Complimenting Your Thinner Frame at Your Wedding


If you’re a slender bride, the world is your bridal shop. “Any dress works if you’re thin,” says New York Bridal Designer Mark Ingram. Once in that shop, however, it doesn’t hurt to look around. Here, the skinny on slender bridal looks.

According to Ingram, most slender brides have two dress goals: maximizing the bust area and creating a waistline. “Select dresses that create curves where they don’t necessarily exist,” he says. To that end, Ingram recommends natural waist dresses, with additions. “Add a sash or belt,” he says, which draws attention to the waistline.

For formal weddings, a ball gown with a full skirt is terrific, as it suggests hips. Drop waists, like the kind First Lady Michelle Obama favors, also add the right curves. Should you want to wear a mermaid gown, make sure it’s cinched at the waist. “Add a ribbon or a sash,” says Ingram, “or it will look like you don’t have any curves.”

Bustiers work wonders in creating the illusion of a larger bosom, and you can enhance the look with a push-up bra or padding. To, um, top it off, Ingram loves the look of sweetheart necklines (shaped like a heart around the bust) or bateau necklines (nicknamed “Sabrina” necklines, as Audrey Hepburn wore the high neckline in the classic film).

Less advisable dress choices are Empire Waists or Princess-Line dresses, as they don’t enhance your petit frame. You also want to be careful not to get bogged-down with too many accessories. “Keep jewelry on the minimal side,” says Ingram. “Nothing too overwhelming.” A great choice is a simple strand of pearls and one bracelet.

“Keep scale in mind,” says Ingram. In the same way that plus-size brides don’t want their accessories to get lost, the slender bride needs to trim the details. “You don’t want to get swallowed up.”

-David Toussaint

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