Every girl needs a party dress in her wardrobe and there are plenty of styles to peruse, from flapper inspired beaded delights to swinging sixties style creations.

Party dresses come in a whole host of colours, fabrics, lengths and cuts. You can choose from classic shapes and styles or more modern trends, depending on the occasion and the look you want to create.

Dress for your body shape

Whatever your party dress preference, dressing to suit your body shape is one of the easiest ways to ensure you look great, no matter what. It’s easy once you know how; once you learn about the shape of your body and how you can dress to flatter it, you can’t go wrong when it comes to choosing a specific style.

Bit hippy?

Bold prints have been popular on the catwalk recently and work well on svelte-hipped girls who want to create curves.

Stretch yourself a little

If you want to channel a nautical look then it’s handy to know that vertical stripes are slimming on everyone but especially good for petite women who want to appear a little taller.  Horizontal stripes are ideal for tall women as they draw the eye across the body instead of upwards like vertical stripes tend to do.

Curve your enthusiasm

Tulip shaped skirts also help to create the illusion of curves as they cinch in your waist and add volume to hips. If you want to add volume on your top half then you can use ruffles to create the illusion of cleavage.

Shapely attire

Angular, boyish body shapes can be softened with necklines that add interest to your chest area.  Add some curvaceous va-va-voom with the help of a dress which has a flared skirt.

If you have an hourglass figure, where your shoulders and hips are equally broad and your waist goes in at the centre, most styles will suit you. A v-neck dress will flatter your chest and make the most of your best assets.

Pear shapes look great in party dresses which have puffball sleeves, a halter neck, sweetheart neckline or shoulder pads. Avoid detailing on the lower half of the dress to create the ideal silhouette.

A classic strapless dress is another wardrobe staple for hourglass figures and is suitable for all sorts of parties.

The opposite rules apply to top heavy ladies. Anything which adds bulk to the upper half should be avoided and party dresses with thin spaghetti straps can be used to make the shoulders look smaller. The bottom half of the dress should have a volume

Anyone with an apple shape will be striving to accentuate their waist. Do this by broadening your hips and shoulders. Dresses with a tulip or puffball shaped skirt help to build shape up around the bottom.

Apple shapes should aim for halter neck dresses and boleros or shrugs can be used if you want to cover up a little. An empire line dress is absolutely ideal for apple shaped ladies as this style accentuates the body’s smallest point.

Last but not least, accessories add finishing touches to all kinds of women’s dresses.

Jennifer is a part of the digital blogging team at shoutingindigital.com who work with a growing number of retail brands. For more information about me, or to keep up to date with the latest in retail news, check out my posts at shoutingindigital.com or visit my Twitter account, @shoutingID.