Wedding Dress Skirts
Whether full or flared, the skirt is where much of a gown's personality can be found. A few well-placed details can add length and volume, romance and depth, making the difference between a gown that's average and one that's jaw-droppingly stunning.
Some skirt details - strategically placed slits or pleats - can make the wedding dress more sexy; others, such as delicate flounces, can make it more poetic. Techniques like folds or draping, as well as overskirts and overlays, can add visual interest, while shapes like the mermaid and trumpet are pure drama. The bustle, for example, is where yards of fabric at the back of the skirt are gathered up and secured - a process known as 'bustling' - with a few discreet buttons or hooks following the ceremony or the first dance. The results in swaths of fabric that add fullness and fun once the formalities are completed.
The length of your dress can dictate the formality of your wedding. Generally speaking, the longer the dress, the more formal the affair; floor-length is considered the most formal. Gowns that fall anywhere from mid-calf to the ankle are considered semiformal. And a gown that's knee length or shorter is said to be informal, though today the mini dress is considered a chic option for the unconventional or for the second-time bride.
Styles
Here we give you a breakdown of the various shapes of dresses
Bias-cut
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Cut on the diagonal, or bias, of the fabric. |
Bubble
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A skirt gathered to a small waistline, then ballooned out and tapered in at the hem. |
Fishtail
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This is where an additional panel is stitched on to the back of the skirt, simulating a fishtail. |
Fan-back
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Here, the skirt has accordion-like pleats in the back, extending from just below the waist or knees. |
Mermaid
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A slim, tapered, curve-hugging skirt that follows the line of the hips and thighs and flares out below the knee. |
Overskirt
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A second skirt that lies over the main skirt, covering it partially without coming together in the front. |
Trumpet
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A straight-lined skirt that flares toward the hem, like the mouth of a trumpet. |
Hemlines
Below are the different options for the bottom edge of the skirt
Floor
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The hem on this gown brushes the floor on all sides. A wonderful formal look that works well on both straight and full gown styles. |
Ankle
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The ankle-length gown is hemmed right at the ankles. A nice semi-formal option that can either be full or formfitting. |
Ballerina
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Like the name implies, the ballerina features a full skirt (think tutu) that reaches to just above the ankles. Great fun and very flirty - ideal for an outdoor wedding. |
Intermission
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This hem falls anywhere between the knee and the ankle. Perfect for a semiformal or more casual affair. |
Tea Length
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A gown hemmed to a few inches below the knee. This may be seen as a slightly conservative option, but with a modern twist. |
Hi-Lo
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A variation of the intermission, the hi-lo features an intermission hem on the front, and a floor-length (or longer) hem in the back. This is actually a popular look for bridesmaids as well. |
Knee
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Another great look for bridesmaids or for the casual bride, this style of skirt ends just below the knee. |
Mini
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For the super-sassy bride, this skirt ends mid-thigh and is guaranteed to up the wow-factor. |
Details
Find out what choices you have on how your dress can be decorated
Accordion pleats
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Close together pleats that boast folds resembling the bellows of an accordion. The edges all face in the same direction. |
Box pleat
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Folds of fabric pressed up on top to form a flat, box-shaped pleat; an inverted pleat is formed between each box pleat. |
Bustle
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Bunches of fabric (or the train) gathered at the back of a gown, secured with buttons or hooks. |
Draping
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Swaths of fabric pleated or gathered to a side or back seam of a skirt, adding fullness. |
Flounce
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A wide ruffle around the bottom of a skirt. |
Petal
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A type of overskirt that falls in rounded sections (similar to the petals of a flower) and usually reveals an underskirt of a different fabric. Hopefully it won't attract bees like a real petal would! |
Streamers
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Strings or ties that trail down the back of the gown. |
Tails
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Panels of the same or contrasting fabric, which trail behind the gown like a train. |
Tiered
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A skirt made of layers of various-length fabrics. |
