The holidays are upon us and this calls for partywear. As much as I’d like to see a greater assortment of swanky skirts and tops in stores (because separates are often better for some body types), the party look this season is once again frock focused. Stores are full of party dress options that are a little more daring and interesting than the average little black dress.

If you’re looking for a new party look that’s “of this fashion moment”, you might be inspired by a few of the shorter dress styles that are in vogue:

• Belted bubbles are a nice mixture of volume and tailoring. It’s certainly a new spin on the shirt dress and a lot more flattering than you’d expect.
• Shift Dresses are loose tunics with just enough shape and drape. This style gets my vote for most fabulous party dress this year. Wear it in a pukka ‘60’s psychedelic pattern and the drama doubles.
• Sequined Sheaths are disco chic and fun. There’s nothing like a bit of sparkle to bring in the New Year.
• Trapeze dresses with or without sleeves are voluminous and shapeless around the tummy area and therefore extra comfy for eating and dancing. I like that the roomy style of this dress leaves a little to the imagination.

I’ve been getting a bit bored with the sleeveless and strapless dress trend recently, so it’s refreshing to see dresses with sleeve detail. It’s especially practical for Winter occasions. While I continue to be a fan of forever fashionable holiday party choices like LBD’s, vintage inspired ensembles and fancy tuxedos, it’s exciting to try a new look and take a risk once in a while.

Belted bubble dress

Shift dress

Shift dress

Sequined sheath

Sleeveless trapeze dress

Trapeze dress

These styles reigned supreme in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and their retro glory is worth celebrating.

Dresses don’t need to be “dressy”. While frocks are my first choice for formal occasions, there are plenty of casual, comfortable and practical dresses that can be worn to work and play every day.

Day dresses are best…

• in durable, casual fabrications like thick cottons, jersey knits and viscose blends
• in A-line silhouettes because they allow you to stride feely. Straighter styles restrict your movement. 
• when they cover up enough of your upper body that you don’t feel exposed.

The best thing about a dress is that you can slip it on with a pair of shoes and possibly one accessory and you’re done. You don’t need to worry about layering, mixing-and-matching or pulling clothing straight. If you can get your head around the fact that dresses needn’t be saved for special occasions, you’ll enjoy them as another practical daily ensemble (especially when it’s hot). Pretty pear body types look particularly good in A-line frocks and should make the most of our dress season this Summer.

An assortment of A-line day dresses in jersey and cotton from Macy’s and Dillard’s.

The “it” item this season, celebrities can’t stop wearing them and dress departments are full of them. The sack (or shift) dress is a ‘60’s inspired boxy mini that’s looks… well… like a sack. It’s muu-muu quality makes it comfortable, but at the same time enormously shapeless and difficult to pull off with style.

Sack dresses in soft draping fabrics like sateen, chiffon and thick jersey are a little more flattering, but still not ideal. Matching them with leggings, skinnies and straight leg pants gets a look going, but does little for your silhouette.

The only way I’ve felt fab wearing a sack dress is by belting it at the waist over a pair of slim fitting pants. And a wider belt works better than a narrow one. This combination gives you the volume and the shape. Try reining in that sack dress (without the pants if you have great legs). You might prefer this high fashion look if you do.

Left: Satin shift dress is easier to pull off because of the draping fabric.
Right: Sack dress paired with a wide belt for extra  shape.

As an inverted triangle, you are a rare breed (less then 1% of the female population). Your broad, square shoulders, narrow hips, straight waist and slim limbs give you plenty of options when it comes to dresses, but you’ll still need to think about how they affect your body. You’ll want to wear dress silhouettes that soften the line of your shoulders and create curvature from the hips down.

Some guidelines on how to find that perfect dress:

• Choose dresses with straps that hit close to your neck. This will narrow your shoulder line.
• Keep your necklines scooped, sweetheart or V-shaped. This will lengthen your neck and balance out the broadness on top. V-neck halter dresses are the perfect solution.
• Wear full circle skirts that flare out and retain their shape.
• Avoid dresses with cap sleeves and tapered skirts as they will accentuate your broad top and narrow bottom.
• Dresses that are dark on top and light on the bottom will help create a visual balance.
• Strapless and tunic styles are also good options. Tailored sleeveless sheath styles will work if the shoulder measurements are short and close to the neck (allowing you to show your shoulder bone).
• You’re the only body type that can wear dresses with broad horizontal stripes.

That wraps up my blog posts on the best dress shapes for different body types. Feel free to ask questions if you’re still unsure about which dress silhouette is best for you. No more excuses ladies, we can all look fab in the right type of dress!

Yoked tunic dress and halter styles with full skirts narrow the shoulder line (Nordstrom).

Strapless styles and horizontal stripes balance out the silhouette (Macy’s and Nordstrom).

Your shapely bust, small waist and full bottom fill out the right dress perfectly. By defining your waist and keeping your necklines low, you’ll find lots of frocks that flatter your curves.

Some guidelines to follow when shopping for that perfect dress:

• Look for styles in draped fabrics that skim over and accentuate your curves.
• Keep your waist a focal point. You’ll look “blocky” if you don’t define your mid section, so avoid “of the moment” sack dresses and straight sheath styles. 
• Choose dresses with scooped, oval, sweetheart or V-necklines that elongate your frame and flatter your bust line.
• Look for styles with vertical seam details such as princess lines and vertical insets.
• Keep the bodice simple if you’re busty (avoid ruffles and fussy details around the bust area that end up making you look top heavy).
• Knee length dresses are best and wearing heels will enhance your leg line.
• Choose bias cuts, shaped sheaths, shirtwaisters, V-neck halters, wraps and strapless styles.

Hour glass body types should always have dresses in their wardrobe because they look fabulous in frocks. Make the most of Spring’s  dress season!

Halter, fitted strappy sheath and A-line knee length dresses appropriate for hourglass body types (Dillards).

Not at all. By adding the appropriate layer on top,  you can wear those little dresses and still feel warm. Here are some useful “cover-up” options: 

• Shrugs need to be cropped and snug.
• Cardigans are best cropped at the waist. Longer styles can look frumpy.
• Bolero jackets can be fitted or trapeze (A-line) in silhouette depending on the style of the dress. A-line dress styles look best with short fitted bolero jackets; while straighter sheath dress styles can be matched with either. 
• Denim jackets are a casual and urban choice (especially when the wash is dark). Proportions are most flattering when the jacket is short and fitted.

Thanks to my trusty cardigans and denim jacket, I’m out of my jeans and into a dress. The extra layer also works wonders if you tend to feel exposed showing so much skin. A flirty femimine frock is always fab.

Shrug (Ann Taylor), cropped cardigan (Banana Republic) and cropped bolero (Nordstrom).

As an adorable apple, your average to full bust, wide waist and slim legs look best in knee length dresses with straighter lines that elongate and skim over the curves of your upper body. For the most flattering effect, choose dress silhouettes that reinforce your hourglass shape, accentuate your shapely bust and highlight your lower legs.

• Empire lines with straight seams (not gathered) that emphasize the narrowest part of your torso. This will deflect the eye upward and away from your  natural waist.
• Sheath dresses with a bit of stretch for extra comfort. Keep the neckline low ( V or scooped) to lengthen the neck and look for sleeve details for variation.
• Shirtwaister dresses with pencil skirts, front ties and front-buttoning details that give you shape and structure.
• Printed wrap dresses that define your waist while the busyness of the print camouflages the tummy area.
• Draped dresses that deemphasize the midsection through design details like knots, pleats, ruffles and ruching.

Look for:

• Asymmetrical and handkerchief hemlines that deflect the eye away from the widest part of your body.
• Vertical seam details and diagonal lines that help elongate that unbroken line.

Avoid:

• Lengths that are mid-calf or longer. You’ll expose the best part of your body with a skirt that’s at the knee.
• Thin jersey knits that cling across the tummy area.

You won’t go wrong if you keep your dresses structured, stretchy, skimming and short. Sport them during the day and at night to bring out your most feminine side for Spring.

A printed wrap, a bias cut with vertical seaming (created through the ruffle detail) and diagonal lines, an empire cut with a straight seam and a draped dress with ruched waistband and front pleat detail (Nordstrom and Macy’s).

As a racy rectangle, your strong shoulders, narrow hips and slim limbs give you lots of choice when it comes to dresses. While you know that you look superb in jeans, it’s time to break out of that comfort zone and embrace the right dresses for Spring and Summer. You’ll look good in dresses with any skirt styling detail. Be it pencil, A-line, tapered, broomstick-pleated, sarong, bias, asymmetrical, low-waisted or paneled, wear them in plain, printed, flowing or stiff fabrications without a second thought. It’s the top half of the dress that you’ll need to think about.

Rectangular body types can either be well endowed or not. If you are:

• Busty – you’ll want to create a longer looking middle by defining your waist and keeping your necklines low (which lengthens the neck). Look for dresses with V-necks, scooped necks, sweetheart necks or strapless styles.
• Boyish – you’ll want to create curves by accentuating your waist and keeping your necklines high. Look for slash necks, cru-necks, keyhole necklines and high halter tops with neck ruching. Dresses with shirt collars will also work because they won’t reveal too much of your décolleté.

Like the hour-glass, racy rectangles were made for the perfect 60’s sheath dress. You’ll just need to adapt the neckline according to your bust size. The boyish framed rectangle is about the only body type that can sport this seasons’ straight shapeless trapeze mini dress with style. Though my preference would still be to dress this body type in structured waistlines and knee length skirts.

Dresses for busty rectangles from Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Dresses for boyish rectangles from Macy’s and Nordstrom.

All body types can look fab in the right dress. It’s a question of knowing which style is best for you. With Spring’s dress explosion and mid-season sales upon us, it’s an excellent time to buy frocks. Pretty pear body types look wonderful in A-line or what I call “fit-and-flare” dresses (fitted at the top and flared at the bottom). The key is to define the waist and torso and add a bit of volume at the bottom.

Emphasize the upper body:

• Look for necklines with detail that draws attention to your shoulders, face, neck and décolletage. V-necks, halter necks, square necks, shirt necks, sweetheart necks and strapless styles can work wonders. 
• Look for bodices with details such as pleating, ruching, embellishments, embroideries and horizontal trim designs that draw the eye upwards.
• Empire cuts with straight seams (a high-waisted seam that sits directly below the bust line) are good because they accentuate your bosom, emphasize the smallest part of your body and give you the room that you need to smooth over your hip and thigh area. Empire cuts with gathered seams might make you look and feel pregnant.
• Printed wrap dresses with A-line skirt constructions tend to create a visual balance between your upper and lower body. Ones that are in heavy matte jerseys will have enough drape to smooth over your curves flawlessly while their belting detail helps define your waist.

Smoothing over the hips, thighs and bottom area:

• Look for styles that create volume on the bottom in order to deemphasize the hip area (everything A-line). The volume can either be soft and flowing, or structured and architectural. Shirtwaister dresses and strapless styles are good choices.
• Look for vertical seaming through panel and princess lines.
• Keep the length at the knee and add “a leg-lengthening and slimming heel” (even if it’s  just a kitten heel, because height slims down curves). Sometimes, shoes with ankle straps can cut short the longer line that you are trying to create, which makes sling-backs, peep-toe pumps and long boots better options.

Steer clear of sheath styles with pencil skirt bottoms and bias-cuts. They’ll cling to your body and spotlight the areas that you wish to camouflage.

Have fun experimenting. You might be pleasantly surprised because there is nothing quite as pretty and feminine as the perfect dress. Here are some ideal A-line dress silhouettes for pear shaped body types (Nordstrom and Dillards).

Halter and knot detail, ruched and embellished strapless bodice, vertical panel detailing.

 Straight empire cut, empire cut with vertical seaming, pleated wrap bodice.