Talk about Latin dresses in general and we immediately conjure up images of gorgeously daring little creations that leave tantalizingly nothing (well, almost) to the imagination. It is perhaps safe to say that all women, regardless of age, size and yes, even cultural background would love to own at least one body-hugging, fabulously designed Latin dress that screams passion and sensuality.
To get away with wearing one however, a woman needs to understand that when it comes to that little Latin dress, there’s no such thing as “one size fits all”. She needs to seriously consider many factors like style or cut (should it be long or short, classic or daringly modern etc); color (some colors can make you look heavier or skinnier and may not be age-appropriate); fabric (some fabrics cling to the skin and follow every single contour of the body which may not be desirable if there are trouble spots you want to hide); the occasion (is it a dance competition or simply an ultra-formal affair with dancing afterwards); and perhaps most important of all, her body type.
Body Types
There are four (4) general body types, namely:
• Apple – top-heavy, with bust line some 3-4 inches wider than the hips.
V-neck Latin dresses flatter big-busted or apple-shaped women. Avoid straight cut or high necklines. Go for plain colors around the bust line with more colorful and patterned A-line skirts with ruffles or layers to add curves to the lower half of your figure.
• Straight – bust, waist and hips more or less measure the same
No figure is too boyish for a Latin dress with a sweetheart, keyhole or balcony neckline, as well as peplum style to instantly add the illusion of curves. Slightly flared maxi skirts in busy patterns also produce the look of fuller curves.
• Pear – narrow shoulders/small chest with much wider hips
To create the illusion of a bigger bust, a Latin dress with a sweetheart neckline and ruching details at the center will do the trick. Choose floaty skirts worn high on the waist for a slimming effect to the hips.
• Hourglass – approximately equal bust and hip measurements with narrow waist.
A Latin dress that pinch at the mid-section will accentuate your curves as well as scooped or V-necklines. Hourglass-shaped women can get away with almost any cut of skirt, depending on the length and shape of their legs. Fishtail skirts are very popular and sexy.
Other Considerations
Since Latin dresses are typically very revealing, in addition to these basic body shapes, there are other considerations like, “do you have short or long legs”, “do you have a thick or swan-like neck”, “do you have skinny or thick arms”, “flat or full belly” etc.
With the proper cut, print, color and fabric, a woman can accentuate physical assets and minimize if not totally hide certain body parts in order to achieve that particular look she is striving for in her Latin dress. Let’s face it, not all of us can have ballerina figures, but whatever the occasion we can always find just the right Latin dress that will make us feel confident and beautiful, as long as we know what to look for and what to avoid.