Shopping for prom dresses should be fun and exciting, but it can be discouraging when dress after dress, nothing seems right. Shopping becomes less fun if you are struggling to find a dress that makes your body look good or gives you that look that you’ve really been wanting. Here are 10 tips so you can find the perfect prom dress for your body type to feel confident and beautiful!
Before you go shopping, measure your body and define your body type. Armed with this information, you can go through the stores skipping dresses that won’t flatter your body and just move on to the dresses that will make you look and feel good about yourself. You will save time and keep your spirits high when you bypass those dresses that will make you just feel “meh” about shopping and the overall prom experience.
Now that you know your measurements, you need to define your style. How do you want to look at prom? What kind of vision do you want to project for everybody? Defining your style will not only help you narrow down your dress options but knowing what kind of look you are going for, it can also help you choose silhouettes and materials that will flatter your body type. For example, if you are going for Old Hollywood glamour, you can look at vintage silhouettes, which can flatter bustier figures.
Your friend just tried on a dress that she says makes her look taller and shows off her curves. Doesn’t that sound like something you’d want for yourself? Don’t be so quick to pull that same dress in a different color off the racks and rush to the fitting rooms. What works for your friend might not work for you. While the dress elongates your friend, it could overemphasize your broad shoulders. Even if you have slightly similar body types, every person carries their weight and their muscle differently. Even though that dress didn’t work for you, don’t worry! You will find your own perfect dress soon.
Most people don’t have perfect hourglass bodies, where their top half is proportional to their bottom half. The goal of balancing out your heavy sides is to achieve that hourglass-like silhouette with the details of the dress. If you are top heavy, you should lean away from too many details on the bodice. These will only exaggerate the fact that you are a top-heavy person; however, if you are a bottom-heavy person, bedazzle the bodice to your heart’s desire. For a top-heavy person, invest your time in ball gowns or dresses with details on the skirt, train, or hem. When shopping for prom dresses, keep in mind that you are trying to spread details evenly across your body. Since your body has naturally drawn attention to one specific part, your dress can draw the attention elsewhere.
Everyone has a waist; some people have a more defined waist than others but nonetheless, we all have one! A beaded belt built into a dress or added on during tailoring can highlight your waistline. This is a very traditional approach. Now, many dresses have details that will automatically emphasize your waist. Sequins patterns, color block panels, and cut-outs can emphasize your waistline and define your curves.
Long dresses are traditional but they aren’t the only way to go. Taking your height and the length of your limbs into consideration, you might be better off without a long dress. A short dress is a great option for a petite person or someone with long legs. Long dresses can overemphasize the fact that you are petite and conceal your beautiful, long legs. If you still want the long dress effect, you could also consider high-low dresses, which mixes the best of both worlds.
If you want to look sexy at prom, don’t be discouraged by the fact that you aren’t an especially busty or curvy girl. Sexiness can come in many different forms. Play with the hem to show off your stunning legs. Get a backless dress to display those sleek back muscles. Having side slits or cut-outs will show some skin. There are ways to look sexy, no matter what kind of body type you have. You just have to figure out your favorite parts of your body and show them off to the world.
We can become so lost in the glamour of the dress that we forget about how significant the small details are. The neckline of your dress doesn’t always seem like the most glamorous part but this simple detail can drastically change the way your body looks. If you want to show off some cleavage, a sweetheart neckline with a push-up bra can add a subtle but seductive look to your dress. Consider the bateau neckline to show off your collarbones and emphasize your slim figure. If you want to minimize broad shoulders, you can choose a V-neck, which will elongate your torso. There are many different necklines and they can achieve many different effects so pay attention to this tiny detail if you want to get the perfect dress!
Many prom dresses in stores don’t have sleeves or straps. But you can miss out on a great opportunity for drama and concealment if you choose not to have sleeves. Tight sleeves will flaunt those long hours at the gym on the weight machines. Puffy sleeves can hide broad shoulders. Sleeves are also a great way to draw attention to the upper part of your body if you are a bottom-heavy person. Of course, no sleeves have its advantages as well. It’s a more modern and current look. Sleeveless prom dresses can focus most of the attention on the drama of the skirt. Strapless prom dresses are a great way to show off your collarbone and your dainty shoulders. Deciding whether or not to have sleeves, is up to you and what body concerns you might have.
Shapewear isn’t the medieval torture devices that corsets were. We all have body concerns. Sometimes, no amount of fancy fabric or details will hide our problem areas. Or we want to wear a specific dress that doesn’t flatter our specific body too well. Shapewear can smooth over lumps and bumps that you want to hide and give you a more seamless silhouette. No matter what kind of body type you have, sometimes what you need to feel a little more comfortable and confident is a little spandex armor on prom night.
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