Pardon Me, I Speak Gown

Buying a wedding dress is unlike any shopping you've done before. There are new terms you need to know - Basque waist, blusher, portrait neckline - and protocol you have to follow - appointments only, fittings. To make your bridal gown shopping experience easier, the authors of the Anti-Bride Wedding Planner have compiled a list of wedding dress jargon so you'll know what the sales consultant means when she gives you a mermaid, halter dress with matching flyaway veil to try.

Dresses

Bias cut: Fabric is cut on the diagonal so it hugs curves - often used in slip dresses.
PRO: Verrrry sexy, in a 1930s-siren, slinky-negligee kind of way. CON: You can't wear much of anything under a bias-cut dress - even a bra can show through.

Basque waist: This fitted style shows off your waist. The hem of the bodice comes to a point at the front of the belly-think Disney's Snow White. The skirt is usually full.
PRO: Adds structure, especially for a fuller figure.
CON: Full skirt can pouf out around the hips.

Empire waist: Named for Empress Josephine, Napoleon's wife, an Empire waist is gathered just under the bust, then falls in a slight A-line shape to the hem.

PRO:Flattering to any figure.
CON: Because Empire-waist dresses hide your stomach, some guests may assume you're pregnant.

Mermaid: A gown that's fitted through the bodice, hips, and thighs, swelling out into a skirt-shaped "bell" around the knees.
PRO: Shows off a curvy figure.
CON: No room for any lumps or bumps. Best on an hourglass figure.

Princess cut: Seams or darts shape the bodice into a graceful hourglass shape from bust to hips, without the usual gathered waist.
PRO: Doesn't chop you in half at the waist; good for a curvy figure.
CON: Can look old-fashioned; heavy fabrics (like velvet) can look bulky.

Learn the lingo for necklines, sleeves and veils.