Gown – Weddings At Work

Silhouette – refers to the basic shape of the gown.

A-line – the cut starts below the chest and makes the dress look like a capital letter A.

Mermaid – the dress fits closely to the body until the knees where it fans out

Trumpet – the dress fits closely to the body until the thighs where it fans out

Ball gown – the most princess-type dress silhouette, has a waist, and balloons out from there

Sheath – a straight type of dress; it hugs the body but has no waistline

Fabric – the cloth used to make the wedding gown

Chiffon – transparent cloth that’s delicate and see-through, light and flow
Organza – similar to chiffon but stiffer in texture
Tulle – looks like net
Satin – cloth that’s shiny on one side
Charmeuse – lighter, softer, and a bit less shiny than satin
Mikado – usually heavier than 100% silk
Taffeta – crisp and smooth and holds its shape well
Shantung – similar to taffeta but not as finely woven
Georgette – lightweight fabric but is not as sheer as chiffon
Jersey – stretchy fabric with a matte finish

Neckline – refers to the cut of the top part of the gown

Sweetheart – curves over the chest area to form the bottom of a heart on the cleavage
V-neck – resembles a V; thus, it dips down to the cleavage
One-shoulder – has only one strap
Sheer – has a sheer piece of cloth on top of the dress’ neckline
Off the shoulder – the straps are not on top of the shoulders, rather around the arms
Halter – has straps that merge behind the back of the neck
Strapless/tube top – a straight, horizontal line runs across the chest area
High neck – covered from the neck, downwards

Hemline/Dress Length

Knee length – situated right on the knee
Above the knee – situated an inch or so above the knee
Tea length – midway between the knees and the ankles
Ankle length – right on the level of the ankles
Floor length – touches the floor

Train – refers to the part of the cloth that trails behind the bride while she is marching — some are detachable, while others aren’t

Bridal Veil – the sheer cloth that goes over the head of the bride and usually covers her face all throughout the march. Most common veils are the following:

Cathedral Veil – a long piece of sheer cloth that covers the head and stretches to cover the back of the dress and a few more meters beyond the back hem of the dress. Usually, it is pinned in such a way that the front hem goes over the bouquet.
Bird cage veil – a small piece of sheer cloth that covers mostly the forehead or the eyes of the bride, never the whole face
Mantilla – a veil that frames the face and does not cover it; it has embroidery on the sides and stretches behind the bride, more often than not, till the back of the waist