We all have our hang ups about our bodies, right ladies? Constantly in the shop we are hearing about flabby bellies, bingo wings and that bit of flesh right by the armpits (which I’ll be honest I didn’t realise it existed until girls in the shop pointed it out and I’m constantly doing press ups in between appointments). Whether you are a size 8 or size 18 there is always something and more often than not, when we ask girls what sort of dress they like their response is ‘I love the fishtail shape, but it may not suit me’.

So here’s a quick guide to body shapes and what style of dresses you should consider.

Pear Shape – Hips are wider than your shoulders.

Select gowns that show off your waist and a skirt that flows away from the hips and thighs. For example Cara from allure has a beautiful pleated bodice that draws the waist in, has off the shoulder straps to balance you out and a beautiful full skirt to disguise the hips. Or Carmen by So Sassi with a perfect A-line gown for this shape

Hour Glass Shape – Shoulders and Hips are in proportion with a well defined waist.

A beautiful mermaid or fit and flare gown is ideal for the hour glass shape. It shows off all your beautiful curves to perfection. Something like Evanthe from La Sposa or Emma from Allure are just stunning and feminine. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t get away with the classic ball gown as well!

The upside down triangle or apple shape – Shoulders are wider than your hips.

Consider a short dress! Draw the attention down to your slim legs and with a killer pair of heels you’re set to go. Short dresses such as Veronique by Ivory and co has a beautiful full tea length skirt so you can still swish and sway. Or So Sassi’s Bonnie with a pretty dipped hem maybe the dress for you.

Rectangle Shape – Completely straight up and down

Create the illusion of an hour glass shape by wearing A-Line shape gowns. These will nip you in at the waist and then gracefully flow down to give you shape. Clarissa and Jessica by Allure are perfect examples of this.

Finally although this isn’t a shape as such, one issue that girls worry about are boobs! Often, girls who have a larger bust always want to cover them up and definitely don’t want to wear a strapless dress. This is the complete opposite to what you should do. Covering them up makes them look even bigger and then the focus is all about the boobs. Wear a strapless dress that has a very slight sweetheart or a dress with straps that draws the eye down. Our So Sassi collection is full of soft sweetheart necklines, like Justine or Paige.

I hope this helps you when you start your search for ‘The one’, but having said all that you should try all styles on your first appointment just to make sure you are definitely heading in the right direction. At the end of the day it’s about how you feel in a dress and if you get that ‘wow’!

Book your appointment today and we will help you find the perfect shape for you. 01268 776826 or [email protected]