Summer time is Party time!

You know girls that any special occasion is an excuse to shop for Party Dresses but with so many options out there, which one do you choose?

Whilst any time of the year can be considered party time, the summer is often the most popular as there is generally more happening, and as such you generally get more choice than in winter.

However, this year we’ve got so much choice in party dresses it’s mind bogglingly difficult to pick just one out of what seems like zillions of options, and for most of us we only have one shot at it, so it’s very important to choose correctly.

So what are those options? Most of us will look at a dress and think it’s nice without actually considering how it will look on us, and that’s I’m afraid the first and main error you can possible make, and the root of your very own fashion faux pas. Too many women just don’t think about what they’re wearing and think if it looks good in magazine it’ll look good on me – WRONG!

That said, it’s very easy to make that type of error as most of us have a positive body image, and as such we tend to be a tad optimistic about how we look, yes girls we all live in denial. So, with that in mind you just need to take a step back and actually be true to yourself. That way you’re doing yourself justice and make the best of what you’ve got, not of what you haven’t!

But before you choose anything, I would always recommend that you THINK about the choices you have; you’re in control, you just have to apply the old grey matter, so first off think the Three F’s – Form Follows Function;

This in essence means that you think about the basics of what will work for your body type, before you think about colours, accessories etc…

So recommended tips are to ask yourself, what shape am I really? Boyish, petite, pear-shaped, big hips etc. write them down. Then do some research as to what the best style is for your shape.

So for example, having big hips may be best dealt with in several ways, so you could choose a dress with an empire waist line therefore drawing the eye up and giving the illusion of thinning the hips. Alternatively, you may prefer to show off those womanly curves and choose something like a nice shift style dress, and use a belt not fastened so tightly that it creates a muffin top, but enough to emphasis your curvy waist. Or you could just wear a shoulder padded jacket sympathetically proportioning your upper body with the lower body.

Once you’ve got the function right, you can then start looking at form, this entails looking at the colours and accessories to compliment your natural assets.

So again, look back at your previously made notes about your body shape, take time to think how you can make the best of what you’ve got.

For example, if you’re vertically challenged, look at ways to make you legs longer with a slightly shorter dress perhaps and higher pair of heals and avoid busy prints. Similarly, a leggy woman may choose to wear flatter shoes and a maxi dress to appear smaller.

Also take time to consider the occasion and whether the garment will actually be suitable. From a versatility perspective, you may also want to consider how you might match it in with other items so it can be worn several times, not just the once.

So taking a little time to prepare means that you can nail that look you’ve always wanted, and armed with your research you can then go off to the shops and find that perfect Party Dress; and remember what they say about preparation, failing to plan is planning to fail!

Good luck with your search.