Choosing A Dress That Fits Your Body Type

Dresses are one of the garments that are a single piece but are still extremely flattering. The history of dresses, much like the rest of the garments that we wear today, is rich and diverse. Starting at the very beginning, it is astonishing to see that humans are the only creatures that wear clothes. No other species does so, not even our closely related thought to be ancestors - primates. They have a lot in common with us but they still do not seem to be having any similarities when it comes to such nuances. They have a civil, social system. But advance contraptions for the purpose of living in different weathers, no, not really. 

Humans have been using clothing as a functional item ever since the Homo antecessor existed, which dates back to 780,000 years back. It is fascinating to see how we have always had clothing as something exclusive to us. We have worked with clothing and fashioned it to serve us for so long that it basically has been present for most of our existence. However, through the years we have evolved and so has our clothing. The reason behind wanting, making, and wearing clothes has also changed. Sure, we still use clothes as a way to fend off the elements when we go out but their existence hasn't solely been revolving around that. They are not just that to us. While they used to be fashioned out of animal skin and leaves, twigs, etc. They are of course still being made from those items but the intent has changed. 

Now we make clothes mostly from man-made or natural fibers. The purpose of clothes, on most occasions now, is to cover us up. They also serve another purpose - fashion. They have become a means of self-expression and will not only state out to the world what you're trying to cover up yourself for but will also state your personality and your preferences. Clothes and fashion are one of the most acquired art forms and the most vastly used ones too without any doubt. 

Fashion is something that has established its position as an essential part of all of our lives and also the kind of thing that we cannot avoid. Like Miranda Priestly said, just because you think that wearing drably and acting as you take yourself too seriously to be paying attention to fashion is not cool anymore. Or ever was. It is impervious to both your internalized view of yourself and the external view you present to others. It is more than just expression, it is akin to an armor that you put on for protecting yourself from the introspection that is impervious to sentient beings.

Many times, in film, fashion is not just what looks good but what expresses the character's personality and what kind of a thought process they are going through at the moment. Films utilize fashion in a way that is reminiscent of any other prop. It can tell a story without a single word being uttered. A good example of this is Cady's journey in the movie Mean Girls told through what she wears. The power of fashion is immense and vast. Even if in real life it is not telling a story through visuals, it still is saying plenty. 

Dresses are the kind of garment that everyone admires. The people who dislike them are far and few, and mostly their reasons stem from misogyny. Dresses are not limited to age, gender, or body type. No matter what you think, they are meant for everyone. Sure enough, that means you can find one for yourself too. 

How exactly do you find the perfect dress for yourself? Here's a guide based on a few factors: 

Aesthetic

There have been tonnes of debates on the use of this word and what it means for the people using it but we will ignore all that unnecessary discourse and focus on what is the context here. Aesthetic means the kind of visuals and vibe you like or have. It could be flowers and pinks and glitter, it could be cotton fabric and stripes and clean smelling fragrances, it could be lace and satin and the color black. 

The point here is that it could be basically anything. Figuring out your aesthetic is a long process and it does not have a strict way that you can follow to do so but what you can do is pay attention to your pre-existing wardrobe and your preferences. The colors you like, the fabrics you tend to go for, the things that excite you in general, etc. These will help you pinpoint what you want to look like and embody and that is what your aesthetic is. It is not something set in stone, it will change and that is completely fine. Once you have an idea of what it is, the next step is to go and look for dresses that will be close to it. 

The wide selection of dresses that Gant, Kendall+Kylie, and Elle offer is enough to fit all sorts of aesthetics. All of these luxury fashion brands in India can be found on Iconic. 

Body-type and Build

Now that you are certain about what the material, color, the print should be, you need to figure out a way that it can be molded to your personal physique and body type. This is crucial, not because there is a "perfect body" and we are encouraging you to fit that kind of notion or emulate a certain type of silhouette, but because no matter what kind of a body you have, you can totally find something that will be flattering on you without changing a single aspect about your body at all. 

Sounds idealistic and kind of stupid but it is not. It has been tried and tested and it is something that we have seen through the years done by various people of interest like Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana. 

The first step, in this case, would be to figure out your own body type. The shape and size are the first things to be jotted down. Amongst the two, size is something that you can easily tell. Are you on the bigger side? Are you scrawny? Again, nothing wrong with any of these, just be mindful of what yours is exactly and that's it. The shape is a little bit more tricky. To figure that out, you will have to look at your proportions. Are your shoulders wider than your hips? 

Are your hips the widest part of your body? Do both have the same proportions? Take reference from the internet so you can see various body shapes like triangle, inverted triangle, rectangular, hourglass, pear, apple, etc. 

Remember that this exercise is merely to observe and know, not judge. Once you have the shape and size down, you can focus more on what kind of dresses will flatter you. 

Here's what shapes will flatter your shape exactly:

Hourglass 

You have balanced upper and lower body sections so the dresses that will flatter you are a-line dresses,  empire waist dresses, sheath gowns, and mermaid dresses. 

Rectangular

This is another perfectly balanced body shape but with the subtraction of curves so what you intend to do here is to add definition to the waist and chest areas. The best type of dresses is a-line, empire waist, and ball gowns. 

Pear

This is a bottom-heavy shape that will benefit from added definition to cheat and shoulders. What you should look for is a-line or ball gowns.  Preferably off-shoulder to enhance your upper body. 

Apple

This is a body shape that is top-heavy so what you need is to enhance your hips and waist. That can be best aided by a-line dresses, empire waist dresses, or ball gowns. The strapless or scooped necklines will be great for this body shape too. 

Oval

This shape is something that lacks definition overall and thus must be balanced in the chest and waist areas. You can do so by going for a-line dresses or empire waist dresses. A neckline that is a deep V or sweetheart will be extremely flattering on this shape too. Halter straps will also be great for this body shape.

Verdict

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Created on Apr 30th 2022 04:02. Viewed 214 times.

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