Author bio:
Carmina Natividad is one of the enthusiastic writers for Jennifer Regan, a shop in Sydney that caters to women who are looking for the perfect wedding dress to wear as they walk down the aisle. Her articles mainly focus on Wedding dress and wedding management.
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The bride is by far the most photographed person in any wedding day. As a bride, you have the power to take everyone’s breath away as you walk down the aisle, not just with your natural beauty and smiles but also with your stunning wedding dress. The question is, do you have any idea of what you’ll wear on your big day?
If you still have no clear picture in mind, here’s a simple tip in choosing a wedding dress: decide on your silhouette first then choose the neckline. A flattering silhouette like an A-line, sheath, ball gown, mermaid, trumpet, and tea length draws attention to your beautiful features while hiding your body’s flaws. In the same way, the perfect neckline flatters your frame by showing off the upper body’s features such as your face shape, neck, chest, bustline, shoulders, and upper arms in all the right places.
To help you choose the perfect dress, here are 10 most common wedding dress neckline types you may take a look at.
1. Sweetheart
The timeless and classic sweetheart neckline is, without a doubt, a firm favorite among brides. The pretty scalloped neckline is shaped like the top half of a heart, drawing attention to the bust. The sweetheart neckline is ideal for brides who would love to flaunt their medium to large bosoms.
The most popular version of the sweetheart is the strapless one, but you may opt for a more modest style by combining it with an illusion-sheer layer of fabric or tulle straps. Since it’s flattering for busty brides, sweetheart neckline may not give the “wow” factor to small-chested brides.
2. Strapless
Strapless dresses are a popular choice all over the world, especially for brides who’d love to ditch straps and sleeves to accentuate their great shoulders and defined collarbones.
Strapless neckline can either come in a sweetheart or straight-across square bodice, making them flattering for busty brides. The classic neckline, however, may not suit everyone. Brides with full upper arms and a very large bust, as well as smaller-chested brides, may not look as ravishing with strapless necklines.
3. Off-the-shoulder
Just like what its name implies, the neckline sits below the shoulders to highlight the collarbone and shoulders, with sleeves covering up the upper arm.
If you’re full-chested, pear-shaped, and have defined collarbones, the style will flatter you. However, if you have broad shoulders and fuller arms, you may go for a portrait neckline instead, which is similar to this neckline but has a wider, softer scoop from the tip of one shoulder to the other.
4. One-shoulder
One-shoulder is an asymmetrical neckline that works with one single strap coming across the front. The neckline highlights your collarbones and shoulders, making it flattering for pear-shaped and busty brides. However, you must avoid this style if you have awkwardly broad shoulders for it accentuate them further.
5. Square
Square has a sleek and straight horizontal bodice which meets with the straps or sleeves at a 90-degree angle, creating a square open neckline. It gives the illusion of a longer and leaner frame for a bride.
You can also go for square neckline if you want to create balance. If you have a round face, for instance, the straight line can add dimension to your bone structure. It can also elongate the short neck and narrow shoulders. Brides with huge busts who wouldn’t want to reveal too much cleavage also opt for square necklines.
6. V-neck
When we say “sexy and daring”, v-neck never goes out of style. It is a plunging v-shaped neckline that exposes your decolletage and neck. It elongates the neck, slims the figure, and creates an illusion of height. V-neck looks appealing to brides with hourglass figures and apple-shaped frames. Brides with extreme cup sizes (too large or too small), however, may not look their best with a v-neck.
7. Halter / Halterneck / High Neck
The classic halter neckline lets you boast your broad shoulders and taller frame in a sophisticated manner. It can either come in straps that wrap around the back of your neck or a high neck with deep armholes. Showing off your shoulders and upper arms with halter necklines can also help elongate your frame if you are a petite bride. However, halter isn’t always ideal for brides with narrow shoulders.
8. Bateau / Boat
Elegant and discreet, bateau pulls off a sophisticated bridal without baring much flesh, making it suitable for solemn wedding ceremonies. The style boasts its wide top that gently follows the natural curve of your collarbone, drawing attention to your subtly defined shoulders.
If your back is wider than your hips and if you have a smaller bosom you’d want to appear fuller, bateau is perfect for you. Since it creates an illusion of larger busts, fuller-chested brides should not opt for this neckline.
7. Halter / Halterneck / High Neck
The classic halter neckline lets you boast your broad shoulders and taller frame in a sophisticated manner. It can either come in straps that wrap around the back of your neck or a high neck with deep armholes. Showing off your shoulders and upper arms with halter necklines can also help elongate your frame if you are a petite bride. However, halter isn’t always ideal for brides with narrow shoulders.
8. Bateau / Boat
Elegant and discreet, bateau pulls off a sophisticated bridal without baring much flesh, making it suitable for solemn wedding ceremonies. The style boasts its wide top that gently follows the natural curve of your collarbone, drawing attention to your subtly defined shoulders.
If your back is wider than your hips and if you have a smaller bosom you’d want to appear fuller, bateau is perfect for you. Since it creates an illusion of larger busts, fuller-chested brides should not opt for this neckline.
9. Jewel
Your conservative grandma and mother-in-law will be proud. Jewel sits at the base of your throat and is similar to the T-shirt’s round neckline, offering a fuller coverage of your chest. The modest neckline is perfect small-chested brides for it will make them look bustier yet may not look pleasing to large-chested brides.
10. Illusion sheer
If you’re torn between a full-coverage neckline and something that bares some skin, then you’ll love the idea of illusion-sheer necklines. You can have the best of both worlds since illusion-sheer necklines envelop the chest in light fabrics like tulle, sheer net, organza, or fine lace to cover your décolleté while subtly showing off some flesh in a tattoo-like effect. The best thing about illusion-sheer is its versatility that flatters all shapes and sizes.