The Elm Student Newspaper
Dressing to Impress: Summer Dresses
Volume 80, Issue 25
May 1, 2009
By Emily Perry
Elm Staff Writer
Every girl wants to be able to have those flirty days during the summer when you just wake up and feel like throwing on a dress just for the heck of it. With all the choices out there today, how on earth can you not find something that will look great on you? Of course we all have our flaws, but that’s why you have this article! It will make dress shopping a snap!
Let’s start from the top! For those of us who are a bit busty, we need to look for dresses with complimentary necklines, such as a v-neck or a square neck. You also might want to look for a nice wrap style in a jersey fabric or other light fabrics that aren’t too clingy or thick. Make sure you stay away from elaborate necklines, mid-sections, or blouson styles which tend to be too loose, giving you no shape at all, and accentuating your hefty bust.
On the flip side of things, those of us with smaller busts should look for things such as ornate and full tops. Empire waists are also a good way to accentuate the bust area. A good way to create the illusion of a more substantial upper body is the cap sleeve.
As we move down the body, our next stop is the thick waist. For those of us who deal with a fuller tummy we have a few options to conceal it. One, we can raise the waistline by using an empire waist dress where the fabric flows down the body and hides that tummy. Two, we can drop the waist, using a drop waist dress that will accentuate right below the stomach, creating the illusion that your hips are your waist. And our third option is to eliminate the stomach all together. A shift dress, or a tunic dress works perfectly for this, especially with a bold print. The fabric will skim the body without defining an actual waist line.
Our last stop on the Body-Faux-Pas Train is the larger bottom. For those of us who pack a lot of junk in the trunk, we want to look for fuller skirts, which skim over the bottom half of our bodies while still showing off our waists. Another accent that flatters bottom-heavy figures are strapless silhouettes. As long as your upper body is somewhat toned, this style tends to flatter the bottom heavy beauties.
What about those of us who are just voluptuous all the way around? Never fear! I haven’t forgotten about you! If you are a voluptuous vixen you should look for a nice sleeveless dress that hits at about the knees, so while you’re showing some skin, you can enjoy these flattering capabilities. And for those of us who are on the smaller side all the way around, look for a full skirt and a bold print. This will give your dress more volume, hence creating more curves. Another way to add more volume is to look for a gathered waist, layers of fabric, and ruffles. Be bold and your curves will be too!
Now we’re ready for those flirty and festive days that the summer has in store! Happy Summer!