If you’re new to the bridal world, some of the terminology used for wedding gowns can be pretty confusing!

But if you’re a bride you are probably quite familiar by now of the different fabrics and silhouettes used to describe a bridal gown. Assuming you have chosen to wear a ball gown, or any style with a train, you will want to be able to move and dance after the ceremony, yes? If so you may consider having it bustled.

So what types of gowns need to be bustled? Here are a few examples that will give you a fairly good idea:

An excerpt below from Rani St. Pucchi’s book, Your Bridal Style: Everything You Need to know to Design the Wedding of Your Dreams offers clear information on the two most popular types of bustles to help you decide which one is right for you.

“A bustle is the name given to the art of drawing up the train so that the gown can become floor-length and allow the bride to move around after the ceremony with ease and avoid tripping. It also ensures that the gown does not drag around on the ground after the ceremony and get soiled. To accomplish this, the train can be pinned up and secured by hidden hooks on the back of the dress.

A bustle is useful when the bride chooses a dress with a train. Many brides love the formality of a wedding gown with a long train, but it can be cumbersome at the reception.

All dresses with trains from the smallest sweep to the grandest cathedral can benefit from a proper bustle. Depending on the length of the train, a dress can be bustled by lifting and tucking the extra fabric underneath or over the skirt. Larger trains may need to be folded up using a system of hooks.

A bustle is a unique and amazing creation that not only serves a practical purpose, but also adds tremendous style and interest to the bridal gown.

There are two basic types of bustles: the Traditional bustle, and the French bustle. Each look is a little different, but both serve the same purpose, and work well with all types of trains.

Traditional bustle: Also known as the over-bustle, this type of bustle is recommended for gowns with waistlines. It is created by gathering up the train and securing it with buttons or hooks and loop attachments at points on the waistline or elsewhere on the back of the gown for a cascading effect.

French bustle: Also known as the under-bustle, this is the most popular type of bustle and is appropriate for all types of gowns. It is more elaborate and can seem almost Victorian on many dresses. With the French bustle, the buttons and loops or ribbons are attached to the underside of the skirt and train so that the train is actually tucked underneath and pinned or hooked to the fabric of the dress that way.

For more ideas and advice on choosing the perfect dress for your body type, and on planning your dream wedding, pick up Rani’s #1 bestseller, Your Bridal Style, Everything You Need to Know to Design the Wedding of Your Dreams.

All gowns shown are available for immediate purchase at www.stpucchi.com

Rani St. Pucchi is an award-winning Couture Fashion Designer, a Style & Image Consultant, and a Relationship Expert. She is a Bestselling Author, a Speaker, an Inspirational Coach and a Trainer. Her recent TEDx talk: Is Your Body Image Holding You Back has received worldwide acclaim. Rani’s #1 International Bestselling Books, Your Body, Your Style: Simple Tips on Dressing to Flatter Your Body Type ; The SoulMate Checklist: Keys to Finding Your Perfect Partner; and Your Bridal Style: Everything You Need to Know to Design the Wedding of Your Dreams are available on Amazon and at Barnes & Nobles.

For more information on Rani please visit www.ranistpucchi.com