A-line and ball gown wedding dresses for pear-shaped brides, with off-the-shoulder, bateau, straight-across or sweetheart necklines. Made to measure.
Made to your 21 measurements · Order online, delivered worldwide · 3 interest-free payments · Most gowns: 8–12 weeks to make + 1–2 weeks delivery · Need it sooner? Express from 30 days, order to door — ask us
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Balancing shoulders and hips
A pear shape is wider at the hips than at the bust and shoulders, usually with a defined waist. The usual advice has two parts: let the skirt fall away from the hips, and give the shoulders a wider line. This page combines both. Every gown is an A-line or a ball gown, and every neckline is off-the-shoulder, bateau, straight across or sweetheart.
Gowns with the wide, horizontal necklines (off-the-shoulder, bateau and straight across) are listed first, because they extend the shoulder line the most; ball gowns and corset bodices follow, then sweetheart A-lines. Most gowns here are A-line: the skirt starts at the natural waist and widens gradually, so it skims the hips without clinging. A ball gown does the same with more volume, which some brides like for the contrast with the waist.
Off the rack, a pear-shaped bride often buys the size her hips need and has the bodice taken in. Made to measure, the gown is cut from your bust, waist, hip and waist-to-floor measurements together, so the bodice follows your upper body and the skirt has the room your hips need from the start.
Fabric, structure and train
The skirt fabric decides how an A-line holds its shape. Tulle and organza stand away from the hips with a crisp, airy volume; satin and mikado give a smoother, more sculpted line; mesh and chiffon move more softly. Detail on the bodice, such as lace or beading, draws the eye upward in the same way a wide neckline does.
Most of these gowns have a corset bodice and most list a built-in bra; each gown's details say which. Trains run from sweep to chapel length, and some gowns list a longer train as a paid option. Every gown is delivered within 2.5 cm (1 in) of your measurements. Each page shows its production time (8–12 weeks for most of our gowns, 10–14 or 12–16 for some), with 1–2 weeks more for delivery.
What wedding dress suits a pear-shaped body?
The shapes stylists often suggest are an A-line or ball gown skirt that falls away from the hips, with a neckline that widens the shoulder line, such as off-the-shoulder, bateau or straight across. That is the combination this page lists, with sweetheart necklines too.
Can a pear-shaped bride wear a mermaid dress?
Yes, if you want to show your curves. A mermaid follows the hips to around the knee, and made to measure it is cut from your own hip and waist-to-knee measurements. Our page for an hourglass figure lists mermaid, trumpet and sheath gowns.
Which necklines balance wider hips?
Necklines that run across the shoulders: off-the-shoulder, bateau (boat neck) and straight across. A sweetheart also brings attention to the bodice, especially with lace or beading.
Do I need a size for my hips or for my bust?
Neither, if you choose Made to Measure on the gown's page: the gown is made from your 21 measurements, bust, waist and hips among them, at the same price as a standard size. If you are unsure about a measurement, ask us by chat, email or WhatsApp before you order.
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