Types and Styles of Flower Girl Dresses
When selecting a flower girl dress for your wedding, there are many things to consider - the age and height of the flower girl, wedding colors, dress length, dress style, and so forth. The first step is to know what styles of flower girl dresses are available. This quick guide outlines the types of dresses in the market so you can find that perfect, adorable dress.
Flower Girl Dress Bodice and Skirt
Flower girl dresses are made of two parts - the bodice and the skirt. The bodice is the upper portion of the dress from the neckline and shoulders to the waistline, or just above the waistline, depending on the dress. The skirt is the bottom portion of the dress. There are different styles of both sections, and varying combinations using these styles.
Princess Flower Girl Dresses
Most flower girls want to look like a princess in their dress. They want to look and feel fancy just like the bride and bridesmaids. There are some flower girl dresses that are designed to look like princess dresses. These often have a full skirt with lots of frills, lace, beads, flowers, or ribbons. Some princess styles to look for include dresses with a satin bodice and a double-layered full tulle skirt. These often have a ribbon wrapped around the dress above the waistline with a flower or bow. A crinoline or a hoop slip can be added under the skirt to give an even fuller look.
Pleated Skirts
Skirts with pleats may not sound typical of flower girl dresses, but they are actually very pretty, especially the longer, box-pleated skirts. Pleated skirts are not as full as the princess-type skirts, but can still be very decorative. Box-pleated skirts have wide, even pleats that run vertically down the skirt's length and appear to spread wider apart toward the bottom of the skirt. Pleated flower girl dresses are classical in style and offer a simple, yet elegant touch to any wedding.
Gathered, Pulled, Puffed, and Scattered!
This may sound like a messy way to describe a flower girl dress style, but it's really a very beautiful design. With this type of dress, the skirt's upper layer of cloth, satin, or lace is gathered at the hemline and/or at certain points throughout, and then pulled and puffed at these points. This gives a semi-wrinkled look. With scattered flowers or roses at the gathered points, this style creates a dashing look for the flower girl!
Pick-Up Skirt
The pick-up design is often used on a full or a-line skirt. Pieces of fabric are gathered at the hemline, allowing other parts to drape in a curve around the hemline of the skirt. This simple added touch makes any plain skirt look elegant and graceful.
A-Line, Asymmetric, or Column Skirt
The a-line skirt hugs the waist and flows outward toward the hemline without the appearance of a full skirt. Asymmetric skirts are similar to the a-line, but with an unusual pattern line that runs the full length of the dress. A column skirt or column dress is a straight dress with a bias-type cut and vertical seams, which gives the long, slender look. This might not be the best choice for little girls, but for older, taller girls near teenage years, it can be an excellent choice.
Bodices and Sleeves
Bodices may be plain satin or decorated with lace, flowers, or pearls. The bodice might be pleated, embroidered, or feature scattered flowers or roses. There are also varying styles of necklines such as halter, sweetheart, v-neckline, scoop, or boat neckline. The sweetheart neckline is shaped similar to a heart. The v-neckline comes to a perfect V shape from the shoulders to the middle of the upper chest. The scoop neckline offers a slight curve around the neck. The boat neckline curves in a wide range from shoulder to shoulder. The halter neckline has wide straps that wrap around the neck, similar to a halter top. Flower girl dresses may be sleeveless or feature halter straps, thin spaghetti (or wider) straps, short or long sleeves, or puff sleeves.
Flower girl dresses can also come with jackets, gloves, shawls, and other items to complete the outfit. When choosing a flower girl dress, consider the styles of other dresses being worn in the wedding. The flower girl dress can be unique in design, but should complement all the other dresses as well as the wedding colors.
You can use online resources to see photos of flower girl dresses and to get an idea of what styles are available. There are many children's boutiques or online stores that sell kids' special occasion clothing where you can view and purchase flower girl dresses. These shops may also offer other products such as boys' suits, christening dresses, or girls' communion dresses. Having just the right flower girl and flower girl dress will add that special touch to your wedding!
Article Source: By Chris Robertson
