First Time Bride Aged 42 Apple Body Shape

by Hilary
(Lancashire)

I am 42, a size 16 and only 5ft 1" tall, I am getting married in church as it is my first wedding. I am an apple shape and I have no idea what style of wedding dress to go for. I have a maximum budget of $500.00. Can anybody help and send any suggestions please?

Hi Hilary,

I have added a couple of examples of pictures of wedding gown styles that would work for an apple body shape.

The two best wedding dress silhouettes for apple shaped women are a-line and empire waist styles. There are other styles you can try out like dropped-waist and ball gown wedding dress styles. But these last styles really are dependent on how the details are place on the body and how pronounced your shaping is in the mid-section.

Taking a look at the above pictures, the a-line gown has tucks or ruching in the bodice that are at an angle, which tends to give the illusion of a smaller waist. Plus... there is another overlay of fabric which provides extra hiding power for the stomach area. There isn't any design on the skirt or hem of the dress which can make you look shorter.

The empire waist wedding dress, and the straps, bring the focus of attention upward. The soft flowing fabric falls gracefully hiding the problem areas without adding bulk. The empire waist style also gives the illusion of height. Not having details at the hem doesn't cut your height.

So to sum it up... look for dress styles that feature some of the points I mentioned above. Designs that have overskirts, asymmetrical details and soft flowing fabrics are winners. Also necklines that are open like v-neck or sweetheart are popular right now. Or instead of a strapless you can have straps added but avoid spaghetti straps.

To get a gown a good price I suggest using a discount bridal website to purchase a bridal gown if you can't get a good deal in your local community.

Desiree