Before anything else, a wedding dress silhouette is just the shape the skirt and bodice make together, and almost every gown in bridal is a variation on five of them. Knowing the five makes trying on dresses faster and a lot less overwhelming, because you can walk in already knowing roughly what you're drawn to instead of trying on forty dresses with no sense of why some feel right and some don't. Here's what we carry, broken down by shape, with one real example of each from the showroom floor.
What to look for in a wedding dress silhouette
The main thing a silhouette controls is where your body gets shape and where the fabric takes over. A ball gown and a mermaid are opposite ends of that spectrum, one fitted everywhere and cinched sharply at the waist, the other fitted everywhere and never released at all until the knee. A-line and drop waist sit in between, each shaping some part of the body while letting fabric do the rest. Slip and column silhouettes barely shape at all, relying on bias cut fabric and good drape instead of structure. None of these is more or less bridal than the others. The right one is mostly about how much structure you want to feel, and how much you want to move.
5 wedding dress silhouettes to know
Ball gown: Eterna gown, Monetre
A ball gown is fitted through the bodice and then opens into a full, voluminous skirt, the most traditional of the five shapes and still one of the most requested. Eterna pairs a fitted corset top with a drop waist that elongates the torso before the skirt blooms into a soft ball gown shape with a long, hand draped train. It's made to order by Monetre, available at Mae Bridal. Shop the Eterna gown, from $2,900.
Mermaid: Agata gown, Rouvell
A mermaid silhouette is fitted from the bust all the way to the knee, then flares out sharply, the most body-conscious shape in bridal. Agata is cut in ivory silk satin with lace across the bodice and a low waisted corset, held close by boning and a lace-up back before the skirt kicks out. It's made to order by Rouvell, available at Mae Bridal. Shop the Agata gown, $3,800. We carry just this one mermaid gown right now, and we look at it more closely in mermaid wedding dresses we love right now.
A-line: Barbara gown, Rouvell
A-line skims the body through the bodice and releases gradually from the waist into a slim triangle, less volume than a ball gown but still a defined shape. Barbara is cut in ivory silk satin, fitted close through the waist before opening into soft gathers and a 20 inch train, with tie straps that convert to off the shoulder for the ceremony. It's made to order by Rouvell, available at Mae Bridal. Shop the Barbara gown, $2,500.
Drop waist and basque waist: Romeo gown, &ForLove
A basque waistline wedding dress sits close through the waist and drops into a deep V or U at the hip before the skirt takes over, elongating the torso the way a drop waist does. Romeo is fully structured at the basque waist in dupioni silk, with a gathered, deep skirt and pockets built in. It's made to order by &ForLove, available at Mae Bridal. Shop the Romeo gown, $4,200. We go deeper on this shape in our drop waist wedding gowns collection.
Slip and column: La Nuit, Théoro
A slip or column silhouette barely shapes the body at all, relying on a bias cut and good drape instead of seams or boning. La Nuit is a champagne silk slip cut on the bias, with a draped neckline that follows the body's natural line and fine straps crossing at the back. It's made to order by Théoro, available at Mae Bridal. Shop La Nuit, $2,900.
How to choose the right silhouette for your body and venue
Start with how you want to feel more than how you think you should look. If you want to feel held and supported all day, a mermaid, basque waist, or fitted A-line with internal structure will do that work for you. If you want to feel unrestricted, a slip or a true A-line with minimal boning will move the way you do. Venue matters too: a ball gown needs room to move through a doorway and down an aisle, so a tight staircase or a small garden venue often points toward A-line, drop waist, or slip instead. None of this is a rule, it's just worth trying on more than one shape before you decide, since dresses photograph and move very differently than they look on the hanger.
Shop the full collection
Browse our drop waist wedding gowns, our vintage inspired wedding dresses, or the full bridal wedding gowns collection to see every silhouette we currently carry.
Wedding dress silhouettes, answered
What is a basque waistline wedding dress?
A basque waist, also called a drop waist, sits below your natural waistline, usually dipping into a V or U shape at the front. It elongates the torso before the skirt begins, which is why it's often paired with a fuller ball gown or A-line skirt below it.
What's the difference between a ball gown and a mermaid wedding dress?
Both are fitted through the bodice, but a ball gown releases into a full, voluminous skirt at the waist, while a mermaid stays fitted all the way to the knee before flaring sharply. A ball gown gives you room to move and dance; a mermaid gives you a close, sculpted line at the cost of some mobility.
Which wedding dress silhouette is easiest to dance in?
A-line and slip silhouettes are generally the easiest to move in, since neither restricts the legs the way a mermaid does or carries the weight of a full ball gown skirt. Many brides with a structured ceremony gown change into something softer, like a slip dress, specifically for the reception.
Can I mix silhouettes, like a drop waist ball gown?
Yes, and some of our most requested gowns do exactly that. A drop waist bodice paired with a ball gown skirt, like Eterna, gives you the elongating effect of the basque waist and the drama of a full skirt in one dress.
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