Monday, 18 February 2013
Friday, 15 February 2013
Dress styles to suit your body type...
Here at Akina Bridal Couture, we are trained and skilled in knowing which dress styles to put on which body types. Our brides often coming in wondering why the dress of their dreams hasn't looked good in any of the places they've tried it on. Here are some tips and rules, to help every bride discover the perfect dress type for their body so they can leave any store feeling like the beautiful bride they are.
Gaining awareness about your body type and how even the most subtle of differences in clothing choices can greatly influence your overall physical appearance and help you become a more confident bride.
There are four basic dress silhouettes, with the Princess being a variation of the ball gown.
1. The Sheath.
The sheath is generally classified by a form fitting straight skirt.
2. The Ball Gown:
The Ball Gown is classified by a very full skirt. It is often worn in conjunction with a crinoline or tulle petticoat to increase fullness.
3. The Princess Gown:
The Princess Gown is classified by a gathered waist and a very full skirt sometimes placed over a crinoline or made
from tulle.
4. The Mermaid: (often referred to as a 'Trumpet' or 'Fishtail')
The Mermaid is classified by a fitted skirt flaring from the knees to the floor.
5. The A-Line Skirt:
An A-Line Skirt is classified by the waist to hem creating the shape of an “A”, gently flaring from
the waist to the floor.
If you are an hourglass figure, you can wear most silhouettes with your naturally-balanced body and look stunning. The aim should be to match your top and bottom volume, while remaining in-sync. For example, adding large rosettes and draping to the bust of a sheath dress will add too much volume to your voluptuous top half, over minimizing your bottom half and creating an imbalance. An A-Line with a dropped waist can help to minimise bustiness. Ball Gown, Princess and Mermaid styles are also good options, as long as they are well fitted to avoid appearing top or bottom heavy. Show off your small waist with a fitted waistline that falls at your natural waist. Sweetheart necklines will flatter your chest and open up your face.
Avoid: Empire waists that open into full skirts. These will over emphasize your bust, while concealing some of your best assets.
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| Examples of styles that would suit an hourglass figure. |
If you have a pear shaped figure, your goal is to reduce the appearance of your hip size and achieve vertical balance. A-Lines and Ball Gowns will look stunning and will emphasize the positive parts of your figure. Choosing off-the-shoulder or strapless gowns will show off your shoulders and widen the neckline in your favour. Princess seams will work well in your favour and elongate the body. Fitted, embellished and darted waists are also good bodice options.
Avoid: Mermaid and Sheath styles - They will make your curvy hips look larger than they are.
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| Examples of styles that would suit a pear shaped figure. |
If you have a rectangular figure, you appear balanced from top to bottom and will want to create some curves. Do this by bringing in the waist, and widening the bust and hip lines. Ball Gown, Princess, Mermaid and A-Line styles will all help create curves when fitted correctly. Avoid any gathering and thickness at the waist, and consider adding belts and fitted waist panels to draw the eye in to a narrower waist. Add fullnes to the bust with detailing such as ruching and draping. Create a curvier lower half with full skirts and hip embellishments. Lace dresses with a smooth waistband on the natural waist will add fullness to the bust and hips, while drawing the eye in to the waist.
Avoid: Sheath dresses will only make you appear straight up and down, unless they have waist cinching features such as a belt.
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| Examples of styles that would suit a rectangular figure. |
If you have an apple like figure, your goal will be to emphasize the hips to match your bust. A-Lines, Ball Gowns, and Princess silhouettes will help you achieve symmetry between your prominent shoulders and more narrow hips. A deep 'v' or halter neckline with a fitted bodice and belting at the waist will help to elongate the torso and slenderize the shoulders by creating a more curvy appearance. Appreciate hip embellishments sich as large rosetts, ruching and gathering.
Avoid: Sheath dresses will only make you look top heavy, and will hide any waist and hip definition, especially with spaghetti straps.
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| Examples of styles that would suit an apple-like figure. |
If you have a petite figure, take caution with Ball Gown and Princess style gowns. Consider your height and width ratio. The width of your dress should be less than your height. Mermaid styles with slight flaring at the bottom will elongate the figure and excentuate your natural curve.
Avoid: Any gown that is wider than it is tall.
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| Examples of styles that would suit a petite figure. |
If you are tall, your statuesque frame can support heavy laces, larger prints and substantially more fabric than shorter people. Emphasize your curves by drawing the eye into the waist, and you will look like a model.
Avoid: Sheath styles with high necklines. Too much emphasis on the vertical will make you look longer and stretched out.
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| Examples of styles that would suit a tall figure. |
There are always exceptions to the rules, and the most important thing to remember is that you don't know how something will look until you take the plunge and try it on!
-All examples shown are designs we currently have in stock, make an appointment to try them on!-
Tuesday, 29 January 2013
Real Bride: Kirrily's stunning pastel wedding
Kirrily Smith
Late last year, Kirrily had a stunningly elegant wedding, with modern twists and fun details. Wearing the beautiful 'Faith' by Karen Willis Holmes, Kirrily looked classic and fresh, perfectly reflecting her gorgeous theme.
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| Beautiful colour combinations! |
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| Such classy bridesmaids dresses that complement the bridal gown beautifully! |
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| Kirrily wears the beautiful 'Faith', by Karen Willis Holmes. |
Kirrily had modern quirks throughout her wedding, such as large circular helium balloons, chalk boards, and rustic 'Bride' and 'Groom' labels.
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| Congratulations, Kirrily! |
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| Beautiful, fresh table settings. |
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| These balloons are such a great idea! |
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| Congratulations, Kirrily! You look incredibly beautiful and happy. |
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
History of White
A brief history of wedding dresses...
With another year beginning, and a lot of current wedding gown fashions being influenced by vintage styles, why not track the history of the wedding dress even further?
White has long been accepted as the traditional colour of the wedding dress, however wedding gowns were not always white. Queen Victoria had more influence on weddings than anyone else when she wore white to marry Albert of Saxe-Coburg in 1840.
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| Stunning 1760's Pannier |
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| A stunning gown from 1775 with full panniers and intricate detailing. |
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| 1763 |
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| Princess Edwige Elisabeth Charlotte Holstein-Gottorp's wedding gown (1759-1818 |
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| Sophie Madeleine (1746-1813) Made in Paris of silver cloth with a whalebone corset with lacing in the back, this skirt was nearly two meters in width. |
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| Princess Charlotte's wedding gown from 1816. Her dress was silver lamé on net, over a silver tissue slip, embroidered at the bottom with silver lamé in shells and flowers. |
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| Queen Victoria, 1840 |
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| 1857 - Silk bodice with glazed cotton and silk skirt lined with stiffened buckram |
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| 1865 silk satin crinoline embellished with Honiton lace |
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| 1880 Silk satin with machine-made lace, beading and embroidery by Charles Frederick Worth, whom many considered to be the Father of Haute Couture |
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| 1882 - Stunning gold bustle! |
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| 1888 - Charles Frederick Worth |
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| 1887 |
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| 1890 |
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| 1890 |
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| 1890 |
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| 1890 |
The Industrial Revolution also brought about a big change. By the 1890's with the arrival of the department store, almost every woman could live her dream of being married in a 'new' wedding dress.
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| 1892 |
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| 1892 |
Edwardian brides took their Victorian ancestor's traditions ti new extremes. Fashions became more extravagant as the decade progressed, however they came to a screeching halt with the outbreak of WWI. Styles were simplified, and reflected the changing role of women in society. Hemlines were shorter, and tightly laced corsets were discarded., Coco Chanel was a powerful force behind the change in women's fashion, and was the one who officially introduced the short wedding dress in the 1920's.
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| 1907 - Charles Frederick Worth |
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| 1900's |
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| 1910 Wedding gown |
During WWII, women considered it their duty to give up the traditional wedding. If the bride was set on having a white dress, one would be borrowed or rented.
In the 1920's, fashion was followed with a dropped waist, and with a Juliet cap worn low over the brow.
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| 1914 Such beautiful lace! |
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| Stunning 1929 gown by Madeleine Vionnet |
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| 1933 |
Clothes rationing was introduced in 1941 when fashion almost ceased to exist. Some women made brave efforts with parachute silk, while most others wore borrowed gowns.
In the late 1940's, Dior paved the way with the New Look. Narrow shoulders, nipped waists, and full skirts.
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| 1940 |
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| Dior, 1940's. Such a beautiful gown! |
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| 1950 - Elizabeth Taylor |
The early sixties showed little change on the bridal front for everyday women. Women still
wore circular skirts, sometimes supported by crinolines, tight sleeves
and short veils.
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| 1960 - Audrey Hepburn |
Sleeves were the big feature of 70's wedding gowns.
After twenty years of tight sleeves cut to a point over the hand,
Princess Anne led the way with her extravagant Tudor sleeved wedding
gown, and the brides of this decade followed suit with sleeve styles
culled from every era.
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| 1970's |
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| 1980's |
Which is your favourite era for wedding fashions?
xx
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