How to dress for your next special event to suit your body shape.

Style is not something we are born with, but we can learn to be good at. In addition, our body shapes change and so should our way of dressing.

Whether going to a Gala or having an informal meal with family and friends, it is nice to look stylish. Looking stylish is not about following all the latest trends in fashion but it’s about picking the trends that suit our body shape – showing off what we love and hiding what we don’t about our body. It’s about putting our own stamp on what we wear.

Looking stylish is not just about knowing what to wear but it is also about knowing what not to wear, so make sure that every purchase, whether a maxi dress, a midi dress, a skirt or pants is the right one.

Here are why we need to look stylish all the time:

It gives us self-confidence and therefore affects our mood positively
The way we dress influences our lives. For example, when going for a job interview looking stylish will more likely affect the result positively.
People do judge each other by the way they dress. I don’t mean we need to wear expensive clothes, but we need to dress appropriate for our body shapes.

In this blog I will be discussing only dresses for special occasions – maxi dresses.

There is nothing worse than arriving at the party wearing a dress that we are not comfortable in, or it doesn’t fit us well. It should be an outfit we wear and feel confident and sexy. The outfit that we wear and forget about. being self-conscious about how we look will distract us from enjoying our night out. Last but not least it should be an outfit we can hit the dance floor with.

Lets start!

Here are few tips on how to look your best for your next special event and what to look for in your next maxi dress purchase: -

1- Bust

a-If you have big bust…

Never wear high round necklines. Instead wear a low wide neckline or a V-shape one. In high neckline the bust will look like an extension of the chin.
If you are wearing a see-through dress… never wear a bra that’s darker than your dress. Remember subtle is sexy.

b-If your bust is small…

Yessss to high and to halter neckline. No to low square-shaped necklines. Halter necklines show off shoulder which is sexy and it is a good substitute for the lack of cleavage.
Front frills to cover the bust area make up for what is not there.

2- Arms and shoulders - Athletic body shape, with wide shoulders and big arms, hips narrower than the shoulders and often with waists that are not well-defined.

Never wear sleeveless dress nor cap sleeves. Whether maxi dress or midi dress or any dress.
And no no no to spaghetti- straps dress. It only highlights the upper arm.
Instead ¾ sleeves to hide the upper arm and show the delicate wrists.
Sleeved dress with frilled cuffs in a chiffon or georgette fabric adds delicacy, elegance and balances the whole outfit.

3- Bum - Triangle body shape, typically with a thinner upper body and larger hips and thighs.

Never wear maxi dresses cut on bias nor big-print dresses especially in soft fabrics.
Tailored or fitted dress that flares from the back of the thighs are very suitable for this body shape.

4- Waist - Women with apple body shape, carry their weight in the midsection and usually have undefined waist.

Double breasted dresses or anything double breasted is a no.
No to dresses with horizontal lines and no to shift dresses.
Any dress that draws attention to the upper body is a yes.
Yes to A-line dresses, wrap dresses, and dresses with full skirts.
Dresses with belts and with tight waist bands that flare at the skirt are good options.

As we know every body is unique and beautiful. However, knowing your body shape and what are the parts you like to show or hide helps you choose clothes that look better on you.

When I design, especially dresses to wear for special occasion, I always try to make the same dress flatter more than one body shape.

Here are some of Baruni maxi dresses that we suggest for different body shapes.

1. Jacquard gown with a gathered skirt, wide waist band, short extendable sleeves, and front slit. This maxi dress is very suitable for different body shapes.

For those who don’t have a defined waistline because of its wide waist band and gathered skirt.
It is also very suitable for big arms – athletic shape. The sleeves can be worn folded up or as elbow length sleeves.

2. Our sleeveless shirt maxi dress with V-neckline, wide belt and A-line skirt.

This looks amazing for triangle shapes
It also looks great with big busts

3. Metallic gown with gathered sleeves, self-tie at the waist and flared skirt.

This dress will suit those with undefined shape
As well as those who are heavier at the hips area.

I hope you find the above tips helpful. However please feel free to contact us for any styling tips when shopping for your next special event.

Finally celebrate your shape and know how to flatter it, and always remember that when we dress wearing something that looks great on us, we please ourselves and lift our mood.