Wedding Dress Jargon Buster

Not sure about some of the terms used to describe wedding dresses?

No problem. Help is here with a handy glossary to help make sense of it all.

In common with most manufactured goods, bridalwear has its own fair share of jargon that's used to describe the various shapes, styles and fabrics that go into the construction of a wedding dress.

Not surprisingly, this can lead to some uncertainty for brides who haven't encountered these terms before, so we've put together a bridal jargon buster to help brides with some of the most widely used terms they may come across in the search for their dream dress.

› Accessories › Bodices › Detailing › Fabrics
› Necklines › Silhouettes › Skirts › Skirt Lengths
› Sleeves › Trains › Waistlines

Accessories

Bolero

A cropped jacket that stays open at the front. (See also shrug).

Ribbon

Wide strips of fabric with a finished edge frequently used to decorate the waist or neckline.

Sash

A band of decorative fabric worn around the waist.

Shrug

A jacket that covers the upper arms and back only. (See also bolero).

Bodices

Corset

A tight-fitting top with boning and lace-up back. Can be strapless or strapped.

Empire

A bodice that ends just below the bustline.

Halter

A top in which the straps wrap around to tie or fasten behind the neck.

One-shoulder (or asymmetrical)

Having only one sleeve or revealing one shoulder.

Princess-line

This bodice has two seams that run over the bustline to the seam, elongating the chest and stomach.

Tank

Like a tank top, this sleeveless bodice offers comfortable, wide arm-holes and a rounded, neckline shape.

'V' Neck

On-the-shoulder, sleeveless bodice with a straight edge from the shoulder to the bust. Can also have a 'V'-shaped back.

Detailing

Appliqué

Lace shapes placed on another fabric such as tulle, silk or satin.

Alençon

Heavy detailed lace usually in thick cotton sometimes with raised detail. Also known as 3D detailing

Beading

Pearls, crystals, sequins, bugle beads and/or rhinestones that create patterns for extra sparkle.

Ruching

Folds of fabric used to detail the gown either on the bust or on the body.

Fabrics

Batiste

Semi-transparent, lightweight fabric.

Brocade

Heavily made material with a pattern.

Chiffon

Lightweight, flowing, sheer fabric.

Crepe

A classic soft fabric with good drape characteristics.

Damask

Medium weight, patterned fabric.

Duchess Satin

Hybrid of silk and polyester.

Dupioni

Thick, coarse-looking silk similar to Shantung

Gazar

Criss-cross weaved fabric, linen-like.

Illusion

Semi-transparent fabric similar to organza.

Organdy

Stiffer transparent fabric.

Organza

Sheer fabric similar to tulle but more tightly woven.

Polyester

Man-made fabric often blended with silks or made to mimic a certain type of fabric.

Satin

Smooth textured fabric very common in wedding gowns. Comes in silk or polyester.

Shantung

Rough textured fabric with lines and 'nubs'. Comes in silk or polyester.

Silk

A soft, fine fabric that comes in a variety of finishes such as Shantung or satin.

Silk Mikado

A type of blended silk that is heavier than regular silk.

Taffeta

Crisp, rustling fabric. Sometimes with a 'watermark' pattern woven in.

Tulle

Stiff netting similar to organza but stiffer and coarser.

Necklines

Bateau or Sabrina

Follows the collar bone from shoulder to shoulder.

Elizabethan

A high neckline at the back just under the hairline that slopes or curves forward around the neck finishing in a square neckline at the front. Similar to Queen Anne.

Halter

Straps go around to the back of the neck.

Illusion

Transparent lace or netting that begins at a high or jewelled neckline and ends just above the bustline.

Off-the-shoulder

Gown sits just below the shoulder line and is held up by the bodice.

Portrait

Wide scoop that sits just on the shoulder bone.

Queen Anne

A neckline with a higher back under the hairline following the line of the neck to the heart shape bust.

Scoop

Wide 'U' shape on the shoulder. Sometimes known as tank.

Spaghetti Straps

Thin straps that go over shoulders.

Square

Unsurprisingly, it's square.

Strapless

No straps. Gown is kept up by the bodice.

Sweetheart

Heart-shaped.

T-Shirt (or Jewel)

Round like a T-shirt.

'V'-Neck

Shaped like a 'V'.

Silhouettes

A-line

A fitted bodice with a slight flare starting at the waist (or higher) and dropping to the floor.

Ball Gown

The ultimate 'fairytale' dress with a tightly fitted bodice, defined waistline and a traditional, full skirt with or without a train.

Mermaid

A form-fitting gown as far as the knees and then an outward flare.

Sheath

A column or tube-shaped-gown that hugs the contours of the body past the knee.

Trumpet

Similar to the mermaid silhouette but the gown starts to flare out higher up the leg.

Two-Piece

An ensemble that consists of a separate bodice and skirt.

Skirts

Ballgown

Fitted at the waist and then poufs out into a ballgown bell shape. No train.

Flared

Fitted at the waist and then flares out into a tulip shape at the hem.

Flounce

A ruffle at the hem of a loose, flared skirt.

Front Slit

A slit along the seam at the front of a gown to allow for movement.

Pannier

Fabric draping on both hips to accent a more sheath-style dress.

Pencil

Skirt hangs straight down with no flare at the hem or accent at the waist.

Peplum

A very short skirt-type addition added to the bottom of the bodice hanging over the skirt waist.

Pleated

A number of pleats along the front of the skirt. Multiple pleats are called 'accordion style' while two larger pleats are called 'box style.'

Side Slit

A slit at the side of the leg to allow for movement.

Straight

The skirt extends straight down with no flare at the hem.

Tiered

The skirt comprises several overlapping layers of different lengths, usually three layers but may be more depending on the style.

Wrap

The skirt overlaps and wraps at the waist.

Skirt Lengths

Ballerina

Hem reaches just above the ankles.

Floor Length

Just reaches the floor on all sides.

Intermission

The hem falls between the knees and ankle.

Hi-Lo

Intermission length on the front, gradually lengthening on the sides to a floor or longer length in the back.

Knee Length

Just below the knee.

Mini Skirt

Above the knee.

Tea Length

Reaches to mid-shin.

Sleeves

Balloon

Full sleeves from the shoulder and over the upper arm then narrow over the lower arm and wrist.

Bell

Tight and narrow sleeves at the top of the arm extending down into a wide, open bell shape.

Bishop

Poufs a bit at the shoulder, expands more fully over the arm then gathers over the wrist.

Cap

A very short sleeve covering the very top of the arm only.

Dolman

The armhole begins in full fabric at the rib-cage or waist covering the arm. Also known as a 'batwing'.

Fitted Point

A long sleeve that comes to a point at the top of the hand.

Gigot

A large, rounded pouf over the shoulder then narrowing over the arm to the wrist.

Juliet

Long sleeve with a slight pouf at the shoulder reaching down to the wrist in either a straight or pointed end over the hand.

Poet

A gather at the shoulder with a rounded, loose extension over the arm gathering in at the wrist.

Pouf

A short length sleeve gathered at the shoulder and ending above the elbow.

Spaghetti Strap

Thin straps over the shoulders.

Three-quarter Length

The sleeves end between the elbow and wrist.

Tulip

A petal-shape with several flaps over the shoulder to resemble a flower. Also called a 'criss-crossed sleeve'.

Trains

Cathedral

The train extends 6-8 feet behind the gown.

Chapel

The train extends 3-4 feet behind the gown.

Court

The train extends 1-2 feet behind the gown.

Detachable

Joined to the gown with hooks and eyes or Velcro. Usually full at the top.

Extended

Also known as a Royal train, it extends more than 4 feet behind the gown.

Sweep

This train is the shortest, just grazing the floor behind the bride. Also known as a puddle train.

Watteau

The train extends from its attachment at the shoulder blades and reaches just down to the bottom hem of the gown.

Waistlines

Basque

The waistline dips below the natural waist to form a 'V' in the centre.

Dropped

The seam sits at the top of the hip below the natural waistline.

Empire

A high waistline just under the bust.

Natural

The waistline sits between the empire and dropped waistlines.

Princess Cut

Gowns (especially A-lines) that have no defined waist.

Still need more info?

If there's something that isn't listed above or you've got a question about anything to do with wedding dresses or bridalwear in general, please get in touch with us and we'll do our best to help.