Dresses For Body Shapes

Women do not all have the same body shapes which is a good thing because that would make the world very uninteresting. Every woman’s body has some unique differences in shape and measurements and this means that different dresses will fit better on some than on others. This makes it very important to know your individual shapes, measurements, and quirks in order to find those perfect fitting dresses that look great but also feel very comfortable. The following guide can be used to help find dresses that are more complimentary to the various body shapes.

Dresses for Straight Body Shapes

Many women have straight body shapes, which mean that there is little differentiation between the measurements of the bust, waist, and hips. Straight body shapes come in two different forms as well and that is the tall and thin body shape and the petite body shape. Women who are tall and thin usually have average bust sizes and smaller curves. A dress that adds more definition to these areas can greatly increase the overall style. Women with this body shape can also choose to show off the longer legs with a shorter length dress or go with a form fitting sheath silhouette to display the gentle curves. Adding more definition to the bust can be achieved by adding extra rusching or going with a criss cross bodice.

Sashes, belts, and other details can be combined with an empire silhouette or others soften features. Different hemlines can also be added to hide the lanky figure. Dresses for petite body shapes can use similar dress details to add more definition to the bust, waist, and hip areas. The one difference the lack of longer legs which means an empire or A-line silhouette is a good selection for elongating the figure. Adding too much detail can overpower a petite figure so keep features simple to a belt, sash, or other smaller items.

Celebrity examples of the tall and thin body shape and petite figure are Uma Thurman and Winona Ryder. Here Uma wears a very lovely dress with a square neckline, floral patterns throughout, and a layered, multi-tier skirt that really compliments her figure. Winona is featured in a black dress with square neckline as well with an A-line silhouette with a ruffled hemline.

Dress for Pear Body Shapes

Pear body shapes, or bell shapes, feature small or average bust lines and wider waist and hip measurements. This means the body shapes starts smaller at the top and gets wider towards the bottom, much like a pear. Women with the pear body shape want to draw more attention towards the top and cover up the bottom, specifically the waist area. Dresses with more emphasis and detail at the bodice and looser fitting at the bottom are very favorable. Women who want to show off the hip area can go with a dress with a belt, sash, or other design at the waist and a sheath silhouette. The better silhouettes for the pear shape are an empire that will cinch up the waistline, an A-line that opens up the bottom, or a ball gown that is very loose fitting. For the bodice choose fancier necklines like strapless, bateau, sweetheart, and one-shoulder along with designs with sequins, beads, and criss crosses to enhance the area.

Dresses for Apple Body Shapes

Women with apple body shapes have more weight focused at the waist and need to de-emphasize the area with more attention at the top and looser fitting at the bottom. This is why an empire dress or babydoll really works as it lifts the natural waistline up and really hides the problem area. The A-line silhouette also works but more emphasis needs to be placed on the bodice with additional designs features. Dresses with floral patterns, emphasis on designs, stripes, and a few others seem to work very well at covering up the problem areas as well.

Dresses for Hourglass Figures

Hourglass figures are very favorable body shapes as it features a defined waist, medium to large bust line, and curvaceous areas. The hourglass figure also is very versatile, able to wear almost any dress and still look quite well but there are certain dresses that emphasize this body shape more by bringing out key areas. The key here is to accentuate the finer points including defined waistline and curves. A form fitting dress with a sheath silhouette is just one example of a dress that would truly enhance this body shape and bring out the best styles. Wrap dresses, knit dresses, and almost every other dress would work great with the hourglass body shape as long as it accentuates the key areas.

A celebrity example here is Kim Kardashian who has changed body shapes but here features a lovely hourglass figure with a form fitting, red dress with spaghetti straps and lace trimming at the neckline. It is easy to see how the dress compliments her gorgeous figure here.

Dresses for Full Figured, Curvaceous Figures

Many women are full figured with lots of curves and there are plenty of dresses that enhance the curves while softens other areas to create very beautiful looks. The key is to enhance the curves without looking trashy while softening other features. Start with dresses with detailed necklines like spaghetti straps on a scoop neckline with lace trimming or ties on both sides. Apply complimentary silhouettes like A-line or empire and add interesting hemlines at the bottom and ties, ribbons, and belts at the waist area. There are plenty of dresses with interesting designs to cover undesirable features. Jennifer Hudson shows how to pick the right dress with this black piece a V-neckline with wide shoulder straps. The black dress does a great job of complimenting and the free flowing silhouette and the little bow at the waist are additional touches to complete the dress.

Dresses for Full Bust

Full bust figures have one noticeable part that stands out and this area can be accentuated just right by a dress but if not chosen correctly can create a very trashy look. The key here is to choose the right neckline and bodice to slim down the bust area. Full coverage V-necklines and slight scoop necklines are great options. The halter and jewel necklines are also great for adding coverage and support while still looking beautiful. Women with full bust figures should stay away from necklines that are too revealing which include strapless and sweetheart as the dress may reveal too much and look trashy and not chic.

For the bottom half of the dress, A-lines, full lengths, and detailed hems are all great additions for drawing attention away from the top. Be careful when choosing revealing looks with fuller bust lines. A babydoll dress with a neckline that is too revealing makes a trashier look. A great example dress is worn by Pamela Anderson here with a full coverage dress tied at the side with a V-neckline that is not too revealing but still very sexy.