How to Find the Perfect Prom Dress for Your Body Type

Teens are spending more and more money on prom each year. In fact, the average family spends over $900 on prom, and most of that goes towards the dress.

Finding the perfect dress for prom is a big deal. For many young girls, it’s one of the biggest nights they’ve had so far in their lives. They’re not only commemorating the end of high school, but also the end of an era, so to speak.

So, yeah, there’s a lot of investment in finding the right dress, both in terms of money and time spent looking for it.

If you find yourself having difficulties finding the right one, then it’s probably because you’re not searching to fit your body type.

Here’s how to find the perfect prom dress for your body type to ensure you look fabulous on your big night out.

Get to Know Your Body Type

Shopping for your specific body type is one of the biggest advents in fashion that’s occurred over the past few years. Before, it was all about finding the hottest new dress and making yourself fit into it.

Now, people are wiser and they know that you’re going to look best in something that fits your specific body type.

Generally, young women fall into six different categories when it comes to body type:

• Petite
• Tall
• Rectangular
• Curvy
• Triangle
• Inverted Triangle

Petite women are under 5’3” and tall women are typically above 5’6”. This is a pretty small range, so you might not be able to classify your body type solely based on height.

However, if you’re particularly petite or particularly tall, then it’s going to affect the types of prom dresses you’re going to look for. We’ll get into that in a bit.

Women with a rectangular shaped body have similar measurements for their bust, waist, and hips. You’re not particularly curvy in any area of your body.

On the contrary, curvy women have very small waists and tend to have larger breasts that accentuate the curves of their bodies.

If you a fuller lower body, wide hips, and a smaller bust, then you likely have a triangle body shape. An inverted triangle body shape is the exact opposite. These women have larger busts and very thing legs.

It’s important to note that you probably don’t fall into one body type category perfectly.

However, if you can get to know the basic shape of your body it will help you find the best prom dresses for your body type and then make slight alterations to one of them to fit you perfectly.

How to Find the Perfect Prom Dress by Body Type

Do you think you’ve figured out which body type you have? Great! Shopping for the right prom dress is going to be so much easier now that you know what kind of body you’re trying to dress.

When it comes to prom dresses and body types, what you’re really looking for is a dress that’s going to accentuate your natural features or enhance weaker features that you want to make look better.

This means that if you’re curvy, the dress will accentuate your curves. Or, if you’re naturally small-waisted, then you’re going to look for a dress that helps enhance the look of your waist to draw it in.

Here’s how to find the perfect prom dresses for your specific body type.

Prom Dresses for Petite Bodies

As a petite girl, chances are that you’re small all around, not just short. This means that your entire frame is small and that you’re going to need to make yourself look taller.

Showing a little bit of side leg can help elongate your frame, and it compliments petite women as it doesn’t make them look incredibly tall or overpowering.

High-low dresses work great for petite girls as it allows them to show off their legs in the front while still enjoying a flowing, elegant dress in the back.

Or, you can opt for a cocktail dress with a v-neckline or some kind of vertical print. These will help lengthen your frame and they tend to look flattering on petite women.

Prom Dresses for Tall Bodies

Young women who are tall tend to shy away from making themselves look even taller. They usually opt for dresses and postures that make them look smaller, which is totally the opposite of what they should be doing!

When searching for your prom dress, you need to embrace your frame! Try on dresses that show off your body’s length and compliment your figure.

Long ball gowns work great on tall bodies, as do form-fitting maxi dresses, which fashion experts expect are going to be hot for prom dresses 2020.

Graphic patterns will look great on your frame, and two-piece dresses that allow the bottom skirt to have a really high waistline will help you look extra elegant.

Prom Dresses for Rectangular Bodies

If you have a rectangular body type, then your biggest goal is going to be to add dimension to your frame.

Because you have similar measurements all around your body, it’s really about figuring out how to add curves and flair to your shoulders, chest, and waist.

Look for prom dresses that feature a one-shoulder neckline or a high slit. These are great ways to add dimension to your look and show off a bit of skin.

If you have a particularly rectangular waistline then you might need help defining your shape. If this is the case, then you can look for a dress with an empire waist or opt for a trumpet skirt.

Flowing, layered dresses are also going to help add dimension to your body and create the illusion of more curves.

Prom Dresses for Curvy Bodies

If you have a curvy body, then you’re going to want to look for a prom dress that really works to accentuate all of your natural features.

Fitted dresses with well-defined waits are going to help show off your curvy waistline and natural body shape.

Cinched waistlines or waistlines with decorations are great if you’re looking for something really well-defined.

You’ll also want to ensure that the top fits you properly. Open necklines work great here as they ensure that all the attention is down at your waist and not up near your neck.

If you need to, it’s really worth sending your dress to get altered to ensure that it fits properly around your waist and your bust.

Prom Dresses for Triangle Bodies

With a triangle body shape, your goal is going to be to even out your body’s frame and silhouette. Because you have a stronger or fuller lower body, the goal with a prom dress is to find one that draws the attention up towards your neck.

Flowy off-the-shoulder prom dresses work great for this body type as they draw the eye upwards and off of your legs and hips.

Or, opt for a style that cascades down over your waistline to accentuate your natural frame.

A-line silhouettes, strapless dresses, and embellished necklines are all styles to look for if you have a triangle body shape.

If you can’t find the right dress with an embellished neckline, then spice up a normal dress with some flashy, chunky necklaces.

Prom Dresses for Inverted Triangle Bodies

As a woman with an inverted triangle body, it’s likely that you have larger breasts and very thin legs. If this is the case, then when you’re looking for a prom dress, try to try on ones that have very flowy bottoms.

Because your bust is larger, you’re going to want to accentuate that with a fitted top while evening out your frame’s look with a fuller skirt at the bottom.

Adding definition to your waist is important as it’s going to help you pull in your waistline to help accentuate both your bust and your lower body.

Look for a mermaid or trumpet gown to accentuate your natural frame as these two styles look especially great on your body type.

Making Alterations to Your Prom Dress

Learning how to find the perfect prom dress depends a lot on learning more about your body type.

Take time out to head to a professional seamstress. They’ll be able to measure your body in all of the necessary areas to give you a good idea of your actual body type, not the one you think you have.

With this in mind, it will be easier to shop for a prom dress in a way that helps you save time and money. However, try not to focus on finding the perfect dress.

If a dress fits you in the right places and you feel beautiful in it, then it’s okay to have to make alterations to it! It’s rare that you’re going to find a dress that fits your body type perfectly, as we’re all very different.

Enjoyed this article? Take a look at at our clothing and accessories section for more fashion tips and ideas to help you design your prom 2020 look.