Finding the perfect dress!

style beauty by Maggie
Finding the Perfect dress

How often have you stood in front
of the shop mirror sucking in your
stomach and/or bottom, kidding
yourself that the dress will look great once
you lose that couple of pounds? Go on
admit it, we’ve all done it. But guess what?
If it doesn’t fit you in the changing room
girls, it won’t fit you any better when you
get home!
It’s time to get used to the idea once and
for all that no matter how expensive your
clothes are, or what label is on them, if you
don’t know how to dress your body shape
you will never achieve a stylish look. You
will keep on buying because (a) you can’t
resist a bargain, (b) it’s a size 12 and you
normally take 14 or (c) your friend has it
and it looks fantastic on her.
Well guess what will happen to all these
buys? That’s right, they’ll become orphans!
Yes, they will hang alone in your wardrobe
like little orphans because they don’t suit
your particular body shape. Once you learn
and begin to follow a few simple tips you
can start to play up all your great assets and
downplay the not so good bits.
How to choose the perfect dress
for your body type
Ever know anyone with the ‘perfect’
body? Does it even exist? The answer is no,
it doesn’t. Although with all the trash that’s
being shoved in our faces about size 0 and
‘thin’ being perfection then it’s no wonder
we feel freakish at times! Every woman
has figure flaws, in all my years running
workshops, styling, and personal shopping
I have never come across a woman who was
totally happy with her body. The trick is to
learn to adorn it with clothes that flatter. So
let’s get cracking…
Pear shapes: The pear shaped woman
carries her weight on her bottom half, her
hips and thighs will be wider than her top
half and she will take a bigger size on the
bottom. The key here is to play up the
top half, anything decorative should be
worn here. If the knees are not good don’t
wear minis. An A line to the dress is very
flattering as it creates balance. The pear
shaped woman usually has a great waist
so take advantage of this by wearing belts.
Draw attention upwards with details like
frills, shawl collars, on top half. Wide set
straps will also help you balance out your
top half with your bottom. Also, avoid
wearing clingy fabrics on bottom as they
will draw unwanted attention.
Curvy: You have a full bust and hips
and will wear anything from size 14
upwards. Choose a wrap dress that you can
tailor to fit your shape. And remember to
choose dresses that aren’t too tight, while
still maintaining a smart shape. Wearing a
shapeless dress will make you look bigger
than you are, while choosing a too tight
dress will show off every bulge and ripple
of fat. The curvy woman should also avoid
shiny fabrics as they are very unforgiving.
Plus size: Dawn French is living proof
that you don’t need to be a size 10 to look
gorgeous and feminine. She wears her
Caftan dresses with style and panache. Look
for dresses in bold patterns, and wear v necks
to draw the attention upwards to the face.
And of course, accessorise with fabulous
jewellery. The plus size woman looks
wonderful in layers.
Big bust: Halter tops and deep Vs are
very attractive for women who want to
show off their assets. If you have a curvy
figure on top, wear dresses that cling to
those curves. If however you like to cover
up a bit then the wrap dress is a wonderful
choice. Avoid detail on top if you want
to draw attention away from bust. Before
buying a dress, make sure you have a good
well fitting bra, and get fitted for one if you
don’t.
Rectangle: This is a straight up and
down shape, often times with no defined
waist. The shift dress looks wonderful on
this shape as it hangs straight from the
shoulder, it might even be slightly fitted.
It skims your body nicely, but won’t cling.
Jackie Kennedy made them famous and
latterly Princess Diana. An empire line is
also a fab way of giving the illusion of a
waist as it cinches in just under the bust
which is the narrowest part of your body.
Hourglass: Often considered to be
the ideal shape, this woman has a narrow
waist and curvy bust and hips. Think
Nigella Lawson. Skim those curves and
wear fitted dresses with plunging necklines.
Femininity and hourglass go hand in hand.
She’s all about figure hugging dresses.
Petite: For all you petite ladies (5’
3” and under) the rules are simple and
unstructured. Don’t bury yourself in masses
of fabric and don’t swamp yourself in ankle
length clothes, they will only make you
look smaller. Avoid long dresses, simplicity
is the key here. I love a knee length dress
and coat on petites. Vertical lines work
brilliantly also as they create a longer
silhouette.
So there you have it ladies. Next time you
see a dress you love take time to figure out
what it will do for you. Think about your
particular shape first before you splurge.
Just remember there is a dress for everyone.
Enjoy yours.
You can find a beautiful dress that will
flatter your figure no matter what your
body type is. Just be sure you study your
image from all angles when you try one
on. From now on learn to highlight the
positive. If you know you look beautiful I
guarantee you will feel beautiful too.
Maggie Gibbons is an Image Coach and can
be contacted on 087 6782406 or
email maggiegibbons@iol.ie
maggie-gibbons.blogspot.com
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