Every girl deserves a prom dress that makes them feel like a princess. Whether you live for glitz and glamour or prefer to dress classy and sophisticated, your dress should represent your own unique style and help you stand out from the crowd. Dress shopping, however, can sometimes get overwhelming if you don’t know what style will best fit your body type or what color will compliment your complexion. Here are some helpful tips to help get you started the next time you search for the perfect gown.

When trying on dresses, it is important to remember that everybody is shaped differently. Don’t get discouraged if the dress doesn’t fit you the same way it does someone else. If you find yourself running into this problem, it is probably because the style isn’t right for your beautiful body type. The four main body types most prom dress style guides will feature are apple, pear, rectangle, and hourglass.

Audacious dames with apple body shapes tend to have slim arms and legs and carry their weight in their torso and bust. The best style for this shape are empire waists that are either strapless or have plunging necklines to accentuate the chest and slender arms. Perfect pear shaped ladies are thin through the top with wide hips and thighs. To best compliment this gorgeous body type, choose a dress with an embellished top to attract attention to your small waist. Ravishing ladies with rectangle body types have a slender but athletic frame without many curves at the bust or hips. The dresses that rectangle shapes can rock best are often embellished at the bust and cinched tightly at their slim waists with flowing and dramatic skirts. Heavenly belles with hourglass bodies are smallest at the waist with curves throughout. Form fitting dresses such as mermaid style gowns look outstanding on this shape because they accentuate small waistlines as well as curves. Knowing which sassy shape you are before starting your search will make it easier to find which gown will be perfect for you.

Another important factor to take into consideration when choosing your prom dress is finding a color to compliment your complexion. Girls with spring complexions have warm undertones of gold or peach with green or blue eyes, and hair that is often strawberry, brown, or blonde. They look amazing in warm colors such as gold, bronze, pinks, and reds, but should avoid darker shades of navy, black, or gray. Ladies with summer complexions have pinkish undertones and light colored eyes, and are either blondes or dark brunettes. Pastels and light neutral colors are gorgeous on summer beauties, but they should abstain from going with dark or bright colors. Redheads and brunettes with golden brown eyes and reddish or golden undertones have autumn complexions, and are stunning in warm hues such as rich browns, champagne,  ivory, or gold. However, autumns should avoid bright colors along with black and white gowns. Winter complexions often have fair, ivory, or ebony skin with cool blue or pink undertones, dark hair, and deeply colored eyes. Jewel tones such as emerald, ruby, or sapphire, along with black and white gowns are dazzling on winter ladies, but muted colors should be avoided,

Keep these tips in mind next time prom season comes around, and you’re sure to be the belle of the ball. That’s a PROMise.