Guide to Prom #1: Finding that perfect dress!
Where I live, prom is just around the corner! I’m pretty sure it’s coming up for lotsa different high schools around the country and in the world too. So the next few posts are gonna be a part of my very first prom series - all the things you need to know or do for prom! :)
Before I attended my first prom a couple of years ago, I tried reading magazine articles, searching for websites with good tips for anything prom-related, but I couldn’t find anything very useful :( Which is why Imma be doing this Guide to Prom series so that maybe I’ll help that one girl frantically searching for prom help online (I know I was that girl a few years back!).
So anyway - FINDING THAT PERFECT DRESS!
It’s really important that you find the PERFECT DRESS, not so much because you need to look good, but because you need to feel good :)
While you could wear ANYTHING and still look beautiful, here are some pointers I’ve learnt over the years about choosing a dress that fits your body type:
1. Pear shaped
Pear-shaped girls tend to be a little heavier on the bottom and a little slimmer at the top, with narrow shoulders and wider hips, thighs, and bottom. If you belong to this body type, try boatneck dresses, dresses with medium to high necklines, and try SHOULDER PADS! They sound terrible (so 80s) but TRUST ME they can do wonders! Shoulder pads are a great way to elongate your shoulders and make your body look more proportional. Or try anything that just shows off your slim shoulders!
Avoid dresses with hiplines or anything that emphasizes your hip area, because you want to draw the eyes to your upper body and away from your lower body. Avoid also skintight bodycon dresses, which although sexy draws a lot of attention to your lower body.
A beautiful dress that a pear-shaped girl could wear would be something like this:
Taken from: http://www.promgirl.com/shop/dresses/viewitem-PD706203
The beautiful jeweled detailing on the straps of the dress draw the attention towards your neck area, and the white and black part of the dress brings the eyes to your tiny waist! The lovely dusty pink ruffled bottom very smartly hides anything you want it to hide in that area while making your womanly curves look awesome :) I’m really lovin’ this dress right now!
2. Apple shaped
Apple shaped girls are the opposite of pear-shapes - heavier at the top with broader shoulders and bust, and slimmer at the bottom with narrower hips and bottom. If you belong to this KATAgory, try finding a dress that adds volume to the bottom while slimming your upper body.
Dresses with a flare at the bottom would work for girls like you. Halters would look great especially if they’re made of flowing fabrics. Medium to lower cut necklines look great on apple-shaped types, so WORK THAT NECKLINE BABY! A great example of a dress for apple-shaped girls would be this:
Taken from: http://www.promgirl.com/shop/dresses/viewitem-PD612763
A beautiful sweetheart neckline, a gorgeous flowy pale blue bottom which instantly balances your shoulders out! Too beautiful! :)
3. Slender
For those with what people like to call “boy-shaped” bodies (honestly I don’t quite like that name, I prefer the term “slender-shaped”), you’re in luck! Lots of models on runways belong to this category (well, other than Victoria’s Secret models I guess - they’re curvy and slim at the same time which is virtually impossible!?!) and it’s pretty easy to find dresses that would fit you.
If you want to emphasize your chest area a little, halter dresses are the way to go! If you want to emphasize your bottom, try a dress something like the above with a flare in the skirt! Personally I’d take full advantage of having a long slim body by workin’ it with a beautiful maxi gown like this:
Taken from: http://www.promgirl.com/shop/dresses/viewitem-PD483593
This is sooo beautiful and so perfect for someone with a long lean body! :’)
4. Petite
As a girl with a petite frame, I’ve always found it really hard to find a dress that adds length to my body. But over the years I’ve realised that monochrome dresses or dresses with a single colour are the best way to make yourself look taller. What works for most petite girls are shorter dresses, or dresses that come to just above the knee. A good example of a dress that would look great on a bite-sized girl is that light blue strapless dress under “Apple Shaped”!
Of course, this isn’t to say that you can’t wear long, floor-length gowns! Some smaller sized girls look amazing in maxi dresses, but some don’t really like the way they look on them. Generally, dresses that reach your calf area but are not full length - are not all that flattering on petites. you want to try a longer dress but you’re afraid that it might drown your small frame, try the asymmetrical dress!
Taken from: http://www.promgirl.com/shop/dresses/viewitem-PD587047
The longer back and the shorter front elongates your legs and gives you the best of both worlds! :) The sweetheart neckline is perfect for the smaller-chested girls, especially with the vertical flares from the neckline towards the waist area. This baby pink dress with the stunning waist detailing is just too gorgeous!!
5. Athletic body type
If you’re constantly at the gym working out, or if you’re an athlete training hard for your next competition, you probably have quite an athletic body! Athletes are toned and muscular, and you want to show that off! You could try a dress like the long midnight blue maxi gown under “Slender”, or you could try dresses with a more revealing backline to show off that toned shoulders and back ;)
Taken from: http://www.promgirl.com/shop/dresses/viewitem-PD486733
Flaunt your amazing back muscles and slim, muscular frame with a hot pink bodycon Sherri hill number like this one! We can’t let those muscles go to waste!
6. Maxi girls
Beautiful plus-sized girls like you with voluptuous figures should never be afraid to work it! With the exception of bodycon, skintight dresses (which I personally feel most body types should avoid unless they are hourglass figures, athlete-types or slender ones), you could wear almost anything :) Dresses with patterns and prints or even vertical stripes (avoid horizontal stripes - not very flattering on anyone other than slender girls) would look great on you!
Taken from: http://www.promgirl.com/shop/dresses/viewitem-PD638215
The classy floral oriental prints are simply stunning and the flowy material brings out your beautiful big body perfectly while hiding any flaws!
7. Hourglass figures
Finally we have our hourglass figures - the luckiest of all of us! Hourglass figures can wear just about anything, but to complement and make the most out of your God-given beautiful shape, try shorter, sleeker dresses (not too tight though - you don’t want to try too hard!) which shows off your curves.
Taken from: http://www.promgirl.com/shop/dresses/viewitem-PD689319
This sexy bejeweled number will guarantee heads turning throughout the night!
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That’s all from me for now - 3 hours spent on this post! Hope it helps you one way or another, and tell all your friends fretting over prom to come visit KATALOGGED for some inspiration!
Till then, stay amazing you fashionistas! ;)
