When it comes to choosing a wedding dress, going for a style that accentuates your figure is truly the only way to go. This is also important if you’re shopping for a dress for a grand occasion like a gala or black-tie event.

One poorly chosen outfit can ruin your day or scar your mind for as long as you remember it. If you have an hourglass body shape, then you should really look into investing in fit and flare dresses. These types of dresses hug your silhouette then flare out from the thigh outwards.

One big bone of contention about fit and flare gowns is the trumpet vs. mermaid dress dilemma. Should you go for a mermaid style or trumpet style dress with your hourglass body shape?

We’ll be examining trumpet vs. mermaid style dresses to help distinguish between the two so you can decide what’s best for you.

WHAT IS A MERMAID DRESS?

Mermaid dresses get their name from the outline of the mythical mermaid creatures that have tails in place of legs. Thus, the mermaid dress is any gown that hugs the body from top to knees and then dramatically flares out from there.

The flare can start at the knees or a little below the knees and features a very full skirt. It provides a modern, chic, and sophisticated.

The uniqueness of mermaid dresses is in the flare. It is tight-fitting from your torso down to your hips, then flares out as the fabric approaches your knee downwards in a mermaid tail-like swoop. It is not like A-line gowns that start to flare out at the waist.

Usually, the mermaid tail part of the mermaid dress is not plain or dreary, especially for wedding gowns. Instead, it is usually adorned or embellished with little details like floral lace, sequins, or stones.

Mermaid wedding dresses can be flamboyant or simple and minimalistic; the style is up to you. The tail can go from long and flowing or short and sweet

WHAT IS A TRUMPET DRESS?

A trumpet dress, like the name implies, was so named after the shape of the trumpet. Although it looks similar to the mermaid dress, the difference is in the flare of the gown’s skirt. It starts out hugging the torso and hips, then from mid-thigh starts to open outwards in a flare, just like a trumpet.

Unlike the mermaid dress, where a complete hourglass feature is formed, the trumpet dress is more subtle and forgiving of body shapes that might hug the dress too tightly. As a result, it gives you more room to work with, especially if you’re not comfortable with dresses that hug the body too tightly.

It’s easy to mistake the mermaid dress for the trumpet dress since both of them are silhouette-hugging gowns with flares. Once you notice that the flare starts around mid-thigh, instead of closer to the knees, then you know you’re dealing with a trumpet gown.

Another key difference is in the size of the flare of the skirt. Mermaid dresses tend to have wider, more dramatic tails than trumpet-style gowns. The gown features a transparent flare made from sheer fabric that accentuates the legs.

Trumpet gowns also look great as wedding dresses. The trumpet gown opens up mid-thighs and sports an asymmetrical bodice that wraps around the body in subtle overlapping pleats.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST FOR YOU

To help settle your trumpet vs. mermaid dress argument, it’ll be essential to know which style is most suitable for you. Here are some factors that can help you decide:

BODY TYPE

Every woman has different styles that suit their body shapes. Mermaid dresses are sweet on hourglass brides with more natural curves. If you’re gunning for a sexy and curvy style for your wedding dress, then a mermaid gown will be your best choice.

The torso and hip-hugging dress will make your curves pronounced and glaring, giving you that sultry yet charming look. This style will also work great for ladies with an inverted triangle body (broader shoulders or heavy on top). The wide tail at the bottom will even out the broad-shouldered look proportionately.

We don’t recommend this dress style if you’re uncomfortable with a protruding midsection because the clingy gown reveals everything about your shape.

Trumpet-style gowns look delightful on pear-shaped and hourglass-shaped bodies. It allows you a little more room for movement and hugs less tightly at the mid-thigh section than the mermaid dress while still bringing out your figure.

PERSONALITY

Both styles accentuate your figure, so that’s nothing to worry about. Instead, what matters is how comfortable you are with form-fitting dresses. Is your personality bold and daring, and you would rather go for an outfit that is underlining all your curves? Or do you prefer a more subtle but charming look with a less body-hugging outfit?

The mermaid dress is the bolder of the two form-fitting outfits, and it will work well if you don’t have a problem with letting your curves shine on your big day or any special event. However, if you’re going for a calmer, sultry charm, the trumpet dress is the way to go.

MOVEMENT CHOICE

How much movement and freedom do you crave in a dress? Are you one that doesn’t like to be locked in tight and prefers allowances to move freely? The trumpet shape gives you much more mobility than the mermaid dress. If you choose the mermaid dress, you have to be conscious of your constrictions and not try anything that requires much movement or elaborate stepings.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT GOWN FOR YOU

Buying a trumpet or mermaid style dress all comes down to your preference. Both styles are form-fitting and shape-enhancing for hourglass and pear-shaped bodies. However, the difference is in the flare of their skirts. If subtlety and movement are more important to you than curves and body features, a trumpet gown is where you should be looking.