Finding perfect women’s boutique dresses is not the easiest task ever, especially if you are trying to keep up with the never-ending ebb and flow of the fashion world. However, the first step in any shopping excursion is to know what styles compliment your body type. When dressing for a formal event, every lady wants to look her best, and the easiest way to do this is to find the dress that shows off everything you want to, but hides anything you don’t.

No matter what your body type, there is the perfect style out there to best compliment your features. You just have to be aware of what styles to be on the lookout for.

Women with an apple-shaped figure (shoulders wider than hips, typically with a large bust) should look for a dress with a draped or even a blouse on top, with a more fitted skirt to give the illusion of curves to the smaller, slimmer parts of your body.

Those with a straighter, rectangular body (little difference between hips and waist) should look for a formal dress with an empire waist, for the visual effect of creating a waist line and accentuating the bust. Also, look for skirts that are light and flowing to allow the effect of rounder hips.

Pear-shaped women (hips wider than shoulders, usually with rounder thighs) ought to seek out a dress that has a more fitted top that accents the bust line, with a skirt that falls straight from the hip, therefore minimizing the roundness of the hips and thighs.

Women with the classic hour-glass figure, with proportional upper and lower halves (curvy with a defined waist) benefit from V-neck, structured tops and A-line skirts that flow away from the body.

Follow these guidelines and finding formal dresses for women will be a snap.

No other formal dresses are as important as the little black dress. Prior to 1920, black was primarily used for mourning when women were expected to wear black for expended periods of time. During the Victorian and Edward ages, women wore black for two years. Only during the later part of her mourning was she allowed to introduce neutral colors in the form of accessories. Even in todays age, black is still the preferred mourning color.

It wasn’t until 1926 that a French designer by the name of Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel introduced black formal dresses. It was a short black dress, calf-length, straight with only few diagonal lines. A picture of the dress was published in Vogue and the magazine heralded that it would become a dress to transgress all boundaries. It would become the must have dress of all women of all shapes and sizes. The one formal dress you must have in your closet.

The little black dress continued to gain in popularity as Hollywood relied on using the formal dresses because other colors appeared distorted in Technicolor. During the 1950s the dangerous women of Hollywood were seen wearing the little black dress. They appeared risqué, sexy and scandalous when compared to the more vibrant wholesome colors worn by less scandalous characters. With the availability of synthetic fibers the little black dress became more affordable. One could even say it’s a cheap formal dress.

Formal dresses certainly changed as women’s views of themselves shifted. The little black dress became longer or shorter or took a back step to more skirts and pants. Despite fashion’s many changes, the black dress continues to be considered a very important part of a women’s closet. It is considered by many as the only formal dress to have, the only dress that can be used day or night. It is meant to be the dress that will never appear dated, the formal dresses that will always maintain its elegance.