The Worst Formal Dress for Your Body Type

Women come in all shapes and sizes, and so do our prom gowns! One way to decide on a style is to use the process of elimination, getting rid of the styles that would be the worst pick for your body type.

Big bust line. If you are well-endowed on top, you don’t want a style that accentuates your chest area without balancing out the rest of your silhouette. That leaves out tight-topped A-line cuts, clingy slip cuts, and sheath cuts which can put too much emphasis on the top.

Heavy calves and thick ankles. Steer clear of anything short if you are not fond of your calves and ankles, which means giving the boot to short cocktail dresses. The absolute worst choice would be the ballerina gown, which is similar to a ball gown but with a shorter skirt that hits right below the knee.

Petite frame or large frame. Petite frames can get swallowed up by a big, flouncy ball gown while larger frames may end up looking even larger in empire gowns that have a fuller skirt starting right below the bust line.

Pear-shaped or unhappy with overall fitness level. Dresses that stick close to your frame, such as the mermaid, slip and sheath dresses, are going to accentuate every single bump, bulge, curve and groove.

These tips, which come from the SheKnows website, are only general guidelines and may not apply if you happen to try on a style that looks absolutely dazzling. As long as you feel comfortable ad beautiful in your gown, go with your gut instincts and rock the night away!