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Are you tired of trying on dresses that just don’t feel right? Whether it’s the fabric pinching your waist or the bust being too tight, an ill-fitting dress can knock your confidence. Your body shape is one of the most important things to consider when shopping for dresses online. Certain silhouettes will complement your natural body shape, helping you find your style identity and balance your proportions, while bringing attention to your best features.
At Zyora, our size-inclusive dress collection focuses on capsule closet staples, from bohemian dresses for a day at the beach to the ultimate little black dress to elevate your workwear. Keep reading below to find the best dress for your body shape with tips and tricks for finding your signature style.
How to Tell Your Body Shape
The first step to finding your body shape type is to measure your bust, waist, and hips. Each body shape type defines whether these measurements are equal or if one part of your body is wider than the others. There are 5 main body types: hourglass, pear, apple, straight, and inverted triangle.
Popular body shapes aren’t designed to be a perfect fit. You’ll want to find the one that best suits your silhouette. When in doubt, prioritize choosing a body shape type that matches your hips, as that is typically your most defining feature. It’s not common for some people to fall into more than one category.
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The Best Dresses for Every Body Shape
We’re breaking down each of the 5 main body types, defining their key features, and spotlighting our favorite outfit ideas by body type. Remember: you might not be a perfect match for one specific type, or you may fall into two categories, so choose the one that you’re closest to visually.
⦁ Hourglass: An hourglass body shape is balanced on top and bottom with a defined waist. If this is your body type, your most flattering dress styles will have a fitted waist, such as a belted dress or a wrap dress.
⦁ Pear: If your hips are wider than your shoulders, you have a pear body shape. Focus on dresses that draw the eye upwards with a structured silhouette, like the statement neckline on our classic little black dress.
⦁ Apple: Apple body shapes have a fuller mid-section with narrower hips. If you fall into this category, curate your closet around empire waistlines and V-neck silhouettes, like our ‘Kikibell’ maxi dress.
⦁ Straight: Body types that have similar measurements on the bust, waist, and hips, but lack definition, are considered ‘straight’. Choose flattering dresses that create the illusion of curves with pleats or ruffles.
⦁ Inverted triangle: You have an ‘inverted triangle’ body shape if your shoulders are wider, and your hips are narrower. To balance your silhouette, you can assemble your capsule wardrobe with V-neck dresses and fit-and-flare styles, but be sure to steer clear of dresses with shoulder pads and thick straps.
Shop Zyora’s Size-Inclusive, Flattering Dresses for All Body Shapes
The first step in investing in a capsule wardrobe is figuring out your body type with the help of this style guide. Are you ready to start shopping for dresses that flatter your body shape? Get 10% off your first Zyora order when you sign up for our newsletter and shop our size-inclusive dresses with free worldwide shipping.


