How To Choose The Perfect Dress For Your Body Shape?

The dress is a girl’s best friend. It not only makes you look stylish and chic but also boosts your confidence and personality.  Wearing a beautiful dress is a form of self-expression, a way of saying that “I am smart and classy.”

Wearing a dress is not all about going for an on-trend outfit. It is about selecting the right dress that suits your body shape.  Since each woman is different in height, weight, and shape, it is essential to understand your body type and go for a dress that best suits your body. The right dress is one that helps to accentuate your plus points while concealing the flaws. 

What Are the Different Body Shapes?

Every woman wishes for a perfectly fitting dress. To get that perfect dress, you should have a good understanding of your body shape. The majority of the women fall under any one of the below 5 body shapes:

Women with a pear-shaped body will have a broader hip than the shoulder. The waist will also be wider than the bust, thus giving a pear shape to the body. Such body type will have a more defined curve at the hip. 

Inverted Triangle shape 

If you have a V-shaped body, then you belong to the inverted triangle shape. Such people will have broad shoulders when compared to the hips. The bust will be large but the waist will have no definition. 

Oval / Apple shape 

An apple-shaped body will have a larger bust or upper body than the hips. Such people will have broad shoulders, and the weight will be concentrated in the midsection, around the chest. The waist will be less defined, and the legs will be slimmer, thus creating a heavy feel on the torso. 

Rectangular shape 

Otherwise called the athletic shape, this body shape will be less curvy with the bust, hip, and waist of more or less the same size. The weight will be evenly distributed throughout the body. People with such body tends to be taller and leaner. 

An hourglass shape is considered a balanced body with the bust and hip of almost the same size. Such body shapes are curvier with fuller bust, hips, and thighs. The legs and torso of such a body will be nearly of the same length. 

How to Select A Dress Based On the Body Shape?

Dress for Pear-shaped body 

Since a pear-shaped body has a well-defined waist, you can make it the focal point while dressing up. To balance the wider waist, you can go for dresses with ruffles or puff sleeves. You can also wrap a scarf or pashmina around the neck. Wrapping neckwear adds more volume to the upper part of the body, thus creating a perfect shape. Additionally, you can also go for dresses with a bold color or pattern on the upper part to draw attention to the torso. 

Dresses that perfectly suit a pear-shaped body includes 

• A-line dress
• Fit and flare dress like empire waist dress

While selecting the dress, you should ensure that the fabric is not a curve-hugging one. You should also avoid a straight-cut dress as it will be tight towards the hip and loose over the bust, thus hiding the curves. 

Dress for Inverted triangle 

 Since an inverted triangle body shape follows the ‘V’ pattern, a dress that follows a reverse shape would be a good choice. Dress with pleats around the waist also helps to provide fullness to the structure. 

Dresses that are ideal for inverted triangle body shape are

• A-line
• Fit-and-flare dress

Dress for Apple shape

Since the apple-shaped body has a heavier torso, the dress than you select should take the attention away from the upper part of the body. A flowy type dress that is less fitting towards the bottom de-emphasizes the upper section of the body. A V-neckline draws attention to your waist, thus providing a flattering look. Wrap Dress with waist tie

Dresses that suit apple shape include

• A-line dress
• Fit and flare dress like empire waist dress
• Wrap Dress with waist tie

Dress for Rectangular Shape 

A rectangular-shaped body is considered a ‘boyish’ body type. You can add curves to it by wearing a belt at the narrowest part of the body. Beautiful necklines in round or sweetheart shape provide a curvier look. An off-shoulder dress can make your shoulders look broad and give an hourglass figure. Swirls and embellishments at the right place also help to add curves to the body. 

Dresses that are best suited for rectangular shape are

• Wrap Dress with waist tie
• Asymmetrical dress
• Classic Shift Dress with belt

Try to avoid shapeless dresses. If you are going for a shapeless one, then add a belt to make it look curvier. Going for the right undergarment also provides the perfect shape to the body. 

Dress for Hour-glass body

Are you blessed with an hourglass figure? Then you have the perfect body shape. Therefore, the dress you select should accentuate the curves. Figure-hugging dresses are best suited for the hour-glass body. But you should ensure that the measurements are perfect. When it comes to the neckline, narrow ones like V neck that balance the fuller bust will be a great choice. 

Dresses that suit hour-glass figure includes

• Mermaid dress or body con dress
• Fit and flare dress like empire waist dress
• Classic Shift Dress

Oversized dresses are a big no when it comes to an hour-glass figure. But if you come across an oversized one that you cannot resist buying, then belt it up to accentuate the curves. 

It is good if you can avoid dresses with excess fabric as it can make you look plump. You should not opt for oversized dresses or wear a jacket over the dress for the same reason. 

How to Select Dress for Different Heights?

In addition to the body’s shape, your height also plays a crucial role in selecting the right dress. If you are a short person, you should choose a dress that creates an illusion of tallness. Fit and flare dresses, belted dresses, and wrap dresses with vertical prints would be apt for short women. You should avoid going for maxi dresses as it can make you look short. 

On the other hand, a tall person has a significant advantage that all dress types suit them.  Both maxi and midi dress would look good on a tall person. If you are too lean, you can go for a dress with horizontal prints to make you look more proportionate. 

Final thoughts...

From shift dress to empire waist and wrap dress, dresses are available in different styles, patterns, and designs. Whatever dress you choose, it should reflect your personality. By hiding your flaws and focusing on your plus points, the right dress can definitely boost your confidence and morale.   Check more dresses at katelynpreston.com