wedding dress than the average skinny girl, but there are actually tons of gorgeous wedding dresses on the market for curvy brides.
Consider, for instance, a classic lace gown with a strapless sweetheart neckline. This dress is made for curvy girls, with a modern twist of sequin lace underlayer that shines through an illusion overlay of beaded lace. This gown can be custom fit to your measurements, so you don’t have to worry about sizing it up for your assets. A sweetheart strapless neckline is a great choice for curvy girls, as it emphasizes what you’ve got instead of trying to push it down and hide it.
This dress also dips down in the back, revealing a gorgeous train that will trail behind you as you walk down the aisle. This is the kind of dress that’s sure to turn heads – a gown that’s perfectly modern and at once also perfectly timeless. Your mother could have donned it, as could your grandmother, but it’ll look positively perfect on you, hugging your curves, highlighting your waist and showing off your best assets.
Most curvy girls know that the best silhouette for them is the empire waist. Luckily, there are dozens upon dozens of gorgeous wedding gowns with empire waists and stunning silhouettes. If you’re a curvy girl who needs a little more support than a strapless gown can provide, consider a spaghetti strap silk taffeta ball gown with a sweetheart neckline. The neckline of this beautiful ball gown is adorned with subtly embellished silk taffeta and organza flowers for all look that’s uniquely you and draws attention to your best assets.
Available in ivory and white, this gown can be custom fit to your unique measurements. This dress dips down in the back for a slightly sexy view from behind, and features a voluminous skirt that hides any of your wobbly bits, highlighting only what you want people to see. This dress is a great option for those with pear-shaped bodies or women who want a defined waist but don’t seem to have one without the help of some shapewear.
Looking to be daring and go short and sweet on your wedding day? Consider a tea length dress. This vintage inspired shape was popular in the fifties and has since gone slightly out of vogue. However, it’s an extremely flattering shape for curvy girls, which is understandable, considering that the pinups of the fifties were anything but pin thin. A beautiful silk shantung strapless tea-length dress is a great choice for a curvy girl. Its flattering shape highlights your waist and calves, as well as your shoulders and chest.
It might not be full length, but it’s still modest, and features gorgeous ruching and ruffled taffeta appliqués. This is a dress that looks much more expensive than it really is – you’ll look as though you’ve gone designer for your big day (even when you didn’t really throw down the big bucks). This gown can be custom fit to your unique measurements, and it’s sure to show off all your best features.
As you can see, there are plenty of great wedding dress options out there for the curvy girl. Curvy girls need not fear on their wedding day – the day when they’ll surely look the most beautiful – as many wedding gowns look better on real, curvy figures than they do on pin thin women.
