Ever since he left school at the age of 15 and began designing personalized dresses, Joseph Ribkoff has been rewriting and re-imagining the lines of trendy, stylish women's wear from North America all the way to Europe.
Joseph Ribkoff dresses are renowned for being versatile, chic, and, above all else, inimitable in every way, which is why so many women from the world over swear by his product line. But if you’ve been struggling to find the perfect outfit for your unique body type, feel free to use this brief article as an introductory guide to understanding your waist and body shape with regards to ascertaining the ideal getup for your silhouette.
The Waist
Determining how dresses fall around your midsection is arguably the most important aspect of choosing the perfect outfit for your body type. So regardless of whether you happen to be searching for floral dresses, party dresses, or cocktail dresses, it’s in your best interest to start in the middle; in other words, look to your waist:
- Empire Waist: Empire dresses are fitted through the bust and they tend to flow below the waistline as opposed to forming a markedly angular shape. As a favorite choice for formal dresses in particular, empire waists are the ideal selection for curvier women who are looking to emphasize the bust and leave everything else to the imagination.
- A-Line Waist: A-Line dresses are known for being fitted to the natural waistline and flaring out gradually towards the hem or edging, which is why they are the preferred choice for party dresses and cocktail dresses in today’s day and age. Due to their relaxed and carefree designs, A-line dresses tend to be very wearable in a myriad of different settings.
- Drop Waist: Harking back to the roaring ‘20s and flapper dresses, the drop waist hangs freely and avoids hugging the body. As such, the drop waist style presents a flawless look for floral dresses and breezy summertime frocks. There are also formal dress options that come with the drop waist construct but these selections tend to fall in the evening or cocktail dress category due to their sexier, free-flowing appearance.
The Shape
The second phase of choosing the ideal dress involves identifying your shape classification and which aspects of your body to highlight:
- Pear: Pear-shaped ladies feature hips that are wider than their shoulders, which is why they have to focus on adding volume to their upper body while simultaneously balancing that voluptuous lower half. Pear-shaped body types should go for A-line waists or drop waists with wider hems, especially when donning formal dresses for high-end events.
- Apple or Wedge: Apple and wedge body types have to highlight those beautiful long legs while concurrently elongating the waist, which is why empire waist or drop waist variants with shorter skirts are the ideal options.
- Hourglass and Athletic: With proportional hips and shoulders accompanied by slim waists, hourglass shapes should opt for body-hugging dresses that hug the figure without revealing too much. So if you’re trying to find the perfect formal dress or cocktail dress, pay attention to contemporary, tight-fitting Joseph Ribkoff dresses that feature lightweight styles and fabrics – accentuate those natural curves!
There you have it! The ultimate beginner’s guide to finding a striking dress for your next outing!
