A-Line Wedding Dress

This season, designers are featuring on the runway, many dresses with necklines.  This is rare for the wedding fashion industry. One shoulder gowns were shown on several of the bride shows. This was a classic, toga-style transformation of the bride into Aphrodite.

If Roman allure doesn`t fit for the bride, she can try to choose a different look. Most girls dream to be a princess or more - a queen!  Maybe it`s time to make the dream come true and, for example, wear something that came from 18th century – a Queen Anne neckline. This style was worn during the reign of the Queen of England - Anne Stuart.  It is actually a heart-shaped neckline in the front and also having a high back.  Dresses with this Queen Anne neckline very often have sleeves, which cover only the shoulders or are full-length.  

The heart shaped neckline has a curvy heart shape, which is slightly less accented than Queen Anne.  On the back side it is cut on the same level as the front. This neckline is not joined with any sleeves.  The Elizabethan collar is a high standing collar on the back and v-shaped front. The name was taken from the era of the queen of England and the queen of Ireland (16 century).  This was a time when nobles wore high collars.

The Décolletage is a planning, cleavage revealing neckline. This is something that is patterned on the French queen, Maria Antoinette.  Brides are recommended to wear different silhouette dresses with different necklines to find their own style.  They should find what perfectly matches their figure and face shape. There are many options to choose from, including the following styles.  

The bateau neckline covers the chest, following the collar bone from one shoulder to the other. This shape is ideal for petite (on top) brides. Also similar in design is the cowl neckline. Its difference lies in the bateau, which has a drape on the front.  This style is recommended to add width to the upper part of the body.   The halter neckline has straps, which are connected on the back and open the neck and chest in a v-shaped way. The neckline is recommended for brides who have great shoulders, since it opens them and makes them visually a little bit larger. The high neck is also opened at the shoulders in the same way as the halter, but with a high cut, covering the neck and chest just below jaw line.

The V-neck dress opens the front in the v shape and the straps are not connected. This neckline should be chosen with care – as it enlarges big breast sizes and minimizes the small chest.  The jewel neckline is round and high cut.  It covers the breasts. It is a good choice for petite-topped brides.  The scoop has a low, rounded neckline with a u-shape and is similar on the back. This style is good for most brides.  The square neckline shape appears as half of a square. The square neckline looks good on brides who don’t have wide shoulders.  

The strapless dress has a hugging bodice with a straight or shaped bust line. It looks nice on most of brides. It is ideal for wide-shouldered girls.  A dress with spaghetti straps is supported by thin straps and has a narrow or shaped bust line. To minimize shoulders, brides shouldn’t wear dresses where straps are too close to the neck.

For brides, who would like to wear a vintage (and almost forgotten style) now called Illusion - transparent netting or lace that begins at jeweled or high neckline and ends just above the bust line.  The off-the-shoulder dress has sleeves or straps, which sit below the shoulders. This is an option for brides with narrow shoulders. 

The Fichu collar and portrait collar wrap around shoulders is another interesting choice. The portrait collar gathers at a point just above the bust line in front.  The Fichu collar covers the shoulders like a shawl.  The Sabrina is a slightly curving neckline beginning 2” inside the shoulder line.  It is a little bit higher than a bateau neckline.  In summary, although this author prefers the A-Line Wedding Dress, there are many choices of wedding dress necklines to choose from.  Find the bridal gown of your dreams.