What style if dress if you are square shaped?

[SarfEasticatedMumma]

I am slim when viewed from the side but broad shouldered and square when viewed from the front. What kind of style should I go for, for a winter wedding? Have ordered a sparkly gold knitted dress from Boden but it makes me look very broad. What style should o be looking for?

[SarfEasticatedMumma]

It's Boden Milano dress but in a gold sparkly beige

[FauxFox]

I think you need to add shapes to balance your shape so scoop neck (enhance bust/balance shoulders) Skater or A-Line skirt (emphasise waist) should work. There are also panelled colour block dresses that create an illusion of an hourglass figure.

I think the one you have has probably got too high a neckline and the skirt cuts at an unflattering length on the knee in the photo I saw. It's also a very unforgiving all over pale colour that probably isn't helping.

[FauxFox]

Try putting a dark coloured belt on and see if that changes the look?

[SarfEasticatedMumma]

Maybe I should have gone for the colored versions - the gold one was cheaper!

Belt's a good idea though...

[SarfEasticatedMumma]

Have found a photo

Should I wear it with black tights beige heels as the model has? I have those already.

[Sammasati]

I wouldn't wear black tights, nude micro fishnet ones would look better I think. A chocolate pasmina/shawl over the shoulders should round them off nicely.

[Sammasati]

Yy to belt, chocolate brown to go with the pashmina, would look really lovely. If not chocolate brown then try to find belt and pashmina in the same colour.

[CointreauVersial]

If you are square you probably you don't have much of a waist, so a belt won't necessarily look good

Have a look at the Inside Out Style blog - it's a bit cheesy American but she does some brilliant posts on dressing for your particular body shape.

[SarfEasticatedMumma]

No I don't have much of a waist (sobs). I am slightly concerned that the dress is very similar to the colour of my hair (sandy coloured, not sparkly) so with flesh coloured micro fishnets I may look all one colour? possibly?
Is there a contrasting colour for beige (turquoise?) I have a turquoise pashmina....

[SitsOnFence]

I'm square

Skater dresses, belts and dresses with peplum detail all look awful on me. Shift style, drop waist and fitted around and under bust then floaty dresses all make me look all waify loveliness though.

[SarfEasticatedMumma]

Waify loveliness you say... tell me more!

After looking at that blog, I may actually be an apple as I have broad shoulders - I'm making myself sound gorgeous I know!

[SitsOnFence]

I think a square is basically a thin apple. I'm fairly sure that if we put on weight we turn into them...

I find most boden dresses have a too-low waist or too much waist bulk. Try White Stuff for dresses that fit under the bust then flair. This sort of shape here

Or floaty and sort of shapeless in a skims-the-body way like this shape

If you are small busted you'll have more options (don't have to worry about being fitted under the bust so much).

[SitsOnFence]

It's very trial and error, but when you get it right all people see is thin arms, thin legs, narrow hips and big but perky with hidden scaffolding boobs (this is why dresses need to fit under them). The waist (or lack of) is less noticeable.

[tidalwaveover]

I'm the same shape and just bought this for a wedding. It's a lot nicer on than it looks in the pics and gives a really lovely defined looking waist.

Probably no good for a winter wedding but the shape is something to look out for.

[tidalwaveover]

That Boden dress would look beyond hideous on me, totally the wrong shape. I think dresses like that suit bottom heavy girls with lovely delicate top halves.

[SarfEasticatedMumma]

Not ones that are beginning to resemble a prop forward then? Damn.

Can't see your link Tidal

[tidalwaveover]

www.coast-stores.com/lilianna-print-dress/sale-dresses/coast/fcp-product/1454098?locale=en this shape sarf.

I feel your pain!

[tidalwaveover]

Oh, and they might have lovely delicate top halves but at least we have shapely legs and normal sized arses ;)

[neolara]

I am a square shape. I did one of those style days and was told not to wear dresses with defined waistlines as I would just be drawing attention to something that wasn't there. Generally, this was a good tip.

[SarfEasticatedMumma]

bugger, better send it back then! Empire line here we come...

Thanks for the support group ladies xx

[Kennington]

I am square and wear skinnies and big slouchy tops
Seems to work ok
But like you I cannot find a good dress shape

[RandomMess]

I'm this sort of shape too.

Shift dresses and slight A-line dresses work best on me.

Most important - no pleat/gathering at the top of the sleeves and get the correct length for you. My legs are an asset so I wear my dresses short. Also neck lines, cowls or deep Vs often look particularly good.

No belts, no skater dresses, no tea dresses, no skirts with waist pleats.

[tidalwaveover]

I have this which I wore to a winter wedding, it was v flattering. More in the floaty, skimmy camp mentioned above www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/271772910973?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&rlsatarget=&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

[SitsOnFence]

I know her name is practically verboten on here, but I've noticed that Katie Hopkins is a skinny square shape. If you google 'Katie Hopkins dress' there are loads of dress shapes that will flatter.

I also remember reading that Angelina Jolie is a very skinny square, but I think when you get to a certain level of skinniness the rule book goes out the window!

I'm off shopping for some more summer clothes today, so wish me luck (I hate shopping!)

[RandomMess]

Yep tidalwaveover that would certainly suit my shape very well indeed.