Dating | Weddings

Wedding Accessories

There is more to enhancing your radiance than the jewellery and other accessories on show. Without comfortable underwear and shoes as well, your beaming smile might crack into an expression of pain by the end of the day.

THE FUNDAMENTALS

The most important of all of your wedding accessories will be your 'scaffolding'. The underwear you choose has to operate on several levels - as well as beautiful, it needs to be comfortable and fit like a glove so no lines, lumps or bumps show under your gown.

Your first step is to get yourself measured properly. It has been estimated that around 75 per cent of women in Britain wear the wrong size bra, so go to your local lingerie shop or department store and see a professional. And work out what time of your menstrual cycle you will be in on the day - a lot of women suffer water retention at certain times and can go up as much as a full cup size, which means your slinky lines could be more curvy than you banked on. You may also like the idea of surprising him with the full stockings and suspenders number, but if they are going to show under the dress try lace topped hold-ups instead.

When looking for underwear, remember that skin tone shades are much less likely to show through thin fabrics than white. French knickers can also give a smoother line than briefs or a g-string, so look at all styles, including the ones that you never wear. You'll need the right type of bra, too, especially if you have a strapless dress. It must give you support without digging in. Try on lots until you find the right style for your shape. Some dresses have built-in support, which may be worth considering. If you want to wear a figure-flattering undergarment that tucks in certain parts and flattens others, switch your sexy focus to nightwear instead so you can slope off after the reception and change into your own wedding present for him. That way you save flimsy for later and you won't have to go without support during the day.

SHOES

There are few women who don't relish the idea of a new pair of shoes, but this time there's a lot to take into consideration so look before you leap (in them). You'll be wearing them all day, and that's a long time if you aren't used to wearing heels (and even if you are), especially given that you won't get to sit down for long. You need to choose a pair that are high enough to be flattering, but not so high that you end up staggering from one side of the room to the other. You will also need to dance with them on, so those slinky slides might look great but do they also having staying power?

The best thing to do is find your most comfortable shoes and use them as a model; maybe they have an ankle strap and therefore feel more stable. Whatever you choose, you must make sure that you wear them for a few days to break them in - you don't want to end up with blisters. Make sure the bottoms of the shoes are a little scuffed so that you don't take a tumble during a rumba.

CHOOSING JEWELLERY

When choosing what to wear on your big day, you should first consider the neckline of your dress. A simple neckline can take both simple or very decorative jewellery. A choker is best on a long neck, which also suits a slim strand of pearls at the base of the throat. If you have a short neck, a diamond on a chain might look better, or choose to wear more eye-catching earrings instead. Make sure that all your jewellery works together. You may find for the first time that your pearl tiara looks fussy with your gold choker, so try it all on for size. This is often a time that family members could want to step in with 'something old, something new' so if you are going to be presented with your grandmother's drop pearl earrings check they go with your diamante choker. You can always be cheeky and ask in advance if someone has any plans to surprise you.

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