Advice for choosing women's dresses
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Index: 1. Short body 2. Full bust 3. Small bust 4. Tummy 5. Curvy body 6. Short waisted / long legs 7. Long waisted / short legs |
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This section contains advice to help you choose the dress style that is the most flattering for your figure type.
We help you to look stunning!
Short body:
Shape:
Choose slim silhouette dress styles, like a shirtdress, empire waist, or wrap dress.
The dress should match your proportions.
For your best look:
- Look for vertical details, like button closures, seams, or stripes.
- Try a side slit to make your legs appear longer.
- Choose a dress with a higher waistline, like an empire waist style, to make your legs appear longer.
- Choose unicolored outfits.
- Check out a style with a higher neckline to give you a taller look.
- The best length for your dress is knee length – dresses that are too long or too short make you appear shorter.
Avoid these mistakes that are not flattering to your short stature:
- Too much decoration
- Very full skirts
Full bust:
Shape:
Try styles with a low waist line or styles with open necklines.
Also shirtdress or coatdress styles could be a good choice.
For your best look:
- Lengthen your neckline and draw the eye up to the face with vertical V-necks and sweetheart necklines.
- Emphasize your shoulders with thin straps.
- Keep detailing on the top to a minimum.
- Use vertical seams and trimmings to elongate the torso.
- Look for dresses with hem details to focus the eye downward.
- Choose soft, flowing fabrics.
- Dresses that are darker on the top as compared to the bottom can look very flattering.
Avoid these mistakes that are not flattering to your full bust:
- High, off the shoulder, and boat necklines
- Formless a-lines
- Gathered sleeves
- Styles with wide waistbands and stiff fabrics
Small bust:
Shape:
Choose an evening dress with an empire waist line.
Look for wrap dresses, shirt dresses, coat dresses and a-line shapes.
For your best look:
- Try dresses with gathering and shirring over the bust to help create fullness.
- A deep V-neckline can be flattering.
- If you find a dress that is a little too wide on your bust, you can wear a padded bra.
Avoid these mistakes that are not flattering to your small bust:
- Voluminous shapes
- Any dress with built-in shaping that you can not fill out.
Tummy:
Shape:
Choose dresses that obscure the waistline, like coat dresses, empire waist styles and dresses with a subtle a-line.
A dress with a matching jacket can look also very flattering.
For your best look:
- Draw the eye away from the middle of the body to the face with open necklines or detail around the top of the dress, or draw the eye to the legs with slits or hem details.
- Look for vertical seams and draped fabrics to minimize the tummy.
- Choose a unicolored look or an all-over pattern to keep the eye from resting in any one place.
- Look for dresses with a slight tapering toward the hemline in straight-cut styles, to narrow the silhouette.
Avoid these mistakes that are not flattering to your tummy:
- Anything that cuts at the waist or has a belt
- Wraps
- Bias cuts and dresses that are too tight, stiff, bulky, or gathered at the waistline.
Curvy body:
Shape:
Look for styles that show off your waistline, like wraps, a-lines, and shirtdresses with a belt.
For your best look:
- If you are thick-waisted, wear diagonals on top to emphasize your shoulders.
- If you are weighty, show off your legs or décolleté.
- Remember that soft drapable fabrics will flatter your curves without over-accentuating your bust and hips.
- Look for sweetheart openings, keyhole necklines, off the shoulder styles, or strapless necklines.
Avoid these mistakes that are not flattering to your tummy:
- Any dress that is too loose or too fitted
- High necklines
- Stiff fabrics
- Dresses with boxy shapes or horizontal details
Short waisted / long legs:
Shape:
Go for styles with an empire waistline or styles with a lower waistline than your natural one.
Dress styles that hide your natural waistline, such as shirt dresses or coat dresses, can also be a good choice.
For your best look:
- Wear deep V-necks to stretch the appearance of your neckline.
- Choose dresses with vertical details on top to make your torso appear longer.
Avoid this mistake that is not flattering to your short waisted stature and long legs:
- Dresses that show your natural waistline and any details in this area
Long waisted / short legs:
Shape:
Look for dresses with a high waistline (empire style) and for styles which hide your natural waistline like coat, shirt and a-line dresses.
For your best look:
- Detailing above your natural waistline can help your torso appear shorter.
- Detailing on top can focus the eye upwards.
- Consider high heels to stretch the appearance of your legs.
- Look for dresses with a lighter color on top.
- Look for short jackets or vests that match your dress to make your torso appear shorter.
Avoid these mistakes that are not flattering to your long waisted stature and short legs:
- Anything that emphasizes your natural waistline
- Stiff fabrics
- Belted styles