Posts Tagged ‘occasion dresses’
The key to looking amazing all of the time is finding the right clothes that compliment your body shape no matter what your size. When you go to a party, you will want to look your best so it really is important to consider your body shape when choosing those all important party and evening dresses. There is that perfect party dress out there for everyone and here are just a few ideas that will help you to find yours.
Pear shaped
Although it is impossible to classify every person into a body shape, it helps to make a decision on the types of clothes that will look best on you, if you can roughly categorise your body shape. Pear shapes tend to have wider hips and thighs. This is probably one of the most common body shapes. A line skirts and dresses work amazingly well for this body shape as they skim over the hips and thighs. Dresses with wide necklines and embellishment or detail on the top half also help to draw attention away from the hips and thighs and balance out the width.
Apple Shaped
Those who tend to put on weight around the waist are usually described as apple shaped. This body type tends to slim arms and legs. Empire line party dresses are probably the best style for apple shapes. It doesn’t matter what length they are and can range from mini to maxi. The high waist means that the fabric skims over the stomach. Apple shapes should always avoid party dresses with sashes, belts or detail around the waist however beautiful the dress.
Hour Glass Shaped
The hour glass shape is defined by a large bust, small waist and larger hips and thighs. Any dresses that highlight the small waist of an hourglass shape will look great. Those with a straight skirt also look great. Always ensure that you have a supportive bra to wear that is not visible under you choice of party dress.
Athletic body shape
Those with an athletic body shape will tend to be muscular and toned with hips and waist in proportion and a smaller bust. Mini dresses look good on this body shape as do halterneck tops. If you want to create a more feminine look try creating curves with puffy skirts and ruffled tops. Flared skirts also look great on this body type.
Petites
Petites should generally follow the rules depending on their body shape. Styles that are particularly good for petites include knee length empire line dresses, fitted tailored dresses and anything with vertical or diagonal stripes or embellished detail. Dresses in one colour are also good for petites and nude shoes tend to make the legs look longer. A pair of heels is a great addition to any party dress but it is particularly useful for petites who can use the extra height. Just be careful though as too high heels can look out of proportion on petites.
Once you have worked out the right style for your body shape all you need to do is find the right dress in just the right colour to compliment your skin, eye and hair colour.
Dress codes for parties and formal occasions are sometimes a little difficult to work out. Which dress is suitable for a ball? What should you wear to a cocktail party and what is formal dress? These days many of the rules and etiquette of such occasions have become a little blurred and you can get away with quite a variety of styles depending on what you feel comfortable in. But there are still some general guidelines for when an invitation to a party or event dictates a specific dress code.
Ball Gowns
If the invitation states that either white tie or formal dress should be worn, then a ball gown or dress would be the correct thing to wear. A ball gown is also traditionally worn for diplomatic receptions, the opera and May or debutante balls. This will usually be a floor length gown. It will often have a full skirt and fitted bodice. Ball gowns also often feature elaborate details like beading and embellishment and luxurious fabrics including satin and taffeta. These days many women will wear a slightly less formal choice for a ball and sometimes even a cocktail or party dress. It does really depend on the occasion though and to absolutely sure, a full skirted formal dress would be the most appropriate and safest choice. Â
Evening Gowns
If the invitation states that the dress code is black tie then evening gowns or evening dresses should be worn. This often applies to weddings and debutante balls.   This is also often described as semi formal dress. An evening gown is usually a long flowing dress but is a little more flexible in style than a ball dress. Evening gowns can include dresses of a variety of different lengths and fullness of skirts.
Cocktail Dresses
If an invitation states cocktail dress, then a shorter and slightly less formal style of dress is considered appropriate. Just to confuse matters, cocktail dress can also sometimes be described as informal. This type of dress is suitable for a variety of business and social events. This type of dress is probably the most flexible of all and almost any sort of dress is suitable but generally some sort of party dress is most commonly worn.
Occasion Dresses
Occasion dresses are usually worn at formal daytime events such as weddings and horse races. They are usually knee length and below and often worn with a hat or fascinator. Occasion dress can also include a skirt and top or suit but is usually quite smart and formal.
If you are unsure of what the dress code is for an event, it is always best to check in advance to avoid wearing something that looks out of place and makes you feel uncomfortable. If you have been invited to an event, you can always check with the hosts what the most suitable type of dress would be. If you are attending a commercial event, you can often check the ticket or website or ring up to check.  These days dress codes are not as rigid as they used to be and you can often even get away with wearing a cocktail dress at a ball but it really does depend and if in doubt, it is always best to follow the traditional rules.
Cannes is yet another red carpet event when we get to check out the beautiful celebrity red carpet dresses which are such great inspiration for both evening dresses and occasion dresses. Cannes is a particularly beautiful setting in France and with all of the big stars of film in one place at once the fashion and style never disappoints. When it comes to extravagant designer dresses, Cannes Film Festival is about as good as it gets.
There were as always some real show stoppers this year including Kate Blanchett in Alexander McQueen for the premiere of Robin Hood. The dress was unusual and daring in true McQueen style. It featured a silver eagle design on a black dress with a white net underskirt that showed underneath. A difficult look to carry off but she did so perfectly with her hair up and accessorised with only stud earrings and a cuff bracelet. Those that want to recreate drama of this red carpet look can do so with a striking and bold monochrome evening dress or gown.
Kate Beckinsdale worth a frothy and frilly Marchesa gown in a pale ice blue with a fitted bodice with lightly draped chiffon strips and just a little diamante embellishment which flared out from mid thigh into a sea of net ruffles. Again ger hair was up and she accessorised with just a simple pair of stud earrings. It seems these red carpet dresses speak for themselves and need very little in the way of extra decoration. These classic and glamourous clip on diamante earrings (pictured above) are the perfect accessory for a stunning red carpet style evening dress.
Some of attendees at Cannes film festival have had plenty of experience in getting their outfits just right. At the opening night of Robin Hood Dame Helen Mirren looked amazing in an elegant black dress which was accessorised with a simple black clutch and sparkling drop earrings. She proved that black is not at all boring and sometimes the simple things in life are the best.
Natalie Imbruglia wore a floor length taupe or brown dress with plenty of sparkling embellishment. The colour of the dress looked just perfect with her brown hair and olive skin tones. Her silver coloured accessories also finished the look off perfectly. To recreate this look try wearing this bronze evening dress accessorised with sparkling silver jewellery.
Salma Hayek wore a beautiful wine red assymetrical dress that was the first siting of a dress from the new Gucci Premiere line. The dress worn by the Mexican actress to the premiere of Robin Hood, was part of a capsule collection made for designer Frida Giannini by French couture ateliers. Little else is known about the collection yet as no details have been released but it goes without saying that it will be made to measure, very expensive and very exclusive.
Whilst you might not get to go along to the Cannes film festival, it is perfectly possible to look red carpet ready what ever events, functions or parties you are attending this summer. Think carefully about which celebrity your colouring is similar too, then look for a dress in a similar colour to their red carpet choice. Accessorise carefully and don’t for get to enjoy yourself.
The key to look stylish for any sort of occasion is partly about choosing the right clothes to suit your body shape. If you are getting dressed up for an important occasion it will probably be really important to you to look your best. You should consider carefully which occasion dresses will look best for your body shape.
Apple Shape – people who tend to put on weight around their tummies are generally described as apple shapes. They tend to have slimmer arms and legs, so occasion wear that makes the most of these features will look amazing. An empire line dress looks really good on apple shapes as it skims over the tummy hiding it. This floral patterned dress has a beautifully draping material. The black band under the bust highlights the slimmest part of the torso for a flattering effect.
Pear shape – the pear shape is probably the most common body shape as most of us tend to put on weight around our hips and thighs. The key to finding a great dress for this shape is avoiding anything that clings around this are and look for detail on the top half or a wide neckline which balance out the wide hips. Look for occasion dresses with a line or straight cut skirts and ruffles or embellishment on the top half. This floral print dress is ideal as the sleeves make the top half appear wider balancing out the hips. The dress also skims over the hips which is much more flattering than a dress which clings.
Athletic Shape -some one with a smaller hips and bust can be defined as athletic. Athletic shaped ladies tend to be quite slim with good body tone. The key to dressing this body shape is usually to try and accentuate curves for a feminine look. Ruffles, belts or colour blocking at the waist will help to create the illusion of curves. This ivory print dress does just the trick with a contrasting colour belt.
Hourglass Shape -larger hips and bust with a small waist define the hourglass shape. Many curvy or hourglass shape girls are self conscious of their curves but they shouldn’t be as this is the most feminine of all the body shapes. The key to dressing this body shape is to add definition and ensure that the waist is defined, otherwise clothes can look shapeless. The contrast of the white belt against the black dress is a great way to define the waist. Black is also a very slimming colour for those who are a little self conscious of their curves. Add some brightly coloured accessories for a bold and fun look.
A bolero or shrug is the perfect cover up for any body shape if the weather is not quite warm enough for bare arms. It is also good for those who prefer to cover their arms up. High heels are also a great way to add height for all body shapes and can also have a slimming effect.
We all love a good wedding. If you have been invited to a wedding this summer you will no doubt be putting quite a bit of thought into which wedding outfit to wear to help your friends or family celebrate their special day. A wedding outfit should usually be fairly formal (depending on where it is held and if the bride and groom have chosen a specific dress code), it should look stylish and smart but not too extravagant as you obviously don’t want to compete with the bride in any way.
There aren’t usually too any rules about what you should wear to a wedding. You can choose a unique and individual outfit that looks great on you and won’t look just the same as everyone else. There is one rule that you should always follow though – you should never wear white to a wedding, unless you are the bride.Â
Usually a knee length or three quarter length occasion dresses  work well. If the wedding includes a religious ceremony, it is well worth considering how appropriate your outfit is. Very short skirts, low cut tops or sometimes bare arms are quite often considered inappropriate wear for places or worship. If you do wear a sleeveless dress you can always add a smart jacket to complete the outfit.
The two most popular wedding outfits for women are a suit or a dress. If you choose to wear a suit, try and stay away from blacks, greys, browns and navy as these tend to look a little like you are going to work. If you must wear one of these colours be sure to accessorise with some bright colours or patterned accessories to make it a bit brighter. Scarves or camisole tops are both a great way of adding colour and don’t forget shoes, handbags, jewellery, hats and fascinators are all good ways of adding colour (although do not wear all of these at once). Suits with patterned, coloured or two tone jackets are all great for weddings as they look a bit more formal than a normal suit. Choose for bold and eyecatching black and white or a more subtle combination or neutral or pastel colours. The colours that you choose to wear should depend on your colouring. Try on different colours to work out which look best on you.
Patterned and floral print dresses are always a great choice for a summer wedding. They are pretty and feminine and will definitely make you stand out in the crowd. If you prefer a really classic and simple look a dress in one colour with some carefully chosen accessories in another contrasting colour will look chic and sophisticated. You could also opt for a bold pattern.
Matching shoes and bag with a wedding outfit can sometimes look a little dated. Instead perhaps opt for two different colours that either compliment or match your outfit. There are plenty of other accessories that you can to really finish off your wedding outfit but don’t add too many, remember less is sometimes more.
A hat is not absolutely essential for a wedding but if you like getting a bit dressed up then why not make the most of the opportunity. There are also all sorts of alternatives to a hat including fascinators, and floral or crystal hair bands or accessories.