Our Insider’s Guide on How to Style
a Wedding Dress
Hazar Haute Couture | May 07, 2026
Wedding dresses come in a variety of silhouettes: A-line, ball gown, mermaid, and more, so most brides must wonder, “What is my wedding dress style?”
Hazar Haute Couture breathes structure and romance into the finest fabrics to make luxurious wedding gowns for discerning brides. Let us be your guide on your journey to your happily ever after with our tips on picking a suitable wedding dress silhouette and on how to style a wedding dress.
Key Takeaways
- Wedding dresses can have an A-line, a mermaid, or a ball gown silhouette, among others.
- An A-line wedding gown suits all body types.
- A mermaid wedding gown suits curvy brides.
- A ball gown is perfect for the hourglass body type.
Table of Content
- What Are the Different Types of Wedding Dress Silhouettes?
- What Style of Wedding Dress Suits My Shape?
- What’s the Best Way to Style My Wedding Dress?
- FAQs on How to Style a Wedding Dress
- How to Style a Wedding Dress for Your Shape
What Are the Different Types of Wedding Dress Silhouettes?
The silhouette is the shape of a dress from the waist down. Wedding dresses usually come in the following silhouettes:
A-Line
The A-line silhouette is characterized by a fitted bodice and a skirt that gradually flares out from the natural waistline. This narrow top and wide bottom create an outline resembling the capital letter A.
1737 – SCULPTURE Sculpted lines, an elegant presence that’s strong and soft at the same time |
Mermaid
A mermaid wedding gown hugs the bust, waist, hips, and thighs up to the knees, from which point it fans out in sculpted layers or an explosion of frothy fabric. The sudden flare provides a dramatic contrast to the narrow, curve-hugging fit of the upper part.
HAZAR 1728 Off-shoulder mermaid dress with geometric lines and a crystal-embellished neckline |
PETALFALL – 1962 A dreamy apparition of petals forever suspended in descent |
Similar Styles
There are other silhouettes with a similarly fitted style as the mermaid gown.
- Trumpet: The trumpet style is almost identical to the mermaid silhouette. However, it flares from the middle of the thighs instead of from the knees.
HAZAR 22 Sleek, beautifully fitted dress with a dramatic skirt and train |
- Fit-and-Flare: The fit-and-flare wedding gown follows the body’s curves, like the mermaid style, but with a gentler flare.
1643 – ECHO A poem whispered into fabric |
- Sheath: The sheath silhouette follows the body’s natural shape but doesn’t flare out as much as the other styles in this group. The skirt skims gently over the curves and falls like a column of fabric.
MERMAID 78 A sleek and minimalist look for the modern bride |
Ball Gown
A ball gown follows fairy tale lore. It’s the most romantic of wedding dress styles, with its fitted bodice and an exaggeratedly voluminous skirt.
LUMINANCE – 1966 A radiant, beautifully enchanting ball gown with an ethereal waistline |
What Style of Wedding Dress Suits My Shape?
Just as choosing an evening dress depends on your figure, picking a wedding dress style also depends on your body shape. Read on if you’re wondering, “What style of wedding dress is right for my body?”
The A-Line Silhouette: Relaxed, Flaring Out
An A-line wedding dress suits all body types: hourglass, apple, pear, rectangle, inverted triangle, spoon, and diamond. Whatever your body shape, an A-line wedding dress gives a flattering silhouette.
Is an A-line dress for you? Choose an A-line wedding gown if you want something that’s easy to put on and easy to dance in. It’s comfortable because of its relaxed fit, particularly from the waist down.
The A-line silhouette is also a fantastic choice if you wish to cover up the lower half of your body. The fabric of the A-line skirt drapes effortlessly over the hips and thighs, so it’s perfect for you if you feel a bit rounder (or flatter) on the bottom and thighs than you’d like.
The Mermaid and Mermaid-Like Silhouette: Fitted, Contoured
The mermaid, trumpet, fit-and-flare, and sheath silhouettes are particularly flattering for hourglass figures and curvy body types, as they emphasize the shape of the bust, the narrowness of the waist, and the fullness of the hips. They are particularly entrancing on taller brides.
If you have an hourglass figure and want a fitted gown, a fit-and-flare can be particularly suitable. The sheath, meanwhile, is excellent for athletic and lean builds as well as on petite brides.
Is a mermaid dress for you? If you’re confident in your body, the mermaid-style and other fitted silhouettes are for you. The mermaid and trumpet silhouettes are especially glamorous and sophisticated, and they’re an excellent way to make a bold statement on your wedding day. If you’d always wanted to know what it feels like to be an A-list star on the red carpet, get a mermaid or a trumpet wedding dress.
The Ball Gown Silhouette: Voluminous, Cinched
The ball gown looks particularly gorgeous on hourglass figures, as it emphasizes a narrow waist. That said, it flatters most body shapes, and the volume of the skirt can make any waistline look slimmer. That said, a ball gown can overwhelm smaller and shorter frames.
Is a ball gown for you? A ball gown is most apt in traditional, grand weddings; ballgowns just make sense in ballrooms. They’re dramatic, romantic, and give you that “main character in a fairy tale” feel. Nothing quite works as well as a ball gown if you want to be like a princess on her way to marry her prince charming.
What’s the Best Way to Style My Wedding Dress?
Use bridal accessories to style your wedding dress. Here are a few of our tips for accessorizing on your big day.
Headpiece
How to style a slip dress for a wedding? Use an ornate or bejeweled tiara. If you’re wearing an intricately embroidered wedding gown with a crystal-embedded bodice, you may want to opt for a simple, sheer veil.
Another approach would be to coordinate your headpiece with your wedding theme. A beach wedding? A headpiece made of pearls or every shade of sea should suit your wedding theme well.
Jewelry
How to style a wrap dress for your wedding? The decolletage on a wrap dress serves as an excellent backdrop for a statement necklace. How to style a satin dress for a wedding? A simple satin sheath or slip dress is best styled with modern accessories.
Tones
Match cool with cool, and warm with warm. A champagne-colored wedding gown looks stunning with gold jewelry. That said, you can mix and match and even contrast, as long as you do it restrainedly and thoughtfully.
Accessories
Choose one accessory to be your statement piece and use the others as supporting accessories. For instance, if you’re wearing an ornate tiara, put on a less imposing necklace. Wearing an heirloom veil? Be less extravagant with your necklace, earrings, and other jewelry, so you don’t detract attention from your headpiece.
Shoes
Choose shoes that match the texture and overall look of your gown. Bridal lace slingbacks should look stunning with a lace wedding dress.
Wedding Gloves
Choose sheer, tulle gloves to complement a slip or sheath gown. Wear embellished, lace gloves with a dreamy mermaid or ball gown.
FAQs on How to Style a Wedding Dress
Should I wear a veil with a mermaid-style wedding dress?
You may wear a veil with a mermaid-style wedding dress. At Hazar Haute Couture, we match the veil to a gown’s texture, length, and level of formality to ensure our brides get a headpiece that precisely matches their wedding gowns.
How do I choose the right jewelry for a ball gown wedding dress?
To choose the right jewelry for a ball gown wedding dress, you need to consider the fabric, embellishment, decolletage, and color tone. An ivory-tone ball gown goes well with gold jewelry. For a lace gown, pick elegant pieces that will not overwhelm the gown’s delicate design.
What type of wedding dress is most flattering for curvy brides?
The mermaid and trumpet silhouettes are the most flattering for curvy brides. These styles follow the body’s dips and curves up to the knees (mermaid style) or up to mid-thighs (trumpet style), so they emphasize the bride’s curvy shape, particularly the curves of their bust, waist, and hips.
How to Style a Wedding Dress for Your Shape
The A-line, mermaid, and ball gown are among the most popular wedding dress styles. Look your best on your wedding day by choosing the wedding dress style that fits your body shape and by accessorizing thoughtfully.
We can help. Contact us to talk to a wedding dress stylist.
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