How to Choose Your Evening Dress?

Are you invited to an event, a party, or a cocktail gathering and wondering which evening dress to wear? Would you like to know which style will enhance your figure? What colour should you choose to highlight your best features?

I will help you.

As a fashion enthusiast, I understand how the evening gown is the centrepiece of your gala look. To make a statement in an evening gown, it's essential to choose it carefully.

To assist you with this task that can be quite complex, I present to you this comprehensive guide, offering simple and detailed tips on how to find the dress of your dreams.

There are several factors to consider when choosing your evening dress, including the style of the dress, the colour, the silhouette, and the fabric. Take your time to select an evening gown that enhances your features. If you have any doubts, go for a knee-length, flared dress in a solid colour with a V-neck, which will flatter most body types. To complete your look, don’t forget to carefully choose a lovely pair of heels (either flat or stiletto, depending on your preference), as well as a clutch that matches your dress and simple, elegant jewelry.

Want more details? Keep reading to find out:

• What dress to wear for a very formal, semi-formal, or casual event,
• How to enhance your body shape with an evening dress,
• What colour dress to choose to complement your skin tone, eyes, and hair,
• How to accessorize and select the right shoes to go with it,
• And plenty of dressing examples for all women, regardless of their body shape!

Depending on the Type of Event You Will Attend

No matter the occasion for which you want to wear an evening dress, the first piece of advice I can give you is to try and choose a dress that matches the event you are attending. This way, you’ll feel completely at ease, without worrying about either being overdressed or, conversely, underdressed.

There are certain nuances for specific occasions, but to keep it simple, we can categorize them into three types of occasions:

• Very chic and dressed up: events dedicated to the world of fashion, prestigious weddings, luxury-related cocktails, film events…
• Formal: classic or civil wedding, baptism, professional cocktail events,
• Casual: birthday parties, gatherings with friends.

👉 Make sure to do your research in advance about the potential existence of a theme for a wedding or party, which might involve a specific dress code. For example, for a rustic bohemian wedding with an outdoor civil ceremony, a casual and light dress would be more in line with the event than a formal suit.

For a Stylish and Elegant Event

In this case, choose an outfit that has been carefully selected to showcase your style with elegance. A solid-colour long dress is typically the way to go, or perhaps a designer suit. Consider pairing your dress with chic high-heeled shoes and trendy accessories for a final look that is perfectly suited to the occasion!

For a Formal Event

Depending on your preferences, you can choose between a women's pantsuit, a long or midi dress, or even a flowy jumpsuit. Go for simple patterns, or even something solid in pastel tones or a neutral colour, for a chic and polished look.

👉 If it's a wedding, steer clear of shades of white, cream, and ivory to avoid overshadowing the bride, as well as the colours of the bridesmaids' dresses. If your outfit has a small white detail, though, that's usually not a big deal and shouldn't upset anyone. 😉

For a Simple and Casual Event

For this type of event, you are free to wear an outfit that suits you: feel free to try a nice print, a short dress, or even a flowy jumpsuit. If the atmosphere is casual, you might want to skip the long cocktail dresses mentioned in the section dedicated to formal occasions, as they could make you appear a bit overdressed for the event.

Determining Your Body Type to Choose a Dress That Flatter You

Some evening dresses may look stunning in a store window, but may not fit as well when you try them on. To avoid this disappointment, it's essential to know your body type and use that information to find a dress that truly highlights your best features.

👉 If you’re unsure about your body type, you can always opt for a simple knee-length flared dress with a V-neckline, as it’s a timeless style that flatters most figures.

For an A-shaped body, characterized by generous thighs, hips, and curves

If the widest part of your body is towards the lower half, the best party dress for you is undeniably a flared dress, which flares out from the waist. Opt for soft and flowing fabrics to avoid a tutu effect, which could highlight your curves more than subtly suggest them.

Evening dresses that fall just above the knee will flatter your figure beautifully. You can also experiment with colours by selecting a dress with a lighter top half and a darker bottom half to draw attention to your neckline.

For an O-shaped body type, with some curves around the belly

This body type typically has a wider waist, so it's important to choose an evening dress that visually elongates your torso and doesn't emphasize your curves too much. To achieve this, opt for an empire waist dress, which is fitted just below the bust.

Highlight your best features, specifically your shoulders and neckline: to achieve this, don’t hesitate to choose festive dresses with a tasteful neckline, lace details on the shoulders, or consider pairing your dress with a jacket that has shoulder pads.

👉 Whenever possible, avoid wide prints, ruffles, and fitted dresses, as they are not ideal for highlighting your lovely curves.

For an hourglass or 8-shaped figure with a very feminine silhouette

With this body shape, you can wear just about anything! Consider highlighting your slim waist with a fitted evening dress at this point: it can be form-fitting or looser, depending on your preferences.

👉 To maintain an elegant look, you can choose to either show off your neckline or your legs, but avoid pairing a plunging neckline with a short party dress. 😉

For an H-shaped body, with a slim waist and a tall, slender silhouette

Add thickness and volume (with draping, ruffles...) is an excellent option for women with a slim and elongated silhouette. This will enhance your body's curves and give you a very feminine look. If you're tall, your legs are a true asset: highlight them with a short evening dress!

👉 Avoid straight, long dresses that are too fitted, as they may not be the best choice for flattering your body shape.

For Those With a Smaller Bust

If you have a smaller bust, I recommend avoiding V-neck or heart-shaped necklines, as well as evening gowns designed for more prominent busts. Instead, consider wearing a strapless or round neck style with short sleeves. You can dress it up with details that add volume, such as sequins or a multi-chain necklace...

👉 If you have a smaller bust, you can wear a evening gown with sheer details much more easily. Embrace it!

Choosing the Colour that Enhances Your Eyes, Hair, and Skin Tone

Once you’ve decided on the style and design of your evening gown, the next question is about its colour. In fact, by selecting a party dress that complements certain features of your physique, you can truly enhance your natural complexion and look radiant!

Based on Your Skin Tone

There are two main skin undertones: cool undertones and warm undertones. If you fall into the first category, you tend to blush rather than tan, your veins appear to be more purplish or blue, and silver jewellery looks best on you. On the other hand, if your skin has a warm undertone, it takes on a lovely golden hue in the sun, your veins appear more greenish, and gold jewellery flatters you more than silver.

Here's how to match the colour of your evening dress to your skin tone to enhance your complexion and flatter your figure:

• Cool undertones: pastel shades, elegant, soft, and romantic will suit you best. Opt for light pink, pale blue, lilac, cream beige...
• Warm undertones: bright, colourful, even bold shades are the ones to choose first. Don't hesitate to go for orange, bright red, teal, or even yellow or apple green!

Based on the Colour of Your Eyes

If you often receive compliments on your eyes and they have a striking colour, take advantage of it: you can choose a party dress that matches them for a unique and coordinated look. In this case, also carefully select your makeup to highlight your eyes, as well as your hairstyle to ensure they stand out.

Based on Your Hair Colour

Just like the colour of your eyes, the colour of your hair can also serve as a guide for choosing the colour of your evening gown, especially if your hair is long or medium-length. Here are some tips based on each hair shade:

• Blondes: Pair a green, pale pink, brown, black, or sky blue evening gown with your look.
• Brunettes: They will shine in a coral, cobalt blue, red, or mustard dress.
• Redheads: Bright blue, navy blue, and black will work well, but the ideal choice is a green dress, as it is the complementary colour to red. Go for forest green or khaki green, which will truly highlight your features!
• White/Gray Hair: For those with white or salt-and-pepper hair, opt for pale pink, black, or blue.

How to Accessorize Your Party Dress?

Even though your dress is the main element of your evening outfit, I recommend paying special attention to the choice of shoes and accessories you'll wear with it, as those will complete your look. If the overall ensemble is harmonious and tasteful, the result will be perfect!

Choose Matching and Stylish Shoes

When wearing an evening dress, chic shoes are a must: I highly recommend stiletto heels or strappy high-heeled sandals. If you're not very comfortable in high heels, you can choose sleek, low heels, which will also work well for this type of outfit.

When it comes to the colour of your shoes, I recommend selecting them as follows:

• either monochromatic, matching the colour of your dress to create an ultra-trendy total look,
• or in a shade that complements your handbag or clutch, to contrast with the colour of your dress and balance your silhouette.

What type of bag goes with an evening gown?

To highlight your dress, I recommend a simple, discreet, and elegant clutch. If you don’t want to hold your clutch all day, there are options available with a removable slim strap, which can be quite handy when you need your hands free.

👉 Does your clutch have metallic details? Wear jewellery in a matching tone for a chic look!

I hope this guide has helped you in choosing your evening dress, considering your body shape, the type of event you're attending, and your personal preferences! Also, remember to pay attention to your makeup and hairstyle for a flawless look! 😉

If you're still on the hunt for that perfect gem, feel free to check out our online store: we curateunique and trendy dresses for every occasion! With affordable prices and free shipping, they will be just right to make you the queen of the evening!

Bohemian Long Dress