How to Choose the Best Dress for Your Body Type

How to Choose the Best Dress for Your Body Type

March 22, 2023
By Queenly x Mi Padrino

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Let’s be honest for a second - we have all been in a situation where we love a dress, but as soon as we try it on, it makes us look terrible. Why is that? Most of the time it’s because it is unflattering to our body shape. For one of the biggest days in your life, your quinceañera, you should be in a dress that looks like it was made just for you and accentuates your features perfectly!

Well, luckily for you, Queenly is here to help! Below we will help you to choose the perfect dress for your big day that will make your tías and abuelas cry even more. Different dress styles are most flattering to certain body types. What body type are you? Let’s find out by learning how to measure yourself!

Make sure your quinceañera dress fits for the big day! Watch this video to see how to measure yourself for a quince dress in under one minute!

Pear-Shaped

What to Wear: To flatter your curvy hips, a dress with an illusion or high-cut neckline is an excellent choice. It helps to draw some of the attention up and away from the hips; don’t forget to get it bedazzled too!

What Not to Wear: While this may not be true for all, many with a pear-shaped body often agree that ball-gowns are not the most flattering since they tend to make the hips appear wider.

Inverted Pear-Shaped

What to Wear: Opposite of the pear shape, you want to flatter your broad shoulders and small hips by adding more dimension around the hips. The best dress to get is any ball gown with a full skirt to even out your figure and take some attention away from the shoulders. Plus, you’ll look like una princesa in that flowing gown!

What Not to Wear: Avoid dresses that are too fitted through the skirt, or anything with sleeves that don’t flatter your body shape and make you look top-heavy.

Hourglass

What to Wear: Even though this body shape is often easier to find flattering choices for, it can still be difficult to decide what looks best to accent the smaller waist between the broader hips and shoulders. Generally, any sort of neckline would work as long as the dress is fitted through the waist; accentuating your natural curves is key! A great example of this kind of dress would be a mermaid style.

What Not to Wear: Don't hide that hourglass figure! Avoid any dress that may cover your curves, such as an empire-waist dress.

Rectangle

What to Wear: Since this body shape has little curve or waist definition, the best dress to look for is something that will create the illusion of curves. Any dress that utilizes an A-Line wrap style or any belted dress is perfect for this body type. Those will bring attention to your midsection, as well as add some more shape to the dress, adding even more dimension to your body.

What Not to Wear: While this body type could fit into an endless amount of dress types due to its slender, straight nature, it is best to steer clear of anything too baggy that may overwhelm your body shape and make you look shapeless. The dress shouldn’t wear you, after all!

Apple-Shaped

What to Wear: In order to help flatter your apple body shape, dresses with an empire waist, patterns on the top half, as well as an A-Line silhouette are all excellent choices to draw attention away from your midsection.

What Not to Wear: Dresses with belts or well-fitted dresses do the exact opposite for this body shape, by drawing attention to the midsection.

Petite

What to Wear: Even though you were not blessed with height, your small frame can still look long and statuesque in the right dress. A dress with a drop waist will create the illusion of you having a longer torso. A shorter dress can accent your legs. These are both great ways to flatter your smaller figure.

What Not to Wear: If your petite figure looks great in a shorter dress, then unfortunately, a longer dress or anything with a full skirt will have the opposite effect.

Plus-Sized

What to Wear: Women with curvaceous bodies FINALLY have great options available to flatter and accentuate their curves. A corset bodice is one of the best ways to accomplish both, and anything flowy is flattering on any body type. Also, for the more adventurous ladies, consider cap sleeves on your gown or wearing a short dress to show off those legs!

What Not to Wear: The last thing to do with a plus-sized or curvaceous body type is hide it under a bunch of fabric or layers, despite what others may think. This can end up looking bulky and unflattering. Show off those curves!

While this guide may not have taken away all of the stress from finding your perfect quince dress, we hope it helps make that decision easier! Now you know it’s possible to get a well-fitted dress that makes you look fantastic without having it custom made - and without that huge price tag too! Don’t forget to check out the store on our website for great dress choices at amazing prices! Who knows, we may have the perfect dress and fit that you’ve been looking for!

Shopping for your quinceanera dress doesn’t have to be stressful! A queen like you deserves the royal treatment whether she’s buying a new prom dress online or shopping secondhand. At Queenly, we’ve committed ourselves to promoting sustainable fashion while making it affordable for everyone. Join our community of Queens who have listed outfits in their online closet. It’s as easy as signing up for a free account, snapping some pics, and uploading the details- that’s it!

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One girl's dress is another girl's treasure.

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