Hot Dresses for Summer 2008
From Minis & Maxis to Sexy Body Cons to Girly Tea Dresses
From mini to maxi, body con to 40s inspired tea dress, finding a great summer look is not hard this season. 2008 is the year of the dress — romantic or retro, there is a style to take you from beach to bar or barbeque to buffet table. Soft, printed mini dresses will transport you from desk to Daiquiri, and tea dresses will see you through a school fete or a family picnic.
This season everyone loves the dress. It is slip-on-easy, go-anywhere chic and definitely more forgiving than pants and jeans. According to Net-A-Porter’s online feature, "Soft Focus," designer Robert Cavalli, says the look "is soft, innocent and a new level of seduction, with a little sensuality.”
The Maxi Dress
With the world’s women still feeling the retro vibe, the return of the maxi has been an amazing success. Now spanning two summer seasons, these dresses are becoming lovelier by the minute, in such a variety of styles and cuts, there is something for every figure.
In the Daily Mail’s article, "Maxi dresses — the must-have this summer," Zoe Manzi writes, “The maxi’s halter, bandeau and strap tops reveal just the right amount of flesh. The empire line accentuates the narrowest part of our bodies thus flattering most shapes and that full-length skirt keeps any lumps and bumps well hidden”.
If you are short you can still wear a maxi but make sure you choose a style that skims your figure rather then swamps it. Add a pair of look-at-me heels and walk tall! Darker, single block colors will make you appear leaner and more slender than summery prints.
Go for a plain white dreamy maxi, this season’s neutral, or a flowing Grecian gown for a special evening out, however, follow fashion advice on how to wear it, remember to avoid the beached whale look!
The Mini Dress
Whether it’s an ultra-mini or a just above-the-knee dress, keep your necklines fairly high and avoid showing too much flesh on your top half, if you are the wrong side of 30! There are plenty of styles to choose, from three-quarter-length sleeves to cap. For the forthcoming fall ,team a mini dress with colored (red?) opaque tights and you have a hot edgy look!
Many minis feature this season’s fringes, bows and ruffles in their detailing. "The ruff is the fashion detail of the season,” says the Daily Mail, of 28th December 2007, "Vogue's 2008 Hotlist Revealed.”
From smock y to clingy, these shorter-length dresses should be juxtaposed with high-heels for an on-trend look. If you have the legs and ankles to wear a mini, then go for it girl!
The Tea Dress
Floral tea dresses have become a big hit this season, as their flattering shape does justice to most figures and the styles are demure and elegant enough to take you from work to wedding. Especially if you choose a gorgeous fabric like chiffon or satin.
The printed styles may be too “Little Bo Peep” for some, avoid small girly prints if you are on the heavy side or over 40! However, this season’s painterly floral patterns will go down a storm. You can give your tea dress an edgy feel by working it with a wide belt to nip in the waist, and chunky wedges to balance the look.
Body Con
Wear this dress if you dare! The return of the body con (contour) gives curvy women a chance to show off their body rather then hide it under a volumnous smock. A big hit in the male department, wear a mummy-bandage or Madonna-cum-dominatrix style to show off those car-crash curves.
Choosing a Style to Suit You & Your Budget
Asos.com has a huge selection of dresses for all budgets. From high-fashion to high-street, from mini to maxi. Net-A-Porter is more top-end designer if you are feeling flash with your cash. Designer Phillip Lim has some classic and elegant dresses and Roberto Cavalli and Alberta Ferretti have flirty and feminine styles. Both stores ship internationally.
Even if you can't afford it, it doesn't hurt to look. Such is the nature of the industry that before you know it, high-fashion looks become budget high-street, with so many designer and celebrity "inspired" styles imitated for commercial stores. For example, Look magazine (5th May 2008) features Kylie's Chloé painterly designer dress, and a Littlewoods Online look-a-like at fraction of the price.
With so many options to choose from it pays to first consider which cut is likely to best suit your shape. Think fabric, think print or color type, think length, think style. The combinations are endless and it’s easy to make a mistake — invest in a dress that flatters your figure, creating a sleek silhouette rather than a puffy one. Never buy something just because you like it — make sure you feel confident and good in whatever you wear. Better to have a capsule wardrobe of a few confidence-boosting outfits than a closet full of non-descript ones.
If you are unsure which styles show off your figure in the best light, first read up on some fashion advice, and then scour online sites for ideas. Shopping from your sofa, (or at least browsing), gives you far more product choices than at your local mall. If you are reticent about shopping online, then at least you’ll have an idea of what styles to look for, before even setting foot in a store.
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