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Original poster

To think brides often get their dress wrong?

407 replies

FreeMantle · 13/04/2018 18:16

I have always thought this actually but no one else seems to have noticed.
My lovely friends, who pride themselves on dressing very well, seem to chose a dress that doesn't suit them at all. Skinny ones go for the tightest column dress ,so they look like beans. My large busted ones are falling out of massive strapless meringues.
The latest is my size 8/10 cousin who without an inch of fat, has wide hips. So of course she's gone for a full on strapless mermaid. Making her shape look totally out of proportion.
Obviously she'll be beautiful as a bride but why that dress?
I am now looking for one for myself . Despite being short and athletic everyone seems to love a huge ivory fluffy tulle princess type dress on me. I look like a dumpy fungus. It's thin straps and tight bodice totally emphasise my lack of top half. And yes, I'm tempted.

OP posts:
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Gah81 · 13/04/2018 19:59

I think strapless dresses rarely suit people. Happily a lot of my friends got married very recently with the 'Grace Kelly/Kate Middleton fitted with lace over the arms' trend at its peak - which suited them.

I got married a few weeks back and because I went for true vintage, which was so cheap, I had two dresses: one 1940s backless grecian draped white dress, one 19 40s full length slinky gold lamé.

My mum was a bit Shock (I didn't wear a veil! Or anything in my hair full stop! Tbh I have long, big, carrot red hair so anything would have got lost in it) but I loved the stuff. It was absolutely in keeping with the mid century vintage I wear most days.

Eggzandbacon · 13/04/2018 19:59

I think the designers aren’t designing for real women is the problem.

I had a small friend, short and a size 8 who wore the most awful dress. It was heavy lace and strapless and it swamped her, and it was far too long. It made her look short and wide. It cost her a fortune, I think she was set on the idea she has to buy a ‘wedding dress’ whereas something 50s shape would have looked really good.

I have seen fabulous looking brides, they are usually the ones who have a better sense of their own style.

SilverySurfer · 13/04/2018 20:03

I also watch Say Yes to the Dress and some of the dresses are hideous. Secondary boobs pouring over the tops of strapless dresses, see through tops that go low enough you can see nearly all of their knickers, big bottoms being squeezed into skin tight dresses which make them look HUGE. One woman today had all of the above and cried out, OMG I look just like Princess Diana! Umm no, you look a holy mess but that didn't stop her buying the dress. Grin

I read ages ago that the strapless look was pushed hard by designers to make them more profit- less fabric and less dressmaking costs not having to add fiddly straps and/or sleeves.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 13/04/2018 20:03

Ah there goes specialsubject again, dispensing her poisonous world view... feel better now, do you?

SusanneLinder · 13/04/2018 20:06

Well my DD swore she didnt want strapless and ended up with one. And it was a lace fit and flare and she didn't look cheap, chavvy or tackyHmm. She is slim with decent boobs, no back fat or spilled out of it. She looked stunning.
I really couldn't give a flying fuck what people think, as long as bride feels beautiful and her new DH thinks the same.

LipstickHandbagCoffee · 13/04/2018 20:08

as long as bride feels beautiful and her new DH thinks the same Yes wholeheartedly agree

LorelaiVictoriaGilmore · 13/04/2018 20:09

Disagree. Every wedding I have been to, the bride has nailed it!

Crowd · 13/04/2018 20:11

I totally went wrong with mine - think Andy Murray's wife's wedding dress. Made me look big ffs!

KatherinaMinola · 13/04/2018 20:11

Oddly enough one of the few brides I know who got it right wore her glasses to the wedding. I thought "Ooh, Marlee Matlin at the Oscars."

JacquesHammer · 13/04/2018 20:11

I think it would be very interesting for everyone espousing how awful other brides look on their wedding day, to post a picture of themselves on their wedding day so we can all bow before their satirical genius.

This is the second mean-spirited thread in this vein today. Utterly unpleasant.

MirriVan · 13/04/2018 20:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Crowd · 13/04/2018 20:14

I knew I should have gone fishtail halter neck but my MOH started crying when she saw me in that dress (my mum is dead) as it had a lot of sparkle and features but inthe cs it just makes me look fat! 😂😂

MiniTheMinx · 13/04/2018 20:14

I'm just impressed to see the bride is actually wearing a dress. I've been looking for a dress for nearly 8 months and I'm bored beyond belief by the whole thing Grin

I really want black velvet with a big skirt, a fitted corset and little sleeves. Sort of 80s Laura Ashley but with a fuller full length skirt.

I'd rather wear my jeans and DMs than a white souffle.

I'm 5 ft 4 size 8 (sometimes a 6) i have boobs and bum but skinny shoulders, skinny arms and I look ridiculous in strapless dresses, and ghostly and grey in white. Any advice welcome Smile

Crowd · 13/04/2018 20:15

*pics

KatherinaMinola · 13/04/2018 20:17

I picked the wrong dress too, Jacques. It looked great - because I'm usually in jeans - and I loved it and still do, but there were dresses out there that would have suited me better - better cut, style and colour and fit.

But for most women buying a wedding dress is the first and maybe last time they'll ever need anything so formal. So while we know what kind of shoes/skirts/tops/jeans suit us we most of us have no clue when it comes to full-on occasionwear.

TinaTop · 13/04/2018 20:17

I HATED my wedding dress. DH forced me to wear it because his mother had made it and it was too late to get another. I still can't look at the photos because I look such a mess Sad

puppymouse · 13/04/2018 20:17

Very difficult to see past the dress and what suits you. I was a 14/16 and set my heart on a lovely mermaid close fitted dress that hugged all my curves perfectly. Unfortunately I lost so much weight before the wedding it no longer fitted me. The shop said it was too big to alter and I just didn't fill it at all. Had 4 weeks to find another. My mum said it had to be something massive that would balance out my scrawniness Hmm so I had a fuck off great Disney princess dress that the seven dwarves could have camped out in. It stole the show and was amazing but not what I had in mind or really wanted. Plus my hip bones went numb with pain holding up the crystal bodice and the enormous skirt Sad

DanceDisaster · 13/04/2018 20:18

Dresses these days seem a lot more varied and a lot more interesting than when I got married. I bought mine off eBay though, so what do I know?!

My theory then was that all brides look the same anyway and I’ll be fucked if I’m paying thousands for the privilege! My dress was a lovely, Ivory strapless dress. Quite slim fitting. I had straps put on it, as I hate strapless on me.

nawnee2 · 13/04/2018 20:19

Must step in and defend the strapless dress! I loved mine and thought I looked nice! Any excuse to show the photos off!

To think brides often get their dress wrong?
To think brides often get their dress wrong?
Morphene · 13/04/2018 20:20

yabu

By saying brides get the dress wrong you are assuming they have the same goal in mind that you do...namely to look as good as possible on the day.

If there aim is actually to wear something they enjoy and like then they can't be getting it wrong by wearing something that isn't optimum for their shape.

Maybe the average bride simply isn't as shallow and enslaved by thought of looking their best as you are?

Morphene · 13/04/2018 20:20

their doh.

JacquesHammer · 13/04/2018 20:21

@KatherinaMinola acknowledging you picked a wrong dress is different though from some of the unkind comments on here.

nawnee2 · 13/04/2018 20:21

But I do agree sometimes the person shopping with the bride doesn't give honest answers. I took my mum. She is brutal.

DarthArts · 13/04/2018 20:21

I'm with you on this OP.

I've seen so many lovely women wearing wedding dresses that are so far removed from what actually suits them and their "normal" (often very good) sense of style.

I often wonder what happened? Did they simply have a "vision" of what the dress should be and hold onto it regardless or are they talked into buying something by shop assistants/friends/family?

TBH I think part of the problem is that as a start point, white is a bloody difficult colour to wear for most people. It generally shows up every lump and bump and casts quite a harsh light against your skin, unless you have a deep skin tone.

It's not a great idea to follow fashion imho on this, but its amazing how many people do. If strapless is in, straight, huge skirts etc etc then that's what people choose, even if doesn't suit them.

I personally think its a day to be true to your own style, whatever that may be.

Some of the brides who imho have looked the best have very much done this, even if its very far away from what people might think of traditional dress.

RoseWhiteTips · 13/04/2018 20:23

Strapless wedding dresses are not terribly elegant. Imo