When you’re looking for the best evening dress, you need to keep several things in mind. The type of event will dictate the dress code, but you also want to make sure the dress looks good on you and fits your body type.
Picking the right type of dress adds balance to your natural body shape and choosing the right color will make sure that your skin and hair glow. Because there are so many different body types, from pear-shaped to hourglass, it’s not an easy task sometimes.
The first step in how to dress for an evening event is figuring out your body type. Once you understand your body shape and what that means, you can find a dress that shows off your best features while keeping it appropriate for the occasion. Don’t stress. The right dress is out there, just waiting for you.
Your Body Type
Sometimes identifying your natural shape is as simple as looking at your silhouette in the mirror. If you’re still not sure what body type you have, you can measure your shoulders, bust, waist, and hips. These numbers will give you a better idea of where you are smallest and widest.
Use these numbers to help figure out what shape you are. Let’s discuss some of the most common body types, and you will begin to see which dresses are best for flattering your best features and hiding your imperfections.
Apple Body Types
Apple body types have thin legs with wide mid-sections and upper bodies. Dresses that have defined waists look best on this shape because they give your waist definition. Plunging necklines, deep V-necks, sweetheart shapes, and off-the-shoulder styles will look fabulous on an apple shape.
Apple shapes have gorgeous legs, so cocktail parties are the perfect opportunity to wear short dresses to show them off. If you’re attending a formal event like a black tie or holiday party, a ball gown with a full skirt will add balance to your shape.
Busty Body Types
Ladies with full busts should flaunt it. Not everyone is so lucky as to be blessed will a full
A-line dresses add flare to the lower portion of your body, making it look bigger. Mermaid dresses are also ideal for this body type because they naturally highlight your figure with a body-hugging bodice. The dramatic flare at the bottom provides the balance that your lower half needs while accentuating everything else.
If you have a busty figure, avoid high necklines because they make your chest look even more prominent. This draws attention away from your lower half, making you look top heavy. It throws off the balance you need to achieve to look fantastic in an evening dress.
Hourglass Body Types
Oh, to have an hourglass shape! This is easily the most desirable of the body types. You have voluptuous curves in all the right places. Your narrow waist is nestled neatly in between your bust and hips of equal width, creating a symmetrical curve that looks fantastic in anything you wear.
Show off your perfect silhouette in a figure-hugging style like a mermaid or bodycon dress. Open backs grab attention, as do high necklines that emphasize your hourglass shape. Try to stay away from loose or over-sized dresses that drown out your curves if you’re really looking for the best evening dress.
If you don’t feel comfortable in anything form-fitting, feel free to wear A-line dresses, beaded dresses, ball gowns, or empire waisted gowns. These classic designs are traditional and timeless, and you’ll look gorgeous and elegant, even though you’re not drawing attention to any curves.
Pear Body Types
Pear shapes have a narrow upper body with wide hips and a more sizeable tush. There’s a certain pop culture song that would say there’s nothing wrong with that at all. As a matter of fact, this body type is the easiest to balance with evening dresses.
When you are looking for the best evening dress, choose dresses that have a lot of extra details or embellishments at the top and a flowing skirt to mask your hips. Halter tops look great on pear shapes, which makes all of the other shapes jealous. Not everyone can pull off a halter.
Draw attention to your top half with beadwork, plunging bodices, and infinite detail. Stay away from body-hugging dresses and instead choose something with a loose skirt. You have the benefit of being able to rock attention-grabbing bodices to create a focal point that makes a statement.
Petite Body Types
Petite women are short with a slim stature. Block colors look great on petite women because they are eye-catching and make you look more voluptuous. Single-color gowns also look fantastic on petite women because they elongate the silhouette by drawing the eye to the length of the dress.
Petite women can also go for high-waisted gowns to add length to their legs or wear knee-length dresses to semi-formal events to show off their legs. Pair any dress you wear with heels to add height.
Slender Body Types
These athletic body types have rectangular figures with very little curve. It’s easy to use dresses to add gentle curves. Dresses that hug the hips and have narrow waists are great for creating a curvy figure. Mermaid styles, off-the-shoulder designs, and sweetheart necklines add something girly to your shape.
You’ll feel more feminine in something curvy than in a column dress that emphasizes your rectangular figure. Go for a cinched waist and a full skirt if you don’t want anything too body-hugging because it will have the same effect.
More Dress Options
These are just a few of the most common body types. There are many more, as well as combinations of body types that have a few features from several different shapes. Everyone is unique, so it’s impossible to find a one size fits all dress for each body type.
Know your measurements well enough to know what you should emphasize and what you should hide. The numbers don’t lie, so measure yourself before you go shopping for the best evening dress, so you know what to look for. Balance your shape by hiding the area where your body is the widest and highlighting where you are narrow. If you’re top heavy or bottom heavy, pick a dress that emphasizes the other half and creates balance.
If you are hesitant, mermaid dresses look great on almost everyone because they quickly and naturally create an hourglass shape. They hug where you need it and flare where you want. You can look great in a mermaid dress with very little fuss.
If you’re still unsure about how to find the best evening dress, narrow your options down to your favorite colors, the type of event, the time of day, and the location. Most evening dresses are long, but from there, take your pick of any of the styles that emphasize your best features, and have fun!
