Best dresses for Body type Bs

Let´s remember first the ideal for Body type Bs:

To make their waist the focal point and keep their body line long.

The way to achieve Body Type Bs ideal is...

• Choosing monochromatic and tonal colour combinations.
• With silhouettes that highlight their waist, worn at knee length,  among others.
• Going for soft fabrics with drape that skim over their curves.
• Avoiding hiding their natural contours.

With that in mind... What are Body type B's best dresses?

SHEATH OR SHIFT. These dresses are perfect for work, a no-nonsense style that is a perfect canvas for interesting accessories.

Best dresses for Body type B: Sheath dress by Caroline Grant. [Style: Modern Classic].

Oasis Tipped Pencil Dress / Kate Spade Simon Kitten-heel Shoes / Radley New Border Handbag / Vince Camuto Leopard Bracelet / Kate Spade Sweet Zinnia Earrings / Dolce and Gabbana Handbag / Estée Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Scarlet Siren.

TANK. Clean lines and a boat neck or a deep V neck or wide straps that does not show your bra straps when you move. The best dresses have sewn-in "strap holders" (two snaps separated by a thin ribbon that "lock" the strap) to keep bra straps in place.

Best dresses for Body type B: Tank dress by Caroline Grant. [Style: Modern Classic].

L.K. Bennet Iley Dress / Hobbs Invitation Onyx Jacket / J.Crew Clutch Handbag / Jean-Mmichel Cazabat Ola Pumps / Anton Heunis Charlie's Angels Earrings / Stella & Dot Tassel Necklace / Estée Lauder Pure Color Lipstick in Scarlet Siren / Estée Lauder Nail Lacquer in Enchanted Garnet.

WRAP. These should be a Body type B's dress of choice. They create a V neck that is universally flattering, and they skim curves instead of clinging to them if the material is a thick jersey in silk, viscose, or light-weight wool.

If the decolletage they create is too wide for comfort, add a light camisole underneath.

Best dresses for Body type B: Wrap dress by Caroline Grant. [Style: Modern Classic].

Diane von Furstenberg Dress / Kate Spade Handbag / L.K. Bennett Petal Shoes / Kate Spade Carry a Torch Pink Bracelet  / Kate Spade Bright Spark Turquoise Bracelet / Trina Turk Ocean Riviera Earrings  / Revlon Color Burst Lipstick in Fuchsia / Revlon Nail Lacquer in Cherries in the Snow.

STRAPLESS. Choose one with a defined waist, and either a pencil or circle skirt. Strapless dresses can be hard to wear because strapless bras are uncomfortable, there's no denying it, so you are better served choosing a dress with support built-in, or boning, or both, if your bust is very full.
A slight dip on the front is more flattering than a straight line for most people. For the same reason, a necklace is the best accessory for a strapless dress, although not a choker, because it creates a second horizontal line in the torso.

Best dresses for Body type B: Strapless dress by Caroline Grant. [Style: Ladylike with a Twist, Modern Classic].

Hobbs Hinton Jacket / J.Crew Raquel Dress / L.K. Bennett Hayle Handbag / Kate Spade Erin Flats / Lola Rose Violet Jade Necklace / Kate Spade Earrings / Art Deco Compact (vintage) / Revlon Color Burst Lipstick in Fuchsia / Lancôme Vernis in Love Nail Lacquer in Infusion de Prune.

Styling tips for Body type Bs dresses

Remember, the general idea is to skim over a Body type B's curves and show off her legs, so she should:

• Hem dresses at knee length to elongate the line of the body.
• Avoid fabrics that either hide her curves, add bulk, or cling. Choose instead fabrics that drape: cotton and cotton voile, washed silk, jersey (in silk or wool), or draped light-weight wools.
• Highlight her waist. Anything that hides a Body type B's waist will give her a boxy line. Dresses should be either nipped-in at the waist with darts or have them altered by a tailor to achieve it.
• Choose solids or all over small or medium prints, in tonal colours and evenly spaced. Solid dresses in simple silhouettes can look severe, especially if the colour is dark, so accessorizing is a must. Strategic colour blocking can help with the silhouette (highlighting the waist or creating vertical lines that are slimming).
• Choose minimun detailing over her bust that would add volume and/or texture, like breast pockets, pleating, ruffles, because it can make the upper body look too busy. In general, the fuller a Body type B's bust is, the less detailing should she choose there.
• Choose the right underwear under dresses, so her bra doesn't show when she moves and she gets no VPLs, so she should check that she has it before buying any dress or buy them together. Double check in the case of dresses for work, front and back, standing before the mirror.
  

These are styling tips for an average height Body type B, for specific styling tips for Petites click here, and for Tall women, here.

MORE?
Additionally, follow the label Body type B.

Other names for Body type Bs are "hourglass" or even "bombshell".
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"Best dresses for Body type Bs" was first published August 31st, 2012. It has been edited and re-posted on May 6th 2016.