To bead or not to bead

How Gown Beading Complements Your Body Shape

There’s nothing quite like designing bead patterns. I deeply enjoy choosing beads and crafting sequences, laying them out on the table in an endless ocean of colors and textures. But as much as I love playing with beads, there is a purpose other than for my own entertainment. Beading provides illumination that brings life to a gown and enhances a woman’s true beauty. So, when I design a bead pattern, I’m finding the perfect way to highlight the wearer’s body shape.

Beadings in the spotlight

“Beading provides illumination that brings life to a gown and enhances a woman’s true beauty."

First I look to see how the colors and finishes are affected by different angles of light. The way a dress’s embellishment reflects color and light will ultimately determine if the gown draws focus to a particular area on the body or diminishes attention to it. The beading pattern creates a silhouette, which has a huge impact on how someone looks in a gown. The way the embellishment is laid out on a dress can make a person look longer, leaner, curvier and bustier. The right combination can accentuate a woman’s best features, such as her shoulders and hips, and minimize problematic areas. My goal when developing a pattern is always to highlight the woman’s natural beauty.

Types of Patterns and How They Flatter the Body

All-over beading is flattering to an hourglass body type. It naturally highlights the areas that already draw attention.

For larger bodies, all-over beading is also ideal. Unlike prints, an all-over bead pattern will not make this body type look bigger. It is quite the contrary. It all depends on the size of the embellishment, the texture, and where it is placed. For example, all-over beading with delicate small beads looks great on a curvier body.

“The placement of beading is just as important as the overall color and finishes of the beads.”

In Conclusion… Yes to Beading!