The Mini Dress Magic
The long and short of it is I love a short dress! I am sure I have said this before, but the older and wider I get, the shorter the dresses get too! And if you follow me on Instagram you may have picked up on a bit of a theme…short, wrap, puff sleeves and cinched waist dresses generally tend to be popping up on my feed quite a bit! The thing is, once I have found what I love and not only what I love, but what well and truly works for me, then I stick with it. Unfortunately it’s not always what we love that works best for our bodies or makes us feel our best, but when you find that the two marry up then go for it and run for the hills!
Before I talk about all the benefits a shorter dress has for me and my particular body shape, I will say that I have a penchant for shorter garments anyhow. I enjoy wearing a short skirt or cut-off shorts. Again, it might be an age thing and I might desperately be trying to hold onto my youth for as long as I possibly can, but short skirts and dress have a youthful, playful vibe and I am all for that.
I love about a short dress and if like me you have big boobs, no waistline to speak of and don’t mind getting your legs out, then this dress or dresses of this silhouette really are for you! Here’s why:
The Anatomy of the Mini Dress
If like me you have big boobs, no waistline to speak of and don’t mind getting your legs out, then the mini wrap dress and many of its variations really is where the magic happens! Here’s what to keep an eye out for when shopping your magical mini dress:
It’s a wrap:
If you’re tummy area isn’t particularly taut, toned, trim or in my case even present, then a wrap dress and generally anything that cinches or accentuates the waist is a win. My waist needs all the help it can get because it took leave after I had Allegra and has just decided it’s not coming back and I have really struggled with this when buying and styling clothes. My waist makes me appear a lot bigger than I actually am and it’s something that I know I must get round to tackling soon, but till then the waist defining wrap dress is a life saver. Let’s not forget how precious that extra fold of material that wraps nicely over that tummy area is! I mean, what more could you really want? Well, there’s lots more actually…
V is for V-Neck
A v-neck is always far more flattering on the bust area if you’re busty than a round or square neck for example. That isn’t to say that I don’t wear round or even square neck tops and dresses, because I certainly do, but the general rule of thumb, which I do always keep in mind, is that a v-neck is more flattering. It helps to make you look less heavy on top, slims you down and opens up the neckline a bit. However, not all v-necks have this power and it really is about making sure the tip of the v ends at the right place on you. My happy place is right in the mid point of my bust. A v- that finishes too high up can have the opposite effect.
If you are ever concerned that a v-neck is too deep or plunging, check the inside of the dress to see how it’s made. Some dresses have an extra fold of material inside, like an inward lapel. I know no tailor would ever advice this, but you can unfold this bit of material outwards and use it as an extension so to speak that you can adjust, pin or tack according to how much cleavage you care to have on show that day.
Puff the Magic Detail
Oooh I am getting good at these sub headings! Puff sleeves for the win right now, thank god! I can’t begin to tell you how helpful I am finding this trend for my non-existent waist line. A voluminous sleeve immediately takes the eyes away from the centre of the dress and draws them to outwards, creating the illusion of a smaller torso and ‘like magic’ a smaller waist! With so many dresses having giant puffy, accentuated sleeves I feel like I can really have the pick of the bunch right now and don’t need to rely on buffet dresses – which although comfortable, can be really hard to make sexy. I love a buffet dress, but I am definitely leaning to something a little more fun and flirty for the summer. Those gorgeous dramatic puff sleeves, combined with a belted or cinched waist dress and…. yep you got it – it’s magical!
Tier it Up!
Oh god – the puns are getting better and better! I apologise. A flippy tiered hem on a short dress not only helps to keep a bit of your modesty, which is a must if you ever happen to be wearing your mini dress when you’re out with children, but it also helps with the magical illusion of contrast and comparison. That flippy tiered hem adds volume, which in contrast to a cinched or tied waist again creates that illusion of a smaller waist. And for the legs, I am sure you have got the gist of how the magic works by now, but that tiered hem will really help to flatter those pins and trim down those thighs!
Final Thoughts:
I by no means believe that women should always opt for clothes that make them look skinny and I don’t even believe that skinny is synonymous with looking or even feeling good. However, I know for myself that accentuating and focusing on what I feel are my good bits makes me feel good. There are all sorts of ways to dress to enhance and flatter our bodies. The more informed we can be about what we like about our bodies and how to enhance those areas, the easier we will find it to accept the bits we don’t love so much and the more confident and better we will feel about wearing our clothes.
Hope you enjoy the edit x
Wearing Palm Print dress and Gucci Sandals Pink dress and strappy kitten heels
