WEDDING DRESSES BEST FOR YOUR BODY TYPE

Spending tons of money on the wedding gown of your dreams won't ensure the most flattering fit. Instead, consider your body type and choose a dress, with the shape, drape and attention to overall symmetry, that hides figure flaws, highlights assets and makes you a beautiful bride whatever your budget.
Plus-size wedding dresses
Plus-size wedding dresses
Off-the-shoulder wedding dresses
Off-the-shoulder wedding dresses
Short wedding dresses
Short wedding dresses
Strapless wedding dresses
Strapless wedding dresses
Wedding dresses with sleeves
Wedding dresses with sleeves
Empire waist dresses
Empire waist dresses

Pear

This body type is very prevalent and sometimes known as a "triangle" shape. You have a slender elegant neck, a sloping narrow shoulder-line, smaller bust, delicate ribcage, defined waist, wider low hips and round thighs. Basically, you're a little bottom-heavy.
Emphasizing the smallest part of your frame is key. Princess wedding gowns will look gorgeous—they gently nip in at the waist and then gradually flare to an A-line shape. (Try a tea-length dress with this silhouette when you want to show off toned calves.) Spectacular ball gowns with either a basque or dropped waistline even out your proportions while supplying real "wow" power. Empire-waist cuts are fitted under the bustline then flow with flattering ease over the rest of your bottom half. We'd suggest avoiding sheath, trumpet, mermaid and other body-hugging dress cuts. Rich, weightier fabrics like taffeta and Duchess satin won't cling, but elegantly skim over areas you want to de-emphasize. Chiffon is a good choice when you desire something a little more ethereal, as it will float around your figure and provide dreamy flattery.
The best necklines are fitted and show considerable skin. Corset bodices are the sexiest, while V-necks are either modest or daring depending on the dip. Try a delicate spaghetti-strap top to show off slim shoulders. To visually de-emphasize your bottom half, consider bodices that feature lots of beading, ruching or embroidery, as this draws the eye upwards. Sleeve details help, too—lightly padded cap sleeves or volume-enhancing pouf and Juliet varieties balance your figure beautifully. Take a pass on bell and poet sleeves that widen out past the elbow.
Tea-length wedding dresses
Tea-length wedding dresses
A-line wedding dresses
A-line wedding dresses
Princess wedding dresses
Princess wedding dresses
Off-the-shoulder wedding dresses
Off-the-shoulder wedding dresses
Beaded wedding dresses
Beaded wedding dresses
V-neck wedding dresses
V-neck wedding dresses

Apple

Also known as the "round," your shape is quite common and not as hard to dress as you might think. Your shoulders are well-balanced with somewhat narrow hips, and you have an ample bustline, wide back, rounded midsection, relatively small posterior and slender arms and legs.
Since your upper body is a bit wider than your lower half, concentrate on minimizing a large bust and thick waistline and maximizing those slim hips and gorgeous gams. Fit-and-flare wedding frocks that flow in a gradual A-shape create waist definition and highlight a generous bustline. As with pear shapes, a snug fit up top adds visual interest, while a deep scoop or V-neckline also draws eyes up and away from a thicker middle. Babydoll and empire-waist dresses that feature relatively slender column skirts also emphasize the chest while sleeking over a wider waist area, and are really comfortable to boot.
Sidestep lightweight fabrics in favor of slightly heavier material that will follow the line of your body, not float away from it and create more volume. Weightier chiffons are lovely, as are damask and faille. Look for airy touches like featherweight overlays of tulle or lace to add decorative oomph. Lots of texture on the bodice helps balance your figure as well—beads, ruching panels, 3-D rosette details, lace—again it's all about striking a pleasing visual balance. Try to avoid really clingy fabrics or super-fitted gown silhouettes like mermaid or trumpet cuts. Do choose to show off shapely gams in tea-length or shorter hems for outdoor and destination weddings.
Tulle wedding dresses
Tulle wedding dresses
Lace wedding dresses
Lace wedding dresses
A-line wedding dresses
A-line wedding dresses
Wedding dresses with ruching
Wedding dresses with ruching
Tea-length wedding dresses
Tea-length wedding dresses
Empire waist wedding dresses
Empire waist wedding dresses

Straight

This shape is also known as the "rectangle" because your waist is undefined, with somewhat broad shoulders and square hips of equal width. You're most likely slim but toned, with a small-to-medium bust, flat stomach and bottom, and slender arms and legs. What you may want to do is coax a little more curve from your frame.
Let's start with a sheath dress cut on the bias. This style adds sensual movement and shape, yet it's a truly elegant wedding gown choice, too. Gleaming silk charmeuse matches beautifully with that slender dress shape (as well as in more fanciful ball gowns) catching the light for added visual volume. Classic princess styles work wonders, as their pulled-in midriffs and flared skirts create an hourglass silhouette on figures that lack waist and hip definition. Empire, babydoll and A-line wedding dresses flatter in the opposite way by simply and comfortably camouflaging the body below the bust. The right decoration up top helps with enhancing shape, too–ruched, pleated, beaded, lace-trimmed–any intricate embellishment adds volume to a smaller bustline. Sabrina and bateau necklines also flatter delicate décolleté.
Choose any sleek silk, satin or mid-weight jersey for a body-conscious effect, and chiffon, lace and velvet as more luxe choices to add attractive volume. Show off slender arms in three-quarter-length sleeves or curvy bell and poet sleeves. We'd suggest steering clear of drop-waist dresses and sweetheart, strapless and off-the-shoulder bodice styles, as they don't tend to flatter smaller bustlines or straight torsos.
Sheath wedding dresses
Sheath wedding dresses
Princess wedding dresses
Princess wedding dresses
A-line wedding dresses
A-line wedding dresses
Empire waist wedding dresses
Empire waist wedding dresses
Wedding dresses with ¾ sleeves
Wedding dresses with ¾ sleeves
Silk charmeuse wedding dresses
Silk charmeuse wedding dresses

Hourglass

Your shoulders are somewhat broad, with curvy hips of a similar width and a nipped-in, defined waist. You likely have a delicate bone structure, medium bust and a derriere that's definitely there. It's one of the rarest body types but also the most balanced and symmetrical.   
Because you're well-proportioned you should strive to accentuate that classic waist-to-hip ratio. Wedding gowns that feature a body-skimming, side-shirred wrap silhouette show off a slender waistline and curvy hip, but in a relaxed way. For something more dramatic and theatrical, try the tight fit-and-flare of a trumpet or mermaid cut. Fitted waists are essential for bringing out the best in your hourglass figure. Dropped-waists can also be lovely, just don't go too loose. (A long-line, corset-style bodice can help greatly with the fit.) Gently dipping sweetheart necklines, as well as strapless and off-the-shoulder shapes, make the most of a generous bust without looking tacky.
Sheath shapes won't work as well on your body type, nor will crazy big ball gowns. Empire wedding dresses may create a top-heavy effect, while bateau and Sabrina necklines tend to do the same. Your fabric choices are pretty numerous, though—the ever-classic chiffon, light georgette, luxe organza, outdoorsy muslin and eyelet, and delicate lace concoctions. Just don't go thick or weighty on either the fabrication or beading as this tends to put a little too much emphasis on your curves. The dress won't easily cling to the slimmest part of your shape, leaving your silhouette a bit chunky.
Chiffon wedding dresses
Chiffon wedding dresses
Organza wedding dresses
Organza wedding dresses
Strapless wedding dresses
Strapless wedding dresses
Dropped waist wedding dresses
Dropped waist wedding dresses
Trumpet wedding dresses
Trumpet wedding dresses
Mermaid wedding dresses
Mermaid wedding dresses

Women's Club of Huntington Beach

The historic Women’s Club of Huntington Beach clubhouse burned to the ground in a fire that started near the back of the building around 3:00 a.m. this morning (April 30, 2011). The little board and batten building was destroyed in minutes, according to neighbors, with the fire department putting out the very last of the flames about an hour later.

This fire may only register a small blip on the radar of most Huntington Beach citizens. But this 101-year old building -- and the philanthropic organization it housed for 95 years -- was an important part of the city's history.

This 1910 surplus school building was purchased in 1916 by the Women’s Club of Huntington Beach and moved to its current location on the 400 block of 10th Street. The Club had spent four years raising the money for the land and structure through a series of events including musical productions, a mock trial, a New Years Eve ball and a minstrel show. The photo below shows the clubhouse the day it opened, in Oct. 1916.

The Huntington Beach Women's Club itself was formed in January 1908 – seven years after the town was founded and a year before Huntington Beach incorporated as a city. Seven women attended the first meeting, which was held at Florence Blodgett’s home. It was formed as a local chapter of the Federation of Women’s Clubs – an organization with its own rich history.

Early members of the Women’s Club of Huntington Beach included such notable pioneer names as Newland, Talbert, Shank, Tarbox, Huston and Howard. These women were probably the best civilizing influence the town ever had.

Historian Barbara Milkovich wrote that "Because [the Club] attracted the wives of business and political community leaders, it had the opportunity to reflect and/or influence the development of public policy within the city. …[The Club] was a stabilizing force within the community during the transition period from religious resort to oil field.”

(The photo below shows members in the clubhouse on July 4, 1951, still in their parade finery.)

Over the years, the Women’s Club successfully promoted the incorporation of Huntington Beach and the creation of a municipal gas system, created weed abatement and civic beautification programs, was instrumental in founding the PTA, and even provided trash barrels downtown to discourage littering.

Perhaps most memorably, they joined forces with the Women's Christian Temperance Union and the Board of Trade to create a private library association in 1909. Their book collection and reading room were the beginnings of what would later be adopted by the city fathers as Huntington Beach's first public library. Even then, several members of the Women's Club remained on the Library Board. This was, remember, before women could even vote (which was another cause the Women's Club advocated for).

Later, the Women's Club upgraded the city's modest public library by requesting and receiving funds for a larger "Carnegie Library."

The Club also held regular educational programs at a time when opportunities for education were limited for women.

During World War I, the Huntington Beach Women's Club -- which held an anti-war stance -- took the lead in forming the local Red Cross Auxiliary.


(The photo of the clubhouse interior, below, was taken by Barbara Milkovich in the 1980s.)

The City's oil boom in the 1920s increased the local population dramatically, and increased the Club's membership from 55 members to over 200 members. In 1926, the clubhouse was remodeled and given an addition in back.

The fact that children were playing on the dangerous oil equipment all over town led the Women's Club to lobby for the first city playgrounds -- an amenity that can now be found in nearly every park in town.

Another concern related to the oil boom was the prevalence of dance halls frequented by oil workers (a.k.a. roughnecks). The Women's Club got the city to regulate and patrol these ubiquitous "dens of vice" -- thereby bringing up the whole tenor of the city.

Milkovich wrote that the Club also "provided the entire community with a secular intellectual and social outlet." They held banquets, dances, and other social functions, and rented out their clubhouse for other special events as well. This tradition has continued up until today.

As a senior at Edison High School, the Huntington Beach Women's Club gave me a scholarship and invited my mother and me to a very nice luncheon at the clubhouse. It was the first time I ever went inside the building, and it seems it was also the last.

As soon as I heard the news about the fire this morning, I drove over, surveyed the damage, and took some photos. Walking back to my car, I passed some folks observing the fire's aftermath.

"What a shame," I said, motioning toward the rubble and shaking my head sadly.

"Well, it didn't really fit into the rest of the neighborhood," one of them said.

"It was here long before you arrived," I pointed out.

"Oh, but it was an eyesore, and they were always holding big events right here in our neighborhood. Maybe this fire was a blessing in disguise."

The only way to stifle my urge to scream at them was to get in my car and drive away.

Before With Shoes That Will Harm Feet


High heels should only be worn occasionally. If you wear them daily, you run the risk of shortening your calf muscles, which in turn can cause an inflammation of you Achilles tendon. This can make it difficult to walk in bare feet. High heels also increase the risk of getting plantar fasciitis: a painful degenerative condition that affects the heel bone. For daily use, you may want to wear a fashion women shoes with a comfortable heel of about one inch in height.

If your work requires you to walk a lot or stand for long periods, make sure to wear fashion women shoes that support the heel of your foot and that absorb shock. You can add padded insoles to those fashion women shoes that are too hard or thin.

Royal Wedding - My Favorite Images

We weren't disappointed were we?

a beautiful bride

an exquisite wedding gown

jewelry in the utmost good taste

an adorable wedding party

a respect for tradition

a ceremony seeped in history

and a happy couple

The Royal Wedding was an 11 out of 10 wasn't it?

If you're not already burned out on the Royal Wedding coverage
for excellent sartorial reporting on the wedding party and the royal guests.

Royal Wedding - My Favorite Images

We weren't disappointed were we?

a beautiful bride

an exquisite wedding gown

jewelry in the utmost good taste

an adorable wedding party

a respect for tradition

a ceremony seeped in history

and a happy couple

The Royal Wedding was an 11 out of 10 wasn't it?

If you're not already burned out on the Royal Wedding coverage
for excellent sartorial reporting on the wedding party and the royal guests.