Choosing an evening dress

 

Choose a colour that suits your skin tone: 

 

- Dark skin: you can dare to wear the lightest shades in the spectrum: white, yellow, green and pink will suit you well. Brown and black are no-nos as they'll make you fade into the background.

 

- Fair skin: avoid white and yellow which don't enhance porcelain skin. If you're dark-haired, red will look beautiful. Otherwise choose bright enough colours for your colouring. 

 

- Big boobs? Go for square-necked, low-cut dresses with short sleeves that puff at the shoulders to flatter your arms. If you go for a strappy dress, get very thin straps that make your chest look smaller.

- Bit of a tummy? Satin and silk are out, as they show up any lumps and bumps. Go for flared or empire-line dresses. Avoid anything fitted at the waist, which will only make your stomach or love handles stand out. Cheat with a body shaper under your dress or wear a wide belt loose at the front so that the sides hide your round bits. 

 

- No waist? Go for a straight cut with original little spaghetti straps to attract attention to the curves of your bust. Empire lines suit you perfectly, and length (think ankle length) will make you look glam. 

 

- If you’ve got a big bum: straight cuts or empire line dresses in one shade will flatter your derrière. Avoid prints, especially on your bottom half: they'll only draw attention to your behind. Dresses that are low-cut at the back also make your behind look bigger. Wear a long evening jacket with your dress if you're self-conscious.

 

- The smaller your chest, the lower your neckline should be, both front and back.

- Be careful with split skirts. If the split is at the front, make sure that it’s not too sexy or revealing for the occasion! Sit in front of a mirror to check. If it's on the side, go above the knee if you have good legs. If it's a big split, keep it below the knee. If the split is at the back, keep it small for elegance. Pleats at the back of the knee aren't very elegant either.