rose by the label by a&bé x anna bé available at all a&bé locations

Why Choose A Wedding Dress With Sleeves

beginning the process of wedding dress shopping can be intimidating. opening pinterest and typing “wedding dress” will provide you with millions of options that can seem extremely overwhelming. close pinterest and let me, a bridal stylist, help you out. why should you choose a wedding dress with sleeves? well, the short answer is: there is no short answer, but let me break it down for you. sleeves are becoming more and more popular and your options aren’t limited to long sleeve wedding dresses or short sleeve wedding dresses. you can have an off the shoulder wedding dress with sleeves, to a ¾ sleeve wedding dress and everything in between!

some of our favorite celebs and #bridalicons have donned a sleeve of some sort and for good reason. sleeves are stylish! whether you choose a wedding dress with sheer lace sleeves (we see you, princess kate and kim k!) or an off the shoulder wedding dress with sleeves (hey there, hailey bieber!) they provide that extra piece that turns a dress into a statement. not only are they stylish, but they are practical! sleeves provide support that a simple spaghetti strap just can’t. maybe your arms aren’t your favorite part of your body or you have tattoos that you would like to cover up, sleeves provide you with the confidence that you need to truly shine on your big day. if modesty is a concern on your wedding day — we all want to be able to look our grandma in the eye, i get it — sleeves are a perfect addition to your wedding dress. you should absolutely be able to stay true to your modest values without having to sacrifice style. check out some of our babes in sleeves to help inspire you and if you need a little more inspo head to our blog!

rae by anais anette available at our dallas, denver, minneapolis, portland, sacramento & seattle locations

Most common sleeves lengths

we know why you should choose a wedding dress with sleeves, but let’s chat a bit about your options. the most common sleeve length is, without a doubt, long sleeves. long sleeves provide you with a variety of looks ranging from romantic wedding looks to simple wedding dresses. winter brides: a long sleeve crepe wedding gown is your new best friend. clean, chic, warm and fashionable to match the snowy scene of your wedding day. worried about getting too hot but want the support or modesty that a sleeve provides? let me introduce you to my good friend, the long sleeve lace wedding dress! you are able to have the flattering fit of a long sleeve with the sheerness and breathability of lace. if getting hot is a concern for you, arguably the best sleeve you could wear on your big day is a spaghetti strap. a thin strap is iconic for a reason, not only is it beautiful but it’s practical.

committing to a strapless gown can be daunting for some and a dainty spaghetti strap allows for an exposed chest without having to worry about pulling at your dress all night long. apart from long sleeves, short sleeves are the next most popular sleeve length (shocking, i know!) short sleeves exist purely as a fashion statement and can come in a range of materials to help accent your wedding gown and can provide support and comfort. for my classic, elegant beauties? an off the shoulder wedding dress with ¾ sleeves was made for you. ¾ sleeves provide the perfect elegance that will drop jaws. another popular sleeve length is the cap sleeve which is perfect for widening narrow shoulders and can help balance the width of your hips by elongating your shoulders.

bryn by alexandra grecco available at our portland location

Top dress fits with sleeves

as important as the top of your wedding dress is, the silhouette is just as special but a little more complicated. get ready for a bridal vocab lesson, y’all! we’ll start with the basics — an a-line wedding dress with sleeves is a dress that is fitted at the waist and flares out gradually from your natural waist to the hem. these dresses are great if you are looking to minimize your waist, hips and thighs. similar to an a-line, a ballgown wedding dress with sleeves is a dress that, again, is fitted at your waist and flares out, but has more of a dramatic flare and wider skirt. this is great if you are going for the traditional royal wedding look, or if you would like to look like you’re floating all night.

on the other side of the bridal silhouette spectrum, we have the mermaid wedding dress with sleeves. unlike a-line or ball gowns, mermaid gowns are fitted through the hip and flare below the knee to create a mermaid “tail”. the benefit of these gowns is that they give any bride a to-die-for hourglass silhouette. similarly, but a little less dramatic, is the classic column/fit and flare wedding dress with sleeves. this silhouette is fitted through the hip and still gives you that hourglass silhouette without the mermaid tail at the bottom, providing a sleek and sophisticated look. last but not least, is the backless wedding dress with sleeves. a backless gown, as the name suggests, is a gown without any back detail! perfect for summer weddings or the bride that wants to make a bold statement.

size inclusive miles by wtoo sample available at our dallas & portland locations

SIZE INCLUSIVE Wedding Dresses with Sleeves

at a&bé we are actively working towards size inclusivity and expanding our collection. a size inclusive wedding dress with sleeves can be stylish and give you extra support. if ever there was a time to adorn your arms with chantilly lace, satin, or crepe, your wedding is the one! a handful of our designers carry size inclusive dresses with sleeves and they are made with your curves in mind! we only carry the best designers for the coolest brides. click below to check out our size inclusive offering at each location.
austin | dallas | minneapolis | denver | portland | seattle | sacramento | raleigh | boise