By Regina Due, Fashion & Beauty Editor-at-Large
If you have an hourglass figure like Christina Hendricks, you’ve got perhaps the most coveted female body shape in the world. Many fashions are designed with this proportioned, curvy figure in mind, so if you continually slip into dresses and think they are made for you, they kind of are. Pretty sweet, right? Right!
Of course, there are some dress styles that will play up your natural assets better than others, and trust this, you’ll want to play them up! An hourglass figure is where a woman’s shoulders and hips are exactly the same size — or really close to it — and her waist is around 8-12 inches smaller. Translation: you’ve got killer curves, and you should know how to use them.
The next time you set out to dress to impress, keep these best styles in mind:
By drawing attention to your natural waist, i.e. the slimmest part of your body, the wrap dress further highlights your natural va-va-voom figure. Your waist will look even slimmer and your body will appear more curvaceous than ever.
This body-hugging dress is made for the hourglass figure. It clings to your hips and shows of your impressive hip-to-waist ratio. To really flaunt your figure, opt for a stunning mermaid dress with off-the-shoulder sleeves. This type of dress will bring the perfect proportions of your upper body into play as well.
A-line dresses admittedly look great on just about every figure, but they look particularly flattering on hourglass types. The skirt of this dress gently skims away from your hips, giving you a flattering full skirt made for movement. If you’re planning to dance the night away, then an A-line dress is perfect for you.
Any dress with ruching is a friend of the hourglass figure. Ruching simple refers to the gathering of fabric on one side of the waist of a dress, and this effect is not only incredibly slimming, but it brings out the best in an hourglass body. This detailing draws the eye in toward the waist and thereby hones in on the smallest part of the torso.
The sheath dress gives your body some love, without clinging on for dear life like a mermaid-style gown. If you want to be able to flaunt your figure and also eat your fill and not bust out of your Spanx, then consider the sheath dress. This style mimics the natural proportioned flow of the hourglass figure and is a classic and beautiful choice if you’re looking for an evening gown.
You’ve got a lot of room to play with your God-given body, so enjoy it and wear one of these hourglass figure-loving dress styles!