The homecoming dance is one of the most significant experiences of a young woman’s life. It’s often the first formal event a young woman attends on her own, and as such, every young woman wants to be the belle of the ball.

Homecoming dresses come in all shapes and sizes – and for every type of budget. If you start looking for a homecoming dress with no direction, the massive amounts of options can be overwhelming.

Two of the easiest ways to find the best homecoming dresses are to:

1.   Set a budget
2.   Know your body type and shop for it

Setting a budget for your homecoming dress will automatically narrow down your options – as long as you don’t allow yourself to look beyond the numbers. The options you’re left with can be narrowed down further when you understand how to find the right homecoming dress for your body type. Once your selection meets these two criteria, picking a winner should be pretty straightforward. While we can’t determine your budget for you, we can help you understand which body type you have and which homecoming dresses would suit it best.

Tips to Help You Determine Your Body Type

When we look in the mirror or think about our bodies in our heads, we can often see ourselves differently than we really appear, making it difficult to understand our true body type. If you’ve ever bought an outfit that you thought would look amazing on you and then wore it with confidence only to see a picture of yourself later and wonder, “what was I thinking?!” you know why it’s necessary to figure out your body type before you settle on a dress.

Fortunately, you can stop comparing yourself to various types of fruit and random celebrities to try to understand your body type. There’s a simple formula that you can use to understand the same of your body mathematically, and unlike our subjective minds, the numbers don’t lie.

Take the Following Measurements

Grab a measuring tape and a pen or pencil and note down the following measurements:

• Shoulders – measure around as high as you can reach without slipping off the shoulders
• Bust – measure around your bust at the widest or fullest part of your chest
• Waist – measure around your waist at the smallest part
• Hips – measure around your hips at the fullest or widest part

Body Shapes

Now that you’ve got your measurements, you can use them to determine which body shape you are by considering the following guidelines:

Hourglass – If your shoulders, bust, and hips have similar measurements, but your waist measurement is eight inches or more less than them, you have an hourglass shape.

Triangle – If your shoulder measurement is two inches or more less than your hip measurement, or if your hip measurement is larger than your bust measurement by four inches or more, you have a triangle shape.

Inverted Triangle – If your bust measurement is four inches or more larger than your hip measurement, or if your hip measurement is two inches or more less than your shoulder measurement, you have an inverted triangle shape. 

Rectangle – If your shoulders, bust, and hips have similar measurements and your waist isn’t eight inches or more less than them, you have a rectangle shape.

Circle – If your waist is at least two inches larger than your shoulders, bust, and hips, you have a circle shape.

In addition to your body shape, another super helpful thing to know is whether you’re long-waisted or short-waisted. To determine this, simply face your palms toward you and stack your hands on top of one another. Then, place them under your bust line and see where they reach around your belly button. If your lower hand is resting above your belly button, you’re long-waisted. If your lower hand comes past your belly button or covers it, you’re short-waisted. If your lower hand stops right at your belly button, your waist is proportionate. Pretty cool trick, huh?

Now that you’ve gotten to know yourself a little more intimately, you can start looking for the best dresses for your body type.

The Best Dresses for Different Body Types

Slender bodies are lean, thin, and have long arms and legs. If that sounds like you, look for mermaid sheath dresses or belted dresses with scoop or sweetheart necklines and details like ruffles.

Pear body types have well-defined waists with hips that are broader than the shoulders and bust. If you identify with the pear body type, look for off-the-shoulder or one-shoulder dresses, ball gowns, or empire waist dresses with a V-neck style.

Apple bodies have a wide torso, an undefined waistline, and shoulders that are broader than the hips. If you have an apple body type, look for floor-length or A-line dresses and gowns in dark colors like black, navy, gray, and red. Go for styles with low necklines and ones that create a more defined waistline.

Petite doesn’t necessarily mean skinny. Petite girls measure 5’3” in height or shorter. If you’re petite, look for short homecoming gowns and take advantage of asymmetrical hemlines to create an illusion of length. V-necklines, pleating, and monochromatic tones are some other features that can help you look taller.

Hourglass bodies have well-defined waistlines with shoulders and hips that are roughly equal in size. Look for fitted dresses, wrap dresses, or belted waist dresses that will help show off your curves. V-necks, sweetheart necklines, and open necklines can help balance out the waist.

Busty bodies are pretty easy to recognize with a very full bust that’s larger than average. If you’re a busty girl, look for mermaid dresses, shift dresses, and dresses with open necklines.

Follow the guide above to find the perfect homecoming dress for your body shape and type. When you find a dress that’s made for your body, you’ll feel comfortable and confident. With so many homecoming dresses to choose from online and in stores, you’ll surely find one that makes you look and feel like a superstar.