Simply put, it’s a dress season. Regardless of your lifestyle, a women’s wardrobe is not complete without the odd dress. Unfortunately, a dress is probably the most difficult item to fit on a body unless it’s tailor-made. But having our clothing altered is a good solution and one that you should embrace when it comes to shopping for that perfectly fitting frock. Over the next 4 months, you’ll see stores full of new dress shapes and lengths, along with fresh colours and exciting prints. Day dresses are particularly big which makes a lady-like change to work and casual wear as temperatures start to soar.

You’ll see these new looks:

• Sack or shift – the “it” shape for the season. This ‘70’s inspired style is unstructured, voluminous, and worn just above the knee. It’s loosely cut silhouette is shaped at the shoulder and very comfortable.
• Maxi – ankle-length day dresses are back after falling off the fashion radar for 15 years. This length is best on statuesque inverted triangles who won’t look like they’re drowning in all that fabric.
• Shirt-waister – this A-line or straight silhouette has buttons down the front and is belted at the waist. The top part of this silhouette resembles a shirt which explains it’s name. It’s perfect for pretty pear body types when trapeze in shape.
• Sheath – the return of the form-fitting ’60’s sheath is a prim and proper alternative. Avoid this style unless you are well proportioned. It’s best on racy rectangle or hot hour glass body types.
• Draped – a dress that drapes in the front and/or back through design details like knots, pleats, tucks, gathers and ruching. It’s perfect for adorable apples who need to disguise their midriff. 
• Wrap – Diane von Furstenberg’s ingenious wrap-around creation gained immense popularity last season and continues to do so. It’s the shapely and curvier girls who look best in this style.
• Bubble – this dress balloons out subtly at the hem and makes quite a statement at any occasion.
• Kimono – wide sleeves and obi-inspired waist details make this style exotically fun. 
• Empire – the empire seam (a high-waisted seam that sits directly below the bustline) can either be gathered or straight. The dress resembles a maternity baby-doll style if the seam is gathered, but can look very chic if the seam in straight.

Looking good in a dress is all about wearing the right style for your body type, making sure that it fits you correctly and wearing some sort of heel (even if it’s just an inch). I’ll cover which dresses are best for each body type in more detail as the season progresses. In the meantime, don’t be afraid to try something new – you might fall head over heels in love with this dress trend, just as I have.

The new Sack, Shirt-waister and Kimono dress silhouettes (Nordstrom).