cocktail dressEvery girl wants to feel pretty in a dress, but a cocktail dress brings that to a whole other level. When you’re stepping out for a night on the town, you want to feel confident, and maybe even a little sexy.

But it’s so much more than deciding between the white cocktail dress or that little black number. What other features do you need to look for? How do you know which ones work best for you?

The secret is knowing what your body type is. Once you know that, you can zero in on the dresses that are meant for you. So let’s talk about how to find the perfect dress for you and your body shape.

Pear Shaped

If you find your upper body is smaller than your lower body, you fall into the pear-shaped body type. To balance this out, you’ll want to look for a cocktail dress that brings the eye up and emphasizes the smaller portion of your body.

Dresses with deep V’s, halter top, or off the shoulder will play up your top half, while A-line or flowy skirts will down-play the bottom half. You can also bring attention to your upper body with statement jewelry pieces.

Hourglass

This is the body type that is said to have curves for days! When your top half is in portion to your lower half, with a slender waistline, then you have an hourglass body type.

Look for figure-flattering dresses that draw attention to your small waistline. Loose or flowy dresses will do you no justice. You’ll want to flaunt your shape with a fitted dress that hugs your curves beautifully.

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Avoid anything with a high neckline, which could throw the look off balance.

Inverted Triangle

This will be the opposite of a pear-shape. The inverted triangle body type has a larger upper body, either with larger breasts or broad shoulders, and a slimmer lower body. So you will want to draw attention down.

More detail and fullness below the waist is ideal. A pleated or flowy skirt will add volume to your lower half, while a V shape or sweetheart neckline will narrow your shoulders and bring the eye “in”.

Rectangle

Women with athletic bodies or no curves tend to have the rectangle body shape. The lines of the body go straight up and down with no definition. So that’s why you should look for a cocktail dress that will give you the illusion of curves.

Dresses with ruffles and detailing can be your best friend. A ruffled top can give volume around the chest area. Empire waistlines or asymmetric details can also create the look of curves and give a flattering feminine shape.

Apple Shaped

Apple shapes are more round in the middle with not much of a defined waistline. The best cocktail dress for your body type will help draw that waistline in to give a more streamlined look.

Wrap dresses with fabric that drape beautifully can draw the appearance of the waist in. Darker colors and A-lined skirts will also help streamline your look. Avoid anything that is too fitted or stretchy.

There’s a Perfect Cocktail Dress for Every Shape

Once you know what your body shape is, it will take the guesswork out of shopping for a cocktail dress that will flatter you in all the right places. Now all that’s left is for you to confidently walk into that party and turn some heads.

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Want to know what kind of semi-formal dresses are out there? Check out our blog post on it now!