Choosing the Right Dress to Flatter Your Body Type

Whether you need to buy a cocktail dress for a wedding or a sundress for a summer picnic, you always want to look your best. When choosing a dress you need to consider your body shape. Not all cuts look good on every shape. Here are some suggestions for buying dresses for each body type out there.

Pear Shaped
You have smaller shoulders, bust and waist with a heavier bottom, hips and thighs. When buying a dress you want to balance out your proportions by slimming down your bottom half and playing up your top half.
*Choose dresses that have an empire waist. Choose flowy fabrics that will skim and smooth out your shape.
*Buy a v-neck dress. They lengthen your torso and draw attention upwards.
*Wide set straps will also help you balance out your top half with your bottom.
*Do not buy clingy fabrics or an overly full skirt as they will draw attention to unwanted areas.

Boy Shaped
You have a straight shape all the way down your body. You have narrow hips, small bust and hardly any curves. When buying a dress you are going to want a dress that will add curves to your body.
*Choose a swingy, bias-cut dress and pair it with heels.
*Choose a neckline that will accentuate your bust, such as halter tops.
*Buy a dress that has a waistline or has some kind of detail at the waistline. This will add some curves to your waist area.
*Don't buy shapeless strapless dresses. They will only flatten you and make you look more like a boy.

Curvy Shaped
You have a full bust and hips. You have a dress size of 14 or bigger (not always true as there are some women who are a size 6 and still curvy). You want to minimize your curves but not deny that you have them.
*Choose a wrap dress that you can tailor to fit your shape.
*Choose a dress that has structure but is not too tight. Choosing a shapeless dress will make you appear bigger than you are, while choosing a too tight dress will show off every bulge on your body.
*Buy a dress that has a small allover pattern.
*Sheath dresses and sundress will also look nice on this body shape.
*Do not ever buy a tight satin dress.