that some brides should not choose strapless dresses.....

[PosieParker]

Just saw another collection of pictures with a bride getting married in a dress where humongous breasts are nearly falling out and arms are huge. Now I've seen a few curvy girls look lovely like this and so it's not a size thing, but more of a suitability thing. I am not large but my arms are not small and so I wouldn't wear this. Why do some folk not know their own shape?

Have PMd you ViviPru ...

My SIL had one - looked amazing. She has great cleavage, great shoulders (not everyone does) and generally looked great.

My cousin also had - looked terrible and I don't know why she didn't go for a different neckline (her dress was made, so she could have had anything).

LeQueen your dress is lovely. It looks like it fit you perfectly and comes a lot higher up than many I've seen!

Getting married is not on the agenda at the moment but I have spent a long time this morning browsing dresses on the interweb :( if we ever get round to it I think I'm going to have one made, I am unlikely to get my bosom into genuine vintage (E/F cup non-pregnant, DD/E if I ever get back to a size 8).

Love it, Emsyj

I feel like I have just seen Santa Claus after seeing LeQs photos. Not that you look like a fat red suited man, more in that this fantastical fantasy figure that I wasn't sure really even existed now all of a sudden has a human, earthly form....

Vivi if you're looking for a dress I got a GORGEOUS vintage, non-strapless one here

and it was under £200!

Ooh I saw Ian Stuart dresses on the Apprentice, they are lovely. F cups? That's miraculous cutting. Just goes to show, it's like when Tracey Emin had a breast reduction, I never realised she was so booby but that's what a wardrobe full of Viv etc can do for you (must get rich...)!

Thanks for the link, bigkit. Sadly its not me who is looking for the dress [wenvy] (that's like fenvy, only with a veil instead of the santa hat) but 3 of my chums are so I'll forward that link - looks good and £200 is great value....

I have a wedding dress, if anyone would like it for FREE. dress. It is shown in 4 pictures, 1277, 1277a,1277b, 1277c,1277d.
It is an Alfred Angelo 1277, strapless, comes with wrap aswell though. I think it may be a size 12, will have to check. I did not want a long train, so had it adjusted so it was all one length, and considering I am only 5'2'', this will limit the population who could also fit into to to about 0.0275%. . But if anyone wants it, just say the word.

I do agree with Op though. I do still like my dress, but don't think it was THE most flattering thing for me.
But I agree with others, the choice for an alternative, is very poor.

That´s a lovely dress-but I think I´d have to put straps on it

And I´m only 5ft-and my husband doesn´t want to marry me again

Yes my friend chose one of these dresses and had it made by a designer so had the choice of sleeves or not. It was very extravagent with lots of sparkle and net skirts etc. She is a bit on the plump side and has always battled with her weight - WWatchers etc etc but decided not to bother dieting for her wedding as DH to be loved her as she was etc. Fine -great - l completely agree with that attitude. But then after her very expensive wedding she was left with a set of photos that she absolutely hated and moaned endlessly about her 'second cleavage on her back' or her 'fat back' and 'how awful she looked' etc and how she wished she had 1. dieted or toned up or 2. chose a dress with sleeves.
At my wedding - which she attended - l wore a completely plain satin dress with medieval type sleeves - you know those that drape down below your hands slightly on one side and the back of the dress draped out onto the floor slightly. l was completely covered from head to toe basically and l am very tall and was very slim and toned (not as much so now but hey ho) but l believe less is more and wanted to look sophisticated and chic more than anything else really. Interestingly my friend was completely wowed by my dress and said she thought l would wear a strapless or more meringue extravagent dress as l could have got away with it but she absolutely loved it and was going to go for a very modest style herself but l guess she just got swept away with it all when choosing her own.
As others have said each to their own but just be sure you are absolutely confident in how you look in whatever you choose then you wont have regrets after as my friend did and your photos are always going to be a permanent reminder.

Another thing l dislike about strapless dresses is that 'just got out of bath with a towel round you' look especially on head and shoulder shots where you can just about see the top of the dress or even worse cant see any of it - then it looks like the bride is completely naked except for veil/tiara .

Sorry yes where was l - ah yes - each to their own.

This is not about dictating to the bride what she can or cannot wear-of course it is up to her! And, no, I wouldn't dream of saying to the bride that she looks shit on her wedding day I think it, though. However, there is no doubt that:
1, Strapless wedding dresses are dull, dull, dull and show zero imagination on the part of the bride
2, As for looks, they look awful on the majority of brides unless they are young and slim

That's the truth of it.

Lequeen - looked at your pics and your dh dress is gorgeous . As l say l am not a fan of strapless but yours is quite high isnt it and a nice shape to the top definitely not that straight across like a bath towel look. l see what you mean about the shawl aswell - l have a little lacy cardy that l wear with a few evening tops l have and l dont feel any more covered up with it but somehow it feels more flattering than the top just on its own.

When I got married almost 17 years ago there were very few strapless dresses, most dresses had long sleeves then.

I walk past a bridal shop every day and they have gorgeous dresses in the window, all different styles, so I think there is still a variety for sale. The last wedding I went to where the bride wore a non-strapless dress was 10 years ago.

Hate strapless wedding dresses. And yet everyone wears them.
What I don't understand is why brides don't just get a good seamstress to make them a dress.
If I was getting married I would get a nice hungry fashion student to do me something lovely, to fit, to my own specifications! (And for a fraction of the price of a "proper" wedding dress.)
Most wedding dresses I have seen are horrendous actually.

Lovely dress Le Queen

LeQ how do you avoid back "overspill"? My cousin's dress was very similar to yours and she has some lovely wedding photographs but she was really unhappy with the ones taken from behind. It might have been her posture and a temporary thing but she was quite upset.

DD and I were watching, "Bend it like Beckham" last night and roaring at the dress fittings.