How to choose a dress style for your figure?

How to determine your body type?

To determine your body type you will need:

• tape measure,
• mirror,
• in some cases – help from another person.
• Preparation for measurements

Wear tight-fitting clothing or strip down to your underwear for the most accurate results. Then measure :

1. Shoulders and bust – at their widest point, with arms placed alongside the body.
2. Waist – at the narrowest point between the bust line and the hips, above the navel.
3. Hips and buttocks – at the widest point between the waist and knees, encompassing the entire buttocks.

Additionally, look at yourself in the mirror from the front and from the side. Notice how your proportions are distributed:

• whether your bust and butt are equal to each other,
• do you have a protruding belly,
• whether your legs are slim or fuller.

📸 You can also take a photo of yourself – from the front and from the profile – to make it easier to assess your body proportions.

When choosing an outfit, remember that it should accentuate your assets, not hide them. Therefore, you need to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses so that you can highlight them and conceal any imperfections you're unhappy with. To do this successfully, you must first understand your own body. The most common female body types recognized by fashion stylists include hourglass, pear, apple, and column shapes. Each of these shapes can look great, provided you learn how to properly accentuate your assets. To determine your body type, you'll need a tape measure and a mirror. In some cases, it may be necessary to enlist the help of another person. Before taking your measurements, wear tight-fitting clothing or strip down to your underwear for the most accurate results. You should measure your shoulders, waist, and hips. To determine some body types, it's also necessary to measure your belly circumference. Shoulders are measured at their widest point, along with the bust. Keep your arms at your sides when taking measurements. When measuring your waist, choose the narrowest point between your bust and hips, above your navel. For your hips, measure the widest point between your waist and knees. When taking this measurement, remember to include your buttocks in the tape measure. It's also worth examining yourself in front of a mirror. Check your body proportions from a distance. Do this both from the front and from the side. This way, you can check for any protruding belly and whether your bust and butt are equal. Also, pay attention to the length of your legs and whether you have slim or fuller thighs. To make it easier, you can take photos of yourself or have someone take a photo of you from the right perspective and then assess yourself based on the photos. What should you do with the measurements and the results? If your shoulders, bust, and hips, butt are similar, and your waist is visibly narrowed, you can consider an hourglass figure. If all your measurements are close together and your waist isn't very pronounced, it indicates a columnar figure. An apple-shaped body type typically means a lack of a distinct waist, a slightly protruding belly, and slim legs. A pear-shaped body type, on the other hand, is characterized by hips wider than the shoulders and full, strong thighs.

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In the further part of the article you will read detailed descriptions of individual body types, but in short:

• Hourglass – shoulders and hips are similar in width, and the waist is clearly defined.
• Column (rectangle) – all dimensions are similar, waist is weakly defined.
• Apple – no waistline, slightly protruding belly, slim legs.
• Pear – hips wider than shoulders, full thighs, slim waist.

Each of these figures has its advantages – the key is choosing the right dress style that highlights them.

Dresses for an hourglass figure

The hourglass figure is considered by many to be the perfect figure. This is reflected in fashion trends, which significantly facilitate choosing the right dress for it. This figure type is characterized by a distinctly rounded bust and full, evenly proportioned hips, with a distinct waistline. Famous women and style icons with a similar figure include Marilyn Monroe and Bridget Bardot. With this figure, you can confidently flaunt your feminine assets. Form-fitting wrap dresses are ideal for this purpose. Tight-fitting styles are your greatest ally. A crucial factor when choosing dresses for an hourglass figure is accentuating your shapely waist. This will help you avoid the "enlarged column" effect. In this case, you don't need to visually enlarge either the bust or hips, as they are already full enough.

Dresses for pear shapes

The pear shape has many advantages, and it's very easy to enhance its features. It's also sometimes called a cello, as its shape resembles that of the instrument. If you have this figure, your greatest asset, which should be highlighted, is narrow shoulders and a pronounced waistline. A slimmer waist is a must for pear shapes. This can be achieved with belted dresses, which look perfect with a flared skirt that doesn't fit too tightly around the hips and buttocks. Simple pencil dresses that don't taper towards the bottom also work well. Another element worth considering when choosing a dress for a pear shape is the right neckline. Boat necklines, U-shaped necklines, as well as square and round necklines, are the best choices. These will help subtly broaden the shoulders, visually balancing their proportions with the fuller hips.

Dresses for apple shapes

The apple body shape is characterized by a lack of a defined waist, often accompanied by a protruding belly. This is not a cause for concern, as even in this case, you can easily highlight your assets. These almost always include slim legs and a rounded bust. When choosing a dress for an apple body shape, you should avoid very tight-fitting styles. On the other hand, you shouldn't immediately resort to oversized clothes. Flowing tunic dresses made of non-stretchable materials are the ideal solution. Their shape will successfully conceal unwanted curves, and by choosing the right length, you can draw attention to your shapely legs. Classic wrap dresses are also a great choice, especially those with a V-neck, which perfectly slims the upper body and beautifully accentuates the bust. Just remember to avoid geometric patterns, which can visually enlarge the figure.

Dresses for a column figure

The column silhouette is often associated with a flat stomach, as well as a small bust and butt. Women with this figure type are petite and look very girlish. Proportionate and similar shoulder and hip measurements create a wealth of styling possibilities. If you have this figure, slim and long legs are certainly another asset. The biggest challenge for a column silhouette is accentuating the waist. Although slim, the waist, due to narrow shoulders and hips, doesn't stand out too much from the rest of the body. For this reason, well-fitting dresses are ideal for you, especially those with belts and waist cinches, which will further visually narrow it. You can also achieve this by wearing bold, geometric patterns. With this figure, you can freely experiment with necklines, and asymmetrical ones can be particularly flattering. Avoid oversized and shapeless outfits, especially those with a dropped waist, as these will elongate your figure instead of accentuating its assets.

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