Defining Neckline, Waist, and Sleeve Bridal Gown Alternatives

A bride can use the following lists to give her some ideas about the style elements she is most interested in looking for in a wedding gown. This will make it easier to use bridal gown search engines that narrow a bride’s online hunt and can help her communicate with consultants in bridal shops.

Wedding Gown Necklines

• Asymmetrical - The neckline here is different on either side of the center front.
• Bateau neck – Also known as a boat neck, this neckline follows the collar bone straight across and is high in front and back.
• Halter – Straps reach around the neck or across the back to provide support to the bodice.
• Jewel – Imagine a necklace curving at the base of the neck.
• Keyhole – This has a tear-shaped opening at the neckline or at the back of the dress.
• Off-the-shoulder – The neckline sits below the shoulders with straps that cover the upper arm.
• One shoulder – In this style, one arm is bare and the other is sleeveless, short sleeved, or long sleeved.
• Portrait – Frame the face with a shawl-like collar that is worn off the shoulders.
• Sabrina – Like a bateau neck only two inches in from each shoulder.
• Scoop – This neckline is lower than a jewel neck, revealing cleavage low enough.
• Spaghetti strap – This style is nearly strapless except for delicate straps.
• Square – The neckline is cut straight across the front.
• Strapless – The neck and shoulders are bare.
• Sweetheart – A revealing neckline that sweeps down and dips to a point in the middle of the bust.
• Tank – A variation of the scoop, this U-shape neckline has deep armholes and narrow straps.
• V-neck – Either shallow or deep, this neckline comes to a point.
• Wedding-band collar – This is often a lace collar that sits high on the neck. Also called a high collar or mandarin collar.

Bridal Gown Sleeve Styles

• Balloon – These are wide, puffy, wrist-length sleeves.
• Bell – These sleeves are narrow at the top and (widely) flared at the bottom.
• Cap – This is a short fitted sleeve that barely covers the shoulders.
• Dolman – This sleeve is also known as batwings. Wide armholes narrow to tight fabric at the wrists.
• Fitted – Long, tapered sleeves that sometimes come to a V-shape point on the top of the hand.
• Juliet – A pouf at the shoulder accentuates the tapered sleeve.
• Three-quarters – This sleeve length ends just below the elbow.
• T-shirt – This Fuller and longer than cap sleeves.
• Pouf – Like the balloon sleeves only short and sometimes worn off the shoulder.

Wedding Dress Waists

• Asymmetrical – The waist height changes from one side to the next.
• Basque – A basque waist is a low U or V shape that adds length to the waist.
• Corset – A tightly fitted waist.
• Dropped – This waist sits several inches below the natural waistline.
• Empire – The waist ends above the natural waistline, perhaps even under the breasts, creating the illusion of length.
• Natural – The seam sits at the natural waist.

A bride can prepare herself before shopping for a wedding dress by selecting the style necklines, waists, and sleeves that most appeal to her. Along with the veil and bodice, knowledge about skirt details like length, train, and other elements, can help her save time and energy as well as frustration with trying on dresses that don’t fit her personal style.

Resources for this article include marysbridal.com (which includes even more variations than listed here), Marcy Blum and Laura Fisher Kaiser’s Wedding Planning for Dummies, 2nd ed. (Wiley Publishing, 2005) and Carley Roney’s The Knot Book of Wedding Lists (Clarkson/Potter Publishers, 2005). Susan Caplan