Wedding Dress Sleeves
Wedding dress sleeves have more impact than you may first realise. They can add interest to a bodice and provide balance for a skirt. Once closely linked to season, the selection of sleeve style is now largely a matter of how much - or how little - skin the wearer is willing (or allowed!) to show. Both options can be equally dramatic.
Long-sleeved styles designed for maximum flair include the Juliet: a long, fitted sleeve with a short puff at the shoulder; and the bell, a sleeve narrow at the armhole and then wide at the wrist. On the other spectrum are alluring super-spare styles such as the petal and the cap, both of which offer just enough material to cover the shoulder. Sleeves don't have to be made from the same fabric as the gown, often they are made of tulle, lace, or illusion netting, which create a 'barely there' effect even when the sleeves are long.
Cap
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A small sleeve, shorter and more rounded than a T-shirt sleeve, covering just the shoulder. The cap is best on women with fairly slender or well-toned upper arms. |
Petal
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This is a short sleeve that criss-crosses over the bicep of the arm and is also known as the tulip sleeve. |
T-shirt
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Ending midway between the elbow and the wrist, this sleeve style has made a big comeback in the fashion world. It's an elegant look in bridal wear as it's cool, yet covered. |
Juliet
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A long sleeve with a short puff at the shoulder that's fitted on the lower part of the arm. In a way, it's quite Shakespearean and adds a lot of character to the dress. |
Balloon
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The fabric of this sleeve is designed for a bit more impact - it is full and balloon-shaped over the upper arm, then narrowed from the elbow to wrist. |
Poet
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This style sees the sleeve gathered at the shoulder and continue very full from shoulder to cuff. |
Long/Illusion
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Long sleeves on gowns aren't a prevalent as they used to be, but one popular option is the 'illusion' sleeve, made of a totally sheer fabric, which will make you feel covered up, though you won't necessarily look it. |
Bell
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This sleeve style is similar to the bell shaped trousers of the seventies. The shape is narrow from the armhole to below the elbow, then wide at the wrist. |
