Choosing dresses that suit you is not always easy so I’m sharing some tips in this blog on what to think about, as well as a video that summarises the styles that you’ll see around this season.
Dresses are effectively a ‘one and done’ item, meaning that aside from choosing which footwear, jacket (if needed) and accessories (if needed), you’re done. There’s no worrying about which top to pair with which bottom as there is with skirts and trousers and tops. This can make them very appealing if you’re the sort of person who enjoys wearing dresses.
CHOOSING DRESSES
So, with the weather hopefully starting to get warmer here in the UK, (she says crossing her fingers!), here are a few tips about what to think about if you’d like to add a summer dress to your wardrobe:-
- Choose styles that you like!
This might sound very obvious, but it’s so easy to get talked into something by a well meaning friend or sales assistant, only to then never wear said dress again. (I see a LOT of these kinds of clothes in client’s wardrobes!). So make sure that you choose a dress that you actually like and can see yourself getting plenty of wear out of. If you know your ‘style personality’ well then you should have this covered.
- Think about where you want to draw the eye
If you want to highlight your waist, for example, choose styles that are either belted, tailored at the waistline (e.g. darted here), ruched at the waistline or are perhaps a body con style that naturally follows your silhouette. A wrap style works well as does a fit and flare style, (which can be good if you tend to be bigger on your bottom half than your top half), as the wider hemline visually makes the waist look comparably smaller.
If you want to draw the eye upwards to your decolletage/bust area, perhaps choose a dress with an interesting neckline or shoulder detailing. Or maybe try an empire line style dress where instead of having a seam at the waistline, it sits just under your bust. A lower neckline on a dress, such as a V neck, scoop neck or sweetheart neckline, will draw attention to your decolletage and is often very flattering if you have a fuller bust. You might also choose a dress that has a lighter colour on the top half compared to the bottom half or maybe one that has extra detailing (lace, embroidery, ruffles etc) or a bolder pattern on the top part of the dress.
If you prefer to show off your legs, then choosing a dress with an asymmetric hemline will work well, or you could choose one that is plainer on top but has detailing/patterns on the bottom half to create more interest. You could also choose a dress that is more fluid/floaty on top but more fitted on the lower half too.
- Think about your height, scale and proportions
If you are petite in height and/or scale, for example, big patterns and voluminous styles may overwhelm you. Don’t necessarily rule such styles out though (especially when voluminous styles are everywhere at the moment so are so easy to find!). Whilst the dress that I’m wearing in the video below is very full, it’s made of a lightweight fabric and has a small pattern, so I was able to create some shape and reduce the volume by simply adding a belt.
If you are taller or larger in your bone structure then you’ll possibly suit the bigger patterned and more voluminous styles and can afford to visually chop up your torso with colour block dresses too, for example.
Your proportions can also make a massive difference when it comes to choosing dresses. If you are proportionally long in the body you may find the waistline of a dress lands too high on you. Conversely, if you are shorter in your body, it may fall lower than your natural waistline. It may be that the dropped waistline or empire line styles respectively will work better for you. Or maybe choose a style with no defined waistline. - Choose a flattering colour
Colour can make a massive difference to how well, or otherwise, you’ll look in your dress (or any clothes that you wear up near your face for that matter). As I mention in the video below, the pale pastel colours that we often see in the shops at this time of year aren’t great for me worn on their own, for example, as I’m someone who suits the bolder bright and/or contrasting colours. If you aren’t sure which colours suit you have a read of this blog or book a colour analysis consultation. - Think in ‘cost per wear’ terms when choosing how much to spend
Before you buy a new dress, think about how many time you’ll be able to wear it. It’s worth spending more money on something that you’ll wear time and time again rather than buying a comparably inexpensive dress but only being able to wear it a couple of times.
DRESSES FOR THIS SEASON
So which dress styles will you find in the shops this season? Have a watch of the video opposite – simply click on the image.
If you’d like any help understanding the exact styles of dress that suit your style personality, lifestyle, shape, height, scale and proportions, I’d love to help you. We look at all of these things in a Style Consultation.
Happy dress shopping!