Prom season is exciting, and choosing the right styles of dresses is critical to make you stand out. If you have the rectangle shape, you should especially pay attention to the types of dresses, because the right types can create the illusion of more curves for your straight up and down body shape. In this detailed guide, we’ll take a deep dive to help you understand your unique body features and what are the best types of dresses for your prom!
Characteristics
- Little to almost no waist definition – Due to the similar width that your waist and hips share, the supposed indented curve on the sides of your hips isn’t too noticeable.
- Symmetrical shoulder, waist, and hip line – The main reason behind the fact that your body shape is called a “rectangle” is because there’s very close similarity in the measurements of your shoulders, waist, and hips.
- Toned, athletic figure – your muscles are well-toned and you’ve got slender arms and legs in general.
- Flat or less pronounced bum – Rectangle shapes usually don’t have much volume and structure in their lower half, which results in the appearance of flatter buttocks.
- Balanced weight gain all throughout the body – You don’t carry excess weight in specific areas but instead, have it evenly distributed in your body.
- Bust size can be small or big – A rectangle-shaped woman’s bust size can vary for every individual.
Sparkly Mermaid Dresses
Sparkly dresses are always super fancy and very much appropriate for night events such as prom night! For you rectangle beauties out there, you’ll love its glimmering charm along with the sexy, flattering silhouette of a mermaid dress.
One of the main goals of choosing a prom dress for a rectangle-shaped girl is to choose a dress that adds definition and dimension to your straight and angular figure – something a mermaid dress exceptionally does! The mermaid silhouette is particularly well-suited for your body figure because it accentuates the curves of your lower body while also providing a snug cinch at the waist.
Additionally, the fitted bodice of the dress helps beautifully emphasize the shape and size of your bust, which is also beneficial in terms of achieving a balanced top-half appearance. As the dress gracefully extends downward, it gently flares out around the hips and thighs resulting in the illusion of fuller hips and a more defined waistline.
Tulle Fit and Flare Dresses
The fit and flare silhouette, in tandem with tulle fabric, provides a versatile canvas for an array of fancy embellishments to grace your prom dress! Sequins, lace accents, or other ornate elements, can further elevate the overall aesthetic of your prom look and draw attention to areas where your best assets are!
Tulle, with its feather-light and translucent texture, introduces an element of romance to your look and it also visually softens the angles of your angular body to create a more feminine silhouette and illusion of curves. Meanwhile, the fit and flare silhouette is a very universally flattering shape that brings definition to the waist and better depth to your overall look!
Velvet V-Neck Dresses
Velvet not only overflows with a luxurious aesthetic but also visually elongates the figure by creating a continuous vertical line that balances your body from top to bottom. Its flowy texture drapes flawlessly and the way it reflects light can also help create dimensional curves to give your figure more shape.
This figure-sculpting effect can be further enhanced with the help of a V-neck as this neckline cut helps create the illusion of curves by drawing attention to the bust and directing the eyes to the center of your body. This visual redirection balances your proportions in a way that leads the eyes to think that you’ve got a narrower and more defined waistline.
In addition to this, the V-neckline also draws the eyes upwards which can also give you the illusion of broader, more round-edged shoulders.
Satin Sweetheart Neck Dresses
Choosing the right dress for prom night is not always an easy decision, especially when you’re dealing with a tricky body shape such as a rectangle figure that has very few natural curves. So as the goal is to enhance the presence of curves in your angular figure, a curvy neckline such as the sweetheart neck should be super helpful for you.
The sweetheart neckline creates the illusion of curves thanks to the gentle dip in the center of the neckline draws attention to the décolletage. This adds a touch of femininity and softness to your overall look and is a very effective way to break up the angular straight lines you have in your frame.
In addition to the flattering visual silhouette that the sweetheart neckline gives, the luxurious sheen of satin fabric also enhances the elegance of your prom ensemble! Satin has a smooth, glossy surface that gorgeously reflects light to give your dress a sophisticated and refined appearance, especially under the gleaming night lights.
Backless Halter Dresses
The exposed back of the dress creates a focal point that’s not just extremely sexy to look at, but also very beneficial in terms of giving your angular body shape more depth. It accentuates the natural grace and elegance of your upper body while also effectively breaking up the straight lines of the torso to add definition and dimension to your overall look.
Also, the halter neckline can be particularly helpful because it emphasizes the shoulders and upper back, which are often the most prominent and shapely areas for your athletic rectangle body. It also provides additional support to ensure security and comfort throughout the night!
The silhouette of a backless halter dress also lends itself to a sense of understated glamour, which is why it’s really something you should consider wearing to your prom as a rectangle-shaped beauty! It hugs the body in a way that highlights your feminine curves while the elongated lines of the halter neckline and the exposed back make it elegant and sultry.
Flowy A-Line Dresses
Going for an A-line dress silhouette can be your safe (almost foolproof!) fashion option when it comes to choosing a prom dress. The classic structure of a flowy A-Line dress gently flares out from the waist down to the hem this particular design helps visually create the illusion of curves by adding volume to the lower half of the body and giving the appearance of a more defined waistline.
Also, because your rectangular body shape tends to have a straighter silhouette, the A-Line dress will effectively balance out your proportions by adding volume to the hips and creating a curvier figure similar to the hourglass shape. Apart from the style benefits of the A-Line design, going for a flowy fabric for your prom dress will be both comfortable and visually flattering for your figure.
Flowy fabrics such as soft chiffon, satin, or silk, can create a sense of motion that comes with your every move. This sense of movement will break the straightness or monotony in your rectangle figure and make you look more voluptuous.
Dresses with a Beaded Bodice
Going for intricate beadwork on the bodice can be a very photogenic fashion choice for a prom dress because it can catch and reflect light, creating a stunning visual effect both in actual and in photographs! In addition to having memorable prom photos thanks to your gorgeous dress, the added dimension from the intricate beadwork can also level up the shape of your body.
The beaded bodice adds texture and visual charm to the upper part of your body, which draws attention to the bust and waist, and creates the illusion of curves for your angular figure. The intricate beadwork on the bodice will lead the eye upwards, therefore highlighting your shoulders, neck, and bust area to achieve balance in the proportions of your figure.
Soft Chiffon Empire Dresses
The empire dress is a remarkably suitable prom dress style for girls like you who flaunt a rectangular body shape. First worth mentioning is the defining feature of an empire dress, which is its raised waistline that sits just below your bust.
This elevated waist gives your frame the illusion of a higher and more defined waist, effectively adding an element of curves to your rather straight figure. As you draw the gaze to the upper torso and create a natural-looking midsection definition, the empire dress imparts a sense of femininity and elegance to your overall prom ensemble.
Additionally, the flowing skirt of the empire dress made from soft chiffon, extends downward from the empire waistline making another key element that complements your rectangle shape. The skirt gracefully drapes over the hips and falls in loose, gentle folds, adding volume and softness to your lower half.
Puff Sleeve Dresses
Looking too flat and straight is always an annoying struggle for rectangle body shapes and the sameness in the width of your shoulders, waist, and hips can look too mundane. So to create a visual break to balance your proportions, wearing a prom dress that comes in puff sleeves can give you a more dimensional upper half.
Puff sleeves effectively add volume and structure to the edges of your shoulders, which can help create the illusion of a prominent upper body. This naturally balances out the proportions of your straighter silhouette and therefore gives a nice size contrast between your upper half and waistline.
This size contrast makes your waistline look narrower than your shoulders, mimicking the appearance of a more defined waist. Meanwhile, the added volume promotes dimension and curves to your torso for a more feminine and shapely silhouette.
Sultry One-Shoulder Dresses
One of the best ways to distract the eyes from the straightness of your rectangle body shape is to go for a one-shoulder dress for your frame! The asymmetrical design of a one-shoulder dress will immediately draw attention to your upper body and create certain focal points in your upper half to break up the straight lines in your body.
The diagonal neckline of a one-shoulder dress can also elevate the look and depth of your upper half which can also help balance out your proportions and give you a more pronounced shoulder line. The way the neckline slopes down also adds a dynamic and flattering angle to your overall silhouette and therefore creates a visually captivating effect for your prom ensemble!
In addition to its unflattering silhouette, bodycon dresses can sometimes be less comfortable to wear for extended periods because of their very snug fit. This is especially applicable during a prom event where you’ll likely be moving, dancing, and socializing.
Avoid Bodycon Dresses
Bodycon dresses are specifically designed to tightly hug your body so this can exaggerate the straight lines in your figure, which is one of your rectangle body shape’s main characteristics. They do not typically add volume or create the illusion of curves, which should be a key consideration for your figure.
Avoid Extreme Fabric Flounces
Sometimes, because of the fact that rectangle body shapes seem to lack curves and dimension, some would resort to dresses that have very dramatic fabric details such as cascading ruffles or huge fabric flounces. While this may seem like a reasonable way to add volume to your frame, this can totally overwhelm your natural features.
The goal is to add a decent amount of volume just to distract the eyes from the angular lines of your body. Going for extreme fabric details will overpower your athletic features and even drown your overall shape.
