From The Straits Times    |

Photo: Instagram/ songofstyle

Are you planning on getting an arsenal of holiday outfits to ring in the party season? We approve! But before you go splashing out and grabbing everything that catches your fancy, did you know that choosing the right dress involves more than just the length and colour? To look fabulous, you should get pieces that will highlight your best features and balance your body’s proportion, while drawing attention away from problematic areas.

No idea how to do that? No worries, we have all the answers below. Be prepared to look #lit at your parties, and of course, Insta-worthy too.

 

Inverted Triangle

What it is: Broader shoulders than hips and waist.

Avoid: Off-the-shoulder, exposed shoulder or puffed shoulder dresses as these will draw attention towards your upper body, making it more prominent.

Go for: Sleeved dresses that cover up your shoulders. Balance the proportion out with A-line dresses or empire-waist dresses that have more texture below the waistline. This will create volume at your lower body region, which in turn makes your shoulders appear smaller.

 

Rectangle

What it is: Shoulders, waist and hips are around the same size.

Avoid: Boxy dresses that fall straight down from shoulder to hem — they will highlight your oblong figure and render your waistline non-existent.

Go for: A-line dresses that are fuller at the bottom, or those with a waist-tie or cinched waist. These will create the illusion of curves.

 

Pear

What it is: Shoulders and waist are narrower than hips.

Avoid: A-line or empire-waist dresses — these will simply add more weight to your lower body.

Go for: Dresses that add fuller details to your upper body, like those with puffed shoulder or textured short sleeves. They will allow your overall figure to appear more proportionate.

 

Apple

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What it is: Shoulders and hips are narrower than waist.

Avoid: Dresses that have a cinched waist as they will accentuate the curves you wish to hide.

Go for: Flowy maxi dresses, preferably with V-necklines. These will show off your décolletage and at the same time help to divert attention away from your waist.

 

Hourglass

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What it is: Shoulders and hips are well balanced, waist is of a relatively small shape.

Avoid: Boxy dresses as you’ll be hiding what your mama has blessed you with!

Go for: Body-con dresses or maxi slip-dresses are all perfect, but do remember the adage “less (skin) is more”. If you’re going to show off your legs, don’t go overboard with your neckline, and vice versa.

 

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