Il admit it: Even though there are, at last count,

Choosing Your Perfect Wedding Dress Silhouette

Il admit it: Even though there are, at last count, 4,386 reality shows that share the premise that fashion is the most important thing in the whole universe, I hadn really been paying attention.

So when I started shopping for my wedding dress, I had some catching up to do. My saleswoman started throwing new and faintly terrifying terms at me. I thought about just trying to fake it, but I became increasingly sure that if I said the wrong thing a trap door would open up under my feet and send me tumbling down a long, greasy Chute of Shame. At the bottom would be Anna Wintour, and Tyra Banks, waiting to confiscate my Girl Card.

I dove in with hand gestures instead: want it to sort of?go up here?And then maybe like this??The saleswoman cocked her head at me like the RCA dog and took a moment to consider pressing the silent alarm, then suggested I look through the racks a bit.

To save you from that particular slice of pre-wedding embarrassment, here a quick rundown of basic wedding dress silhouettes.

A-line

Youe probably worn an A-line dress at some point. (If you haven, give one a try! Theye flattering on just about any figure.) Some flare out gently from the shoulder, creating kind of an overall letter A shape, and other versions flare out from the waist with a more fitted bodice. Either way, youl look terrific.

Ball gown

Youe seen these on most animated princesses. A ball gown has a closely fitted bodice, then poofs out into a very full, bell-shaped skirt that is usually floor-length. The waistline may dip down into a V, and may sit higher or lower on the hips, depending on your preference.

Ballerina

This is a less common wedding dress style, and youe probably already guessed how it looks. Like the ball gown, a ballerina dress has a fitted bodice and a skirt that poofs out from the waistline, but in this case there more of a tutu effect, with the skirt hitting about mid-calf. Youl be working with very light, floaty fabrics in lots and lots of layers, and there may be some petticoat action.

Bustle back

When seen from tea length plus size wedding dresses the side, this dress has an S-shaped silhouette that was popular from the 1890s through the 1910s or so, when folks liked to (demurely) emphasize the fact that Baby had back. Youl see either a big bow-style decoration or maybe even an extra bunch of fabric in back. Some women automatically freak at the idea of emphasizing the badonk, but I think bustles are classic and fun.

Empire

This confusingly named waistline actually starts just below the bust, and then the dress drops straight down, or close to it. Youe seen these in Jane Austen adaptations like Emma and Sense and Sensibility. Ie read alleged experts who say that empire dresses look best on slender women and others who say they look best on full-figured women. Me, I think they give all women a little-girl look, which may or may not be your bag. So forget the experts and just go by whether or not you like them.

Mermaid

A mermaid dress will give you a shapely silhouette without being inappropriately sexy for a wedding dress. The dress hugs your curves from your bust to your hips, then flares out at the knee to create a fishtail effect. (That looks way better than it sounds.) Mermaid dresses can be strikingly beautiful, but because they are fitted so closely, they may not be good for ceremonies in which you have to kneel. You may even have some trouble sitting down if your dress is very form-fitting, so consider changing into another outfit for your reception.

Princess

In this case, youe going for a grown-up princess instead of a Grimm. Think Grace Kelly. This dress is less close-fitting than a mermaid or sheath, but still follows your natural curves. The bodice has vertical panels of fabric and then the skirt flares out gently. This is an elegant style that brings out the inner stone-cold fox in most women.

Sheath

Like mermaid dresses, sheath dresses are very form-fitting. In this case, though, your guests get to see your feet as well as your curves. A sheath dress will be clingy from shoulder (or bust, if youe going strapless) to hem, with no flaring out. It looks like an evening gown ?one that really hugs your body, so make sure youe feeling bold. And, as with the mermaid, make sure youe not feeling like sitting down or kneeling.

Slip

This is an elegant style that is usually kept very simple. It a slinky fall of satin (or satiny material) that clings to your body. Slip dresses are often cut on a bias, with shoestring shoulder straps.

A final word on fashion xperts?br /> Ie seen a lot of expert commentary on how women should dress to look their best lately, and Il just girls long dresses say this: Many of these people are well-intentioned men and women who love, love, love women and their bodies.

But many of them aren.

Some love clothes but don like women, and some only like very tall blue long dress skinny women, and some sincerely mean to love women but are carrying around great big laundry baskets full of issues, and some of them like to lash out at anyone who might be an easy target because they secretly don like themselves and being snarky reassures them that theye superior to somebody.

Some of them are people who just need to fill that magazine issue and sell some ads and are terrified of doing anything different from the last 117 issues lest someone else get mad or make fun of them. And some people just can stand it when not everyone conforms to their idea of what looks good.

My point is that you may want to take expert advice with a grain of salt, and maybe the whole shaker. Some fashion experts can be positive and wonderful, and some can really mess with your head, whether they mean to or not. By all means, read or watch them, but if youe starting to feel worse about yourself as you do, pull out. The most useful fashion experts are the ones who start with the premise that youe a babe and then work to help you become the most fabulous version of yourself.

And, in the end, your instincts trump them too. If a dress breaks all the rules but makes you feel absofreakinglutely amazing, that The One.

Good luck, Gorgeous. Happy shopping!

How To Enjoy Homecoming Tips Beyond Homecoming Dresses For 2012

Homecoming is probably one of the most memorable occasions a person will experience in her teenage years, which is why it is important that you have a concrete idea what youe going to wear, how you are going to look like, who you are going to go with and what you are going to do. Although these do not guarantee perfection, at the very least, foresight should give you some control over aspects that would make you enjoy the occasion.

Take for example the dress you are wearing. What you put on will determine your comfort and satisfaction. This in turn will affect your confidence. Your confidence will encourage you to put yourself out there. And with that you are able partake in every exciting aspect of the affair. Now, when it comes to what you put on, there basically nothing to worry about. There are a lot of boutiques and online retailers you can approach for advice on homecoming dresses for 2012. What you have to concern yourself over is everything else in between. To help you out on the matter, here are some tips you might want to go over to be able to have a pleasurable homecoming party experience.

1. Arrive in style. Don be afraid to splurge on a fancy ride for the event since it only happens once a year. It would be a shame to spoil such a beautiful outfit with the fact that you were driven to the venue by your parents using a minivan. Not that you should feel ashamed of them. But you deserve to feel special on that night. A luxury sedan rental costs around $45 to $65 per hour and a stretch limousine fees range from $65 to $125. If you split it with a few friends, the expenses shouldn be that much of a burden.

2. Be on time. What use is it to attend an event if you come an hour late? Your purpose is to take part in the program. If you like to be early, then there no problem with that. But you run the risk of getting bored since you likely have to sit still for a while. If you have to be later, don make it more than 15 minutes.

3. Lay off the drinking. It may seem like a good idea at first to ease the tension. And people around you might pressure you to get wasted. But drinking robs you of the chance to fully absorb the occasion. Yes, it all fun and smiles at first. But alcohol dulls your senses and makes you less appreciative of what going on. Moreover, it encourages you think more selfishly and act stupid.

4. Don be afraid to socialize. Have fun, whether you are with a date, with your friends or on your own. Don miss out on the dancing, talking and picture taking just because you feel like you don fit in. Your insecurity will drive people away. The secret to having a wonderful time lies in never allowing your surroundings to dictate your disposition. You are responsible for your own happiness so take action.

5. Enjoy the rest of the night. Plan beforehand, if possible a month in advance, where you would want to spend the after-party in and what you would be doing. There are plenty of options available such as going bowling, grabbing a late night dinner, hanging out on the beach, gathering in a friend house or taking a joy ride. Part of the homecoming party magic is what memories you create after the formalities. Again, try not to drink too much to avoid getting into an accident. And always bring cameras so you could record these fleeting moments.

As you can see, there is much to consider about the occasion aside from what homecoming dresses 2012 are on style. Hopefully, these have given you some perspective on what you need to do and guarantee you the best homecoming celebration of your life.