What is the best fabric for wedding dresses? If you are just beginning to shop for your dream wedding dress, you might be wondering what type of fabric wedding dresses are made of and which is best to wear on wedding day if you don't want to be hot and you want to be able to move around (and dance!) comfortably. From satins and silks to tulle and lace and everything in between, you will find many different fabrics used in the construction of wedding dresses and bridal fashion.
One of the most common things we hear from brides who are shopping at our Los Angeles bridal store is that they want a wedding dress fabric that will keep them cool and a wedding dress that will be easy to move around in. Brides obviously want to look and feel their best on wedding day, so even if you are dreaming of a form-fitting bridal dress, you might want the fabric to be a bit stretchy and forgiving for ease of moving about your wedding day.
Let’s get into all the details about wedding dress fabrics and how to choose the type of fabric that is going to be best for you on your wedding day while keeping you cool and able to move around easily.
Video: How to Find the Right Wedding Dress Fabric That's Easy to Move in & Keeps You Cool
If you are ready to find your dream wedding dress and wondering what the best fabric type is for bridal dresses or how to stay cool on wedding day when wearing a wedding dress, don't miss our newest wedding fashion advice video. We're sharing all the insider tips on how to find the right wedding dress fabric that's easy to move in and keeps you cool.
Feel The Dresses
One of the most common things we hear from our brides when shopping for their dream wedding dress is they want to stay cool on wedding day and be able to move and breathe easily in their bridal dress. Wedding dresses are so unlike the day to day clothing you wear, which are often cotton or some type of fabric blend. It’s important to remember that everyone has a different idea of comfort so what might be a comfortable and stretchy fabric to one bride, could actually feel very restricting to another bride.
This is why it’s so important to try on a variety of bridal dress styles when you are shopping for your dream wedding dress. You want to see how different fabrics feel to your skin and how they move with and against your body. A fitted silk sheath dress is going to feel and move very differently than a full tulle skirted ball gown wedding dress.
You’re Going To Be Hot
No matter what you wear on wedding day, be forewarned that you are going to be hot. There are so many emotions happening on a wedding day and so much energy buzzing around, not to mention being on your feet most of the day, that you are going to feel warm no matter what you wear. If you are only looking for bridal dresses that will keep you cool when at your wedding dress shopping appointments, you are going to severely limit your options.
You are going to be hot, so don’t set that limitation on yourself and possibly miss out on an amazing dress. There are certain styles you can maybe rule out, like a long sleeve dress because they have more coverage and will make you feel warmer. If you have to wear a long sleeve dress for religious reasons, then that may be non-negotiable, but perhaps you can opt for a removable sleeve style and change your look for the wedding reception.
Wedding dresses can be big and bulky and heavy - even more simple, form fitting styles, just based on the type of fabric they are made of. So while your bridal stylist may bring you sample dresses to try on that they consider “light and airy”, they will probably still feel hot as you are trying them on. Expect to get a bit hot and sweaty at your bridal appointment. It’s work trying on wedding dresses and there are a lot of emotions happening at these appointments from nervous energy to excitement and everything in between. Bridal consultants are used to their brides getting sweaty when trying on wedding dresses, so don’t worry. Use this to gauge how you might feel on your wedding day in a particular style dress. As you are trying on various styles of wedding dresses, pay attention to if there are certain styles that feel cooler or hotter than others.
Try Different Styles
No matter how many layers you end up wearing on wedding day, your wedding dress is likely going to make you feel warm. One tip we have heard from brides is that less form-fitting dresses, like a ball gown, often feel a bit cooler than a form-fitted gown like a mermaid style. Even though the ball gown has more layers of fabric, it’s not pressed up against your legs or keeping your thighs pressed together as a fitted style would, so it allows the air to circulate a bit more and help keep you a little cooler. This is all a personal choice though and you may find the opposite to be true, with less layers feeling cooler to you.
If you love how your body looks in a more fitted dress, then go for that style. Make peace with the fact that you will be warm on wedding day and choose the style dress that makes you look and feel the most beautiful and confident. Don’t pick your wedding dress just because it feels a little cool.
Be sure to communicate with your bridal stylist and give honest feedback. Each dress you try on leads to the next so let them know specifically what you like or don’t like about each dress. If a dress does feel too warm, let your stylist know that but also tell them if there are aspects you do like. Maybe you find a dress that feels airy but the silhouette isn’t quite there, or there is a certain part of your body you want to highlight. The bridal stylists know their inventory and know what dresses might work next with your honest feedback. Give your feedback to the stylist in concrete ways. So for example, you could say: "The dress that I have on, I don't like the halter top because it makes my shoulders look too broad. Let's try something to make my shoulders look less broad, but I like this material, I like the fit, I like the stretch." Being very direct on what it is you like and don't like about each dress, is going to give all the information your stylist needs to deliver you your dream dress.
Fabric Choices
Another important thing to note here is that these is no textbook for wedding dress fabrics and materials. What you consider a stretchy, comfortable and lightweight material can come in many different forms and vary from bridal designer to designer. There are so many different variations and options that you really have to see and feel the dresses in person. The combination of the way the designers structure their linings, their laces, their satins are all different. There could be stretchy satins, there could be a jersey material with lace on it, silk blends, and on and on.
At the end of the day, focus on finding the right fit and the right shape of your wedding dress. That is more important than the warm versus cool feeling or searching for a specific fabric type right from the beginning. Find what silhouette you love on your body, whether that is fitted or flowy and then focus on the dress materials, fabrics, and embellishments to nail down the perfect bridal gown for you.
More Helpful Wedding Dress Shopping Advice
We hope you have found this advice helpful when it comes to understanding wedding dress fabrics and how to choose the best option for your body. For even more helpful advice when it comes to shopping for your dream wedding dress and finding your bridal style, be sure to check out our past posts:
- How To Choose Your Wedding Dress Fabric
- How to Maneuver in a Wedding Dress & Veil
- How to Move When Wearing a Wedding Dress
About Lovella
If you're shopping for your perfect wedding dress, come visit us at Lovella Bridal in Glendale, CA. We carry wedding dresses in all sizes and styles, including plus-size bridal gowns and a full selection of veils and accessories. Lovella Bridal is the premier, luxury bridal wedding dress shopping boutique located in Los Angeles, California. Lovella features couture, feminine, modern and chic bridal gowns in all sizes from the best wedding dress designers. Schedule an appointment to find the wedding dress of your dreams at Lovella Bridal. We can't wait to help you!
About Wedding Fashion Expert
Our wedding dress shopping tips and advice are from Nayri, Lovella's own, in-house wedding fashion expert. Nayri is truly the expert when it comes to bridal fashion and wedding style. As the Wedding Fashion Expert, Nayri is the top bridal fashion stylist and the best-selling author of the book "I'm Getting Married And I Have Nothing To Wear," the ultimate guide to helping brides find their wedding day style and their perfect wedding dress. You can subscribe to her YouTube channel or listen to her podcast for more helpful and practical advice on wedding dress shopping.
