The difference between a mermaid, trumpet, and fit and flare gowns.

Fit and flare flower girl dress.

Some styles are less restrictive for little girls to walk in.

This term is often used to encompass all these styles, but as a rule, you can differentiate between mermaid, trumpet, and true fit and flare gowns by where the skirt starts to flare from.

• Fit and flare gowns: flare begins below the hip.
  A fit and flare gown is the easiest style to pull off, as the skirt is at the highest point: just below the hip.

• Mermaid gowns: flare starts at the knee or below.
  The mermaid silhouette (also known as the fishtail) is the most glamorous and dramatic of all these styles, as the gown is closely fitted down to the knee or below, and then the skirt flares out dramatically.
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• Trumpet gowns: flare starts at mid-thigh.
  A trumpet silhouette is a perfect midway point between a fit and flare gown and a mermaid dress, as the skirt flares lower down than a fit and flare to highlight more of your curves but isn’t as dramatic or restrictive as a mermaid. Most trumpet gowns have a gradually flaring skirt that begins around mid-thigh.
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