Choosing the Right Prom Dress for Your Body Shape

Prom Dress

Ever wondered why a particular dress looks good on certain people but the same just falls boringly on you? Well, the answer to this is as simple as understanding that not every one is made alike. Apart from the distinguishing features, each individual is blessed with a different body type. That said, it's time you determined what is your body shape.
Prom Dresses
Are you a triangle or a rectangle? Do you have the coveted curves that make an hour-glass figure, or are you simply busty? Understanding your body type is one of the easiest way to find a dress that will not just flatter your figure but also make you look fabulous and attractive. Basically, understanding your body shape works to your advantage by allowing you to accentuate your coveted features, while down playing the negative aspects of your shape. So, whether you are curvy, busty, slender, petite, or blessed with a generous bottom, you are sure to find a dress that will make you look stunning for the prom.

Apple
Simply put, if you have a fuller bust, a wide waist, teamed with slender arms, legs, and hips you are an apple-shaped body. Your broad shoulders and heavier bust is what makes your upper body noticeably larger than the rest of your body.

Prom Dresses for Apple Figure

Characteristics

    A wide torso
    Broad shoulders
    Fuller bust
    Thinner arms and legs
    Flat bottom
    Narrow hips

Tips to flaunt your full figure
Draw attention away from your mid-section by accentuating your dress just below the bust area. You can very well carry an empire waist dress, or an A-line dress to draw attention to your bust. Thanks to your fuller body, you can pull off square, scoop, sweetheart, plunging or V-necklines very well. Avoid clingy or stiff dresses that will draw attention to your middle. Accentuate your slender arms and broad shoulders with a strapless dress, and stay away from puffy sleeves and full-sleeved dresses. Show off your slender legs with a short A-line dress or a short empire waist dress.

Pear
Quite the opposite of an apple-shaped body, a pear-shaped body has a smaller bust with wider hips. You have a well-defined waist, while being blessed with shoulders that are narrower than your hips. Clearly a triangle, you are curvier at the bottom, with a slender neck and narrow shoulders.

Prom Dresses for Pear Figure

Characteristics

    Full hips and thighs
    Defined waist
    Narrow shoulders
    Smaller bust
    Slender neck

Tips to draw attention to your upper body
De-emphasize your lower half, by drawing attention to the torso and shoulders. Wide necklines like boat and scoop will visually widen your shoulders. Your narrow shoulders should definitely be highlighted with an off-shoulder or one-shoulder dress. Your petite upper body can be accentuated with puff, cap, 3/4th, bell, and kimono sleeves, as they not only add volume to your arms, but also balance out your voluminous hips. As for the dresses, wrap- and empire-style dresses are meant for you. You can also pull off dresses that are fitted on the top with full or A-line skirts.

Inverted Triangle
Your broad shoulders, tapering waist, and narrow hips is what defines your body type. Your wider than waist shoulders teamed with flat hips and bottoms is what makes you appear bustier than others.

Prom Dresses for Inverted Triangle Figure

Characteristics

    Smaller bottom
    Straight and squared shoulder line
    Flat hips and bottoms
    Narrow hips
    Undefined waist
    Large bust

Tips to draw attention to your waist
Crew, scoop, narrow, or deep V necklines are sure to look good on you. Besides, you will also be able to pull off dresses with gathered and keyhole necklines. Considering the shape of your body, you would want to add volume to your hips and waist to balance your shoulders. Mermaid, A-line, peplum and bias-cut dresses are meant for your body shape. Strapless and one-shoulder dresses will help draw attention to your gorgeous shoulders. In short, remember to add detail to your lower body, and take away the fuss from your upper body. By all means, stay away from sleeves and high necks that will make you look heavier on the top.

Slender
Your body is characteristically slender with a small frame, and often than not, you are termed as athletic or slim. The waist is in line with the hips and the bust leaving little scope for curves, making your body seem more like a rectangle. As a rule, you should create curves by opting for styles that fit snugly at your middle, but flare out at the bottom.

Prom Dresses for Slender Figure

Characteristics

    Narrow shoulders
    Small bust or flat chest
    Undefined waist
    Narrow hips
    Flat bottom

Tips to camouflage your boyish frame
You need to hide your boyish frame, and concentrate on creating curves by accentuating your bust line. Dresses with beaded, halter, sweetheart, or V necklines should work well to create an illusion of curves. Highlight your slender legs with dresses that stop right above the knees. Long flowing, flared, bell-shaped, and full skirts will work to your advantage, creating an illusion of a curvy figure. Wrap dresses that sit pretty at the waist are sure to accentuate your features, as will the use of chunky belts, princess-line seams, and empire line dresses.

Hourglass
Curvy yet proportionate, hourglass bodies have well-defined waists along with balanced shoulders and hips. Being naturally blessed with a defined bust, waist and a neat bottom, you can pull off just about any figure hugging outfit with ease.

Prom Dresses for Hourglass Figure

Characteristics

    Defined bust
    Defined waist
    Neat bottom
    Neat hips
    Curvy figure

Tips to bring out the curves
Flaunt your figure with mermaid, straight, asymmetrical, wrap-style skirts. Two-piece or wrap-style dresses is sure to look good on you. Strapless, sweetheart, off-shoulder, v-necks, or halter, your body can pull off just about any style. The trick you should remember at all times, is to avoid clothes that will hide your curves.

Petite
Small-framed, dainty, well-trimmed, almost doll-like, is what this body type is all about. Your body is blessed with a small bust, narrow shoulders, straight bottoms, and hips. Your petite frame can be accentuated to create an illusion of a tall person.

Prom Dresses for Petite Figure

Characteristics

    Narrow shoulders
    Small bust
    Straight bottom
    Small waist
    Straight hips
    Short and slender legs

Tips to create an illusion of a taller you
With a rocking body like yours, you could definitely pull of dresses with fitted bodice and ruffled skirts. Asymmetrical dresses with vertical stripes, dresses with high waists will help elongate your legs and make you appear taller and leaner than you already are. Flaunt your figure with dresses that bell out, and stay away from dresses that cut your silhouette into two. As a rule, stick to the rule of thirds when choosing your dress.
Prom Dresses
It's time you stop fretting over the dress, and use the guidelines to find the dress that will make you looking stunning. Go ahead, dress appropriately, flaunt your figure, and do not forget to have a good time at this year's prom.