Whether it’s your niece’s wedding or your son’s rehearsal dinner dress, all women worry about what to wear for special occasions. Before you begin shopping, you need two key pieces of information: when and where is the celebration taking place. These two factors dictate the appropriate attire for the evening event and will give you a good sense of where to begin. With that in mind, here are some tips on finding the perfect evening gown for your body and age to ensure a memorable celebration!

While dress hunting can be fun, be sure to take your body type into consideration while shopping. Our blog post gives suggestions based on your shape. Say you’re searching for a guest of a wedding dress and you are pear shaped, picking a straight, mermaid gown is probably not your best bet. At the same time, you don’t want to hide your feminine figure behind a shapeless dress. Therefore, search for curve-friendly gowns that accentuate your best features and balance your upper and lower body for the most flattering look. Lace evening gowns are one of our best selling styles for mother of the bride and mother of the groom because the fabric is so flattering.

The color possibilities for evening gowns are endless! So how do you choose the right shade? First, think about your skin tone. Whether you’re fair or dark, you can’t go wrong with any of the universally flattering colors. These include navy blue evening gowns, pink or blush evening gowns, and royal blue evening gowns. If you’re hesitant to experiment with color, a black gown or metallic gold gown is always a safe bet and a good choice for all ages. If you want more of a daring choice, but still want to look elegant, we suggest reading our blog about ‘creative black tie’ here.

Shopping for an evening gown is not something to procrastinate. Whether you are a host or attendee of the formal event, you’ll want to look your very best, so it’s important to set aside enough shopping time. It is also essential to visit different types of stores, including boutiques and department stores, to get a sense of what style and color you are gravitating towards for your evening dress. Once you have a rough idea, add online shopping to your to-do list, allowing you to search hundreds of different designs from the comforts of your home. Once you find THE dress, you’ll know right away!

If you are unsure about a dress, a second (or even a third) opinion can’t hurt. Bring a friend, daughter, or spouse on a shopping excursion if they’ll give you an honest opinion in the dressing room. You can also contact one of our stylists for a complimentary style consultation. Lastly, you don’t want to spend the whole night fidgeting in your dress because it’s uncomfortable to wear. To avoid this issue, pack whatever undergarments you plan on wearing with your gown so you can see how it looks and feels before purchasing the dress. Does it ride up when you walk? Does the material itch your skin? Or does everything seem to be in order? These are important issues to address before the big celebration!