Wedding Blog
There’s an interesting article in sfgate about the popularity of strapless wedding gowns, and how they’re just not for everyone. Yet they are by far the most popular style of wedding dress, perhaps due to Hollywood’s infatuation with strapless gowns on the red carpet.
“When I go to (the bridal) market, so much of what I see is strapless,” Alvarez says. “You really have to be in great shape. You shouldn’t be overly busty and not too fleshy in the arms. … but when I talk to designers, when I say, ‘What’s up with all the strapless?’ they tell me that’s what sells.”
I’d always imagined that I’d get married in a strapless gown. Maybe I’ve been brainwashed into thinking that strapless gowns are the epitome of the traditional wedding. But V-necks and halters just look strange on me, so it seemed like a no-brainer.
“When you put on a strapless dress, it feels like a ball gown, it really feels like a once-in-a-lifetime dress,” says Juli Alvarez, fashion editor of Modern Bride magazine.
But the article also goes on to say that strapless dresses are:
I got married in a strapless gown - the first strapless anything I’d ever worn - and it did feel like a once-in-a-lifetime dress. Maybe I’m just too boring and traditional, but I love me a beautiful strapless gown.
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I originally did not want a strapless dress but a spaghetti strap dress. However, when I found my wedding gown, I knew it was the one, even if it wasn’t what I had originally hoped for.
I personally am tiring of the strapless look, so I do agree with many of the points the article makes. I have fleshy arms (boo!) and v-neck has always looked best for me, so it was a no-brainer. In the end though, may the best dress win, regardless of style!
Agreed with first poster–I didn’t want a strapless dress at all, but tried one on and it worked for me. I will be a cliche, oh well
My body isn’t well suited for strapless either, but the pickins’ are slim for dresses I love in other styles. I may be forced to hit the gym extra hard to work of the soft triceps I inherited!
I agree with many of the points made by the article. Strapless is NOT for everyone! Even on perfectly figured brides, it can look ill-fitted when the bride moves around. I keep seeing photographs where the front of the strapless dress is an inch or so away from the bride’s chest. There is this huge gap there and it makes me think any “chest” shape is all dress- sort of like if you wear a stuff, padded bra but can’t fill it for real
My dress is strapless, as well. I love my shoulderblades and upper-back muscles (got those from rowing and playing upright bass) and think m dress shows them off really well. I think that even ifi your upper-arms aren’t in great shape (mine sure aren’t!), if you get your dress far enough in advance you can hit the gym and get ready in time for the wedding. It seems to me that the type of straps a gown has is actually one of the less-important elements of finding the perfect dress for your type–color, shape of the skirt, type of waist, etc. all seem to be more important in finding the right look–or at least, that’s how thing worked for me.
My gown had a high neck and full-length sleeves. I have a long neck and somewhat fleshy upper arms, so it was extremely flattering to me. I loved it. OTOH, strapless is something I’ve never felt comfortable with. It’s definitely not for everyone!
A friend of mine had a terrible time looking for a wedding gown. When she was a child, she had open-heart surgery to repair a congenital defect, so she has a large scar on her chest. She was married just before the reign of the strapless gown began, but off-the-shoulder ballgowns with big hoopskirts were all the rage. They looked all wrong on her figure and displayed her scar to the world in a way she disliked.
Thank goodness she was finally able to find a lovely gown that showed off her perfect hourglass figure without showing off her scar! She looked every inch the perfect bride, felt comfortable, and was completely appropriate for her full Catholic church ceremony.
If you love strapless, or the perfect dress just happens to be strapless, that’s great. Wear it and be happy. But a lot of us, between body-type, personal preference, or religious concerns really do prefer something a bit more covered.
I think strapless has become a sort of vicious circle at this point. Designers make lots of strapless gowns so magazines show strapless gowns so women feel strapless equals bride, so designers make more strapless gowns so more brides decide that’s what a bride looks like and don’t consider anything else so designers make more strapless gowns because they sell best…and the cycle continues.
My friend had a high neck, long sleeve, lace gown custom made and it was beautiful. You’re right - that style really suits women with long necks.
I was actually wanting a sweatheart off-the-shoulder look with sleeves. After trying on oodles of dresses I went right back to the very first dress I tried on. A strapless gown with removable cap sleeves. I’ll be wearing the sleeves for the ceremony (MIL thinks it’s racy and inappropriate without them) but will most likely take them off at the reception. So I guess I have a strapless gown and a strap-ful gown too!
D cups and a stapless dress, and dancing could equal disaster. I’m going to try and steer clear of strapless. Last resort only.
I agree with the strapless dress being NOT for everyone! If you are broad shouldered and have a large bust, it will not be very flattering. I will be looking for a dress with some sort of strap or sleeve…
as a photographer, i can tell you that most of the dresses are strapless… and for the most part when the bride is sitting the pictures don’t come out that well because the top area of ones body hangs out… however, when the bride is standing straight with her arms away from her body… she looks radiant 
it’s a give/take
I just had my final fitting at Neiman’s for my Reem Acra strapless, and they did a wonderful job! I wiggled like crazy in that dressing room, and everything stayed put!
I am an hourglass shape, and it makes my waist look tiny and even though I do not have the best arms–with my tan, everything looks the way it should look. I feel like a bride.
Basically, it comes down to going with what looks good on YOU and not following a trend to the point where you actually look bad on your wedding day (yes, I had a friend who actually looked bad on her wedding day thanks to an ill fitting strapless that didn’t agree with her body type). I myself dreamed of a 3/4 length sleeve Reem Acra number, which I was sure was my dream dress, and when I tried it on, it was probably the dress that looked the worst on me. So I altered my thinking.
As for strapless, I refused to even try them on - I have broad shoulders and the football player look is just not attractive on a girl. Also, they were everywhere and on every bride I had seen - they all started to look alike to me, and I wanted to be different.
I think the ballgown thing feeds into a basic bridal problem: this might be the only time you’ve worn a ballgown and possibly one of a few times you’ll wear a wedding gown. Strapless doesn’t = ballgown. Ballgowns come in a variety of styles. But if you never shop for such a thing, rarely wear anything but jeans, you really aren’t prepared to know how you’ll feel in a certain gown and how it will fit you. So it becomes easier to think things like “strapless = bridal” even though that couldn’t be furhter from the case.
I hated when salons told me “It’s just the style” when I looked at racks and racks of nothing but strapless because I feel that they had a responsibility to stock a variety of styles and fit me with what looks best. It seems a lot of salons take the lazy way out because a lot of makers do make a range of dresses. Also, I hated when salons would tell me that I could have straps sewn on. That just seemed like a scary proposition. I just wish that choice were more readily available. That way you know for sure what looks best on you. The best salon I went to stocked an amazing range and knew its selection. The woman was very experienced and went through at least 20 dresses in an hour to find a style that worked with my body type — regardless of what I’d originally said I’d wanted. I’d like more of that.
I never wanted a strapless gown - every strapless top I’ve ever tried on looks hideous and I tried my best to stay far far away from them. And then at two of the top bridal salons, they brought out strapless gowns and everyone’s mouth dropped. The neckline is so much more flattering than a higher spaghetti strap dress, and who would have ever guessed it? As for keeping people away from things that look bad on them? You can’t stop the masses.
I’ve had amazing success by walking in the door and saying “help me.” I’ve found the best help at the individual showrooms - and now I only look for strapless dropwaisted dresses thanks to their help
I never thought I’d want to wear a strapless gown because 1) I have D cup boobs and 2) it’s been done. However, all that went out the door when I tried on a strapless Badgley Mischka gown. It was “the one” and I just knew there was no other dress for me. That said, the decision was based on the fit of the dress. If it didn’t fit me like a glove, then there was no way I would have ever gone with it. I think strapless gowns are hard to pull off, but not impossible. If you want to do it, then go ahead but make sure your arms are toned! I plan on going to the gym every day for the last 6 months before my wedding.
I am a size 4 and a 36D — there is not a strapless gown in the world that doesn’t make me look like Pamela Lee Anderson.
And I agree — strapless has been done to death. I am having my dress made by a friend, very pretty with a v-neck (so I can wear decent support undeneath), sheer flowy sleeves and a short train.
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Mrs. Bee, New York
Age and Occupation: 29, Weddingbee Publisher
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 33, Internet
Engagement Date: May 7, 2004
Wedding Date: March 5, 2005
Venue: Westside Loft, New York
About Me: Yes, my name really is Bee! I love my blogging, wikis, and tabasco sauce!
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