How to Choose a Cocktail Dress

Choosing a Cocktail dress can be a lot of fun! Designers are getting really creative, too. This season is particularly exciting as big circle skirts make a roaring comeback. These flirty, frilly party dresses are flattering to almost any figure. Of course, choosing a cocktail dress can be confusing, particularly if your not built like a model. Here's how to choose a cocktail dress that's right for you.

Cocktail dresses with Halter Top Necklines. Popular and still increasing in popularity, and it's easy to see why. Halter tops flatter the woman who is small on top. The diagonal strap running from bust line to neck divides the shoulders and makes them appear broader. This balances out the figure, making the waist look smaller and the neck more swan-like. And the traditional v-cut décolletage attracts attention to the bust. For this flattering cocktail dress.

Max & Cleo Cocktail Dress

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Cocktail party dresses. If you like romance, this is one of the best trend in cocktail dresses. Big fluffy circle skirts are showing up everywhere. They're fun, and what's even better, flattering to almost everyone. And the patterns this time around are not just for those who like their dresses lacy and frothy. They're also appearing in bold modern prints that will satisfy even the most meek. The party cocktail dresses that have form-fitting tops, full skirts, and clean lines will look the best on petites. However, petites should be cautious of are ones that are extremely girly. If it's white and lacy and laden with pink sweetheart roses, it may make the petite woman look like she's off to her 5th birthday party. Other than that, this is a fabulous style for the petite woman who wants a fun cocktail dress.

A cocktail dress with an asymmetrical hemline. Handkerchief and jagged hemlines are back in fashion with a vengeance. Although these hemlines can look fresh and new, they can also make the legs look shorter. Petites should avoid most mid-calf skirt lengths, and this includes those with asymmetrical hems. The severely jagged skirts break up the line of the leg and make short legs look even shorter. To wear this style, choose instead those hems with less severe jags, where the highest and lowest parts of the hemline are no more than a couple inches apart. Choose hemlines that are miniskirt length or knee-length. Another type of asymmetrical hemline is the diagonal cut, where the skirt is miniskirt length level on one leg and knee-length by the time it hits the other. But be aware that the diagonal line running across your thighs will tend to make them appear larger. Women who are petite on bottom can carry off this hemline.

Cocktail dress with flowing skirts. In chiffon, silk or even fine cotton, flowing fabrics are showing up everywhere this season, particularly in floral prints and sherbet-hued solids. They are fun and ethereal, but exercise good judgment! Empire-waisted baby doll dresses can overwhelm women and make them look like grade-schoolers. Solid color, jagged chiffon skirts can too easily look like ice skating dresses. The more form-fitted, printed chiffons are a great way to enjoy the look without being overwhelmed by yards of fabric.

Cocktail dresses with belts, particularly wide ribbon, are a great way to add sharp detailing to a simple dress. The empire waist belts are flattering to women who are petite on top. Their sixties vibe can be quite chic on the dresses of today. Waist-level ribbon belts define the top from the skirt and are most flattering to women with small waists. But remember that in either case, a horizontal line across the dress will break up the elongated line of the body. To avoid this, look for belts that are close in color or tone to the dress. Or, consider changing the belt that comes with the dress to a ribbon of a different color. If you like the ribbon belt look but your dress is beltless, you can even add a ribbon of your own choosing to a new or an old dress.

Cocktail dress with added pieces of fabric. Loose strips of fabric and ribbon have been appearing all over cocktail dresses this season, hanging from the waist, shoulders, or décolletage. Petites should be cautious with this trend. Although petite women can add bulk without looking heavier, they can also easily be overshadowed by particularly ornate clothing. So stay away from the bulky curtain pulls hanging from the bust. Instead look for the versions that use small wisps of chiffon or slender ribbons to create the same effect.

Cocktail sheath dress. If the full circle skirt is not quite you, you're still in luck, because sheaths are going strong this spring. The hottest ones are textured or brocaded, halter top or strapless. Textured, solid color dresses can be highly flattering to the petite woman, as they elongate while still adding interest.

Cocktail dress with mixed textures. This is one of the biggest trends everywhere in the design industry. It is a new way to add interest while keeping the clean, unified look of a solid color. Detailed embroidery, beading, and metallic threads are adorning cocktail dresses of all shapes. A frock can still have simple clean flattering lines but be made more interesting with decorative beading, or with the subtle shimmer of touches of golden thread. Designers are also creating stunning dresses by mixing fabrics that are all the same color. This is a great way to keep the flattering solid color while still having interest in the dress.