Chapter 1....
Engagement party attire… finding the perfect dress.
After years of anticipation the moment finally came…
Kneeling down on one knee under the watch of the opera house, harbour bridge and a sea of twinkling stars….
The love of my life asked me to marry him!
A magical night…followed by the joy of sharing the news with all our family and friends….
It felt like a dream until my best friend brought me back to reality when she mentioned organising my said engagement party!
The first thought that ran through my head as a stylist, and as a woman was “what am I going to wear!”.
It is such a big moment in one’s life and like every girl, I wanted to make sure I felt truly special and like the moment was mine and only mine...oops!!! and of course my fiancés…
The pressure I was putting on myself just thinking about the perfect dress caused a few melt downs… okay, okay more than a few! See even stylists have these moments.
But after researching dresses, trying them on, and trying them on again, I did in fact find my perfect dress and learnt a few more stylist things along away.
So, let me share with you my fail-safe tips and tricks to help you find an engagement dress to fall in love with.
#1… Dress to suit the engagement party dress code.
An engagement party is an elegant event and it’s important that you dress the part. Always ensuring that you feel your best while allowing your confidence to shine through on your special day.
In saying this, finding a dress in a day and age where casual style is becoming increasingly favourable for all occasions, it isn’t easy to say the least.
After trying on each dress that I had carefully short listed, I found myself thinking “could I wear sneakers with this?” and more often than not the answer was yes! Which made me question whether the dresses were formal enough for the event. So, to avoid this dilemma, simply think fabric! The weight of a fabric can instantly elevate a dress, adding elegance with ease, perfectly aligned with the mood of the occasion.
Dress to suit…
The occasion…your body shape…colour palette…comfort.
Now you may be thinking “but silk is light-weight and elegant”, however while silk can look exquisite on the right body shape, the fabrics glossy guise and breezy movement that glides over the body can be too sensual for the occasion and thanks to the oh-so-now slip dress, too casual.
Consider the fabric…
Breezy movement or structured.
#2… Know your body shape.
By knowing your unique body shape, it allows you to identify your best features and these are the ones to flaunt. You are then able to scan the internet and stores, narrowing down your dress selection. When searching for an engagement party dress, pay close attention to finer details, as even the smallest design element can have the power to enhance your features.
As I am a lavender my best feature, is my legs, therefore I selected an engagement party dress that gently grazed my mid-thigh. While the length of the dress already highlighted my legs, the vertical stitching that ran from my bust down, further elongated them creating an ultra-flattering silhouette. But remember when show-casing your best feature balance is key! If you are looking for a shorter dress, opt for a higher neck or longer sleeves, or if you are looking for a longer dress, you can bare a little more skin up top.
Correct…
Perfect cut for a lavender as it is cinched in sightly at the waist… creating a more defined waist line.
Incorrect…
This dress falls in a straighter line on the body and the bust line is unflattering due to the built in bra cup design being too low and wide.
*** Are you unsure about your body?.… Have a look at our women’s body shape chart.***
#3… Colour, colour, colour.
While I recommend not having one specific colour in-mind, as you will be searching high and low for months on end, knowing your personal colour palette is definitely an essential!
As I have a light winter colour palette, I look better in icy and deep colours. Pinks in all different tones were catching my eye. After trying on a multitude of pink dresses, it became apparent that the undertone of each dress was not always obvious on the hanger… but was strikingly clear once the fabric touched my skin. So ladies, always try the dress on!
Correct…
A perfect hue for a winter palette… Deep hot pink.
Incorrect…
Not bright enough…. too much warmth.
And last but not least…
#4… Comfort.
It is your night which means you will be running around meeting and greeting, so the last thing you want on your mind is worrying about if your dress is still in place.
When selecting your dress ensure that you can move effortlessly… this may call for some additional alterations but trust me you will thank me later!
So now take a deep breath, relax and memorise these tips before you begin your journey of finding the perfect dress… and remember we are only one email away if you need a stylist’s touch……see our services we would love to be a part of your love story.
Are you wondering which dress I picked?
Pop back next week to see my completed engagement party style. xxx
