You’ve got a wedding coming up, and the search for the perfect wedding guest dress is on. But as you browse, nothing seems to feel quite right. Bodycon dresses? Sure, they look great on the rack, but when you’ve got broad shoulders and a narrower waist and hips, they might not be the most flattering choice.
If you’ve found yourself nodding along, don’t worry—you’re in the right place! The key to finding the perfect dress for your inverted triangle body shape is all about balance. The goal is to highlight your best features while adding softness and proportion to your silhouette. The right dress will harmonize your upper and lower body, making you feel confident and stylish as you celebrate.
In this post, we’ll explore the best wedding guest dress styles that flatter inverted triangles, focusing on enhancing your waist, balancing your proportions, and drawing attention where it counts. Whether you’re headed to a formal evening affair or a laid-back garden wedding, there’s a dress out there that’s made for you. Let’s dive into the styles that work and why they’re perfect for your shape!
What Defines an Inverted Triangle Body Shape?
The inverted triangle shape is known for its distinct proportions:
- Broad shoulders: This is the most prominent feature of this shape, giving the upper body more width.
- Narrow hips and waist: The hips and waist tend to be smaller and less defined compared to the width of the shoulders.
- Athletic appearance: Often, individuals with this shape have a more athletic build, which can make creating balanced outfits a fun challenge.
Wedding guest dresses for the Inverted Triangle Body type
The Wrap Dress
Wrap dresses are a major style hack for inverted triangle shapes. The way the fabric crosses over your torso and cinches at the waist creates an hourglass effect. Plus, the flowing skirt naturally adds some curve to your hips, making your overall silhouette more balanced. And let’s not forget—the V-neckline of most wrap dresses subtly draws attention away from your shoulders.
Choose a wrap dress with a looser skirt that falls gently over your hips. Patterns, such as florals, velvet or abstract prints, can add visual interest without making your upper body the focal point.
The Asymmetrical neckline dress
I know what you might be thinking, “Wait, I have broad shoulders. Shouldn’t I avoid off-the-shoulder dresses?” Not at all! Off-the-shoulder styles can actually work in your favor. By showing off a little skin across your neckline and collarbone, the dress creates a horizontal line that softens the width of your shoulders, making them appear more delicate. This also helps draw attention downward to the waist and lower body.
What to look for: Choose a dress with a gently flowing or A-line skirt to add volume to your lower half, while the neckline keeps things elegant and feminine up top.
Empire waist Plunge neck Dress
This amazing empire waist dress is great for inverted triangle body shapes because it helps create the balance you’re looking for. It is ideal for inverted triangles because it sits just under the bust, which draws attention away from the shoulders and creates a flowy, elongated silhouette. The skirt typically drapes over your lower body, adding volume and balance to the hips. Paired with the right shoes, this dress works wonders for balancing out broad shoulders and the slit helps to draw attention downwards to your lower half.
What to look for: When shopping look for an empire waist dress that has a gentle, flowing skirt. You can even choose a dress with some detailing below the bust to emphasize the empire waistline even more. Remember to go for a simple, clean V neckline. The deeper the V neckline, the more dramatic and honestly the better – it takes all the attention away from the shoulders and lets the lower half do the talking.
Sweetheart Peplum dress
Peplum dresses have a special feature: the little flare of fabric at the waistline. This creates the illusion of fuller hips and a more defined waist, which is perfect for balancing out the broader upper body of an inverted triangle shape. The peplum detail does all the hard work of giving you curves in the right places.
The above dress checks not only the peplum feature but two other key features that us inverted triangle girlies cant live without. You see that sweetheart neckline? Its one of the most flattering necklines for the inverted triangle woman. Then thick straps? Yes please, way better than thin strap dresses any day any time.
What to look for: Go for a peplum that sits at the natural waist, and make sure the skirt isn’t too tight—this will keep the silhouette balanced and comfortable.
The fit and flare corset dress
Fit-and-flare dresses are your best friend when it comes to balancing out broader shoulders. The fitted bodice hugs your upper body and waist, while the skirt flares out to create volume at the hips. This instantly shifts the focus away from your shoulders and gives you that sought-after hourglass shape.
What to look for: Choose for a dress that has a structured bodice or corset and a flared, flowing skirt. Avoid anything with puffy sleeves or too much detailing around the shoulders other than the thick straps—keep it simple up top, and let the bottom half shine.
Tiered Maxi dress
Going for a relaxed wedding? then this dress is for you. Tiered maxi dresses are fantastic for adding volume to your lower body without overwhelming your frame. The tiers or layers create movement and texture, drawing the eye downward and balancing out your broader shoulders. They’re also super comfortable and great for more relaxed wedding settings.
Off Shoulder dress
Similar to the asymmetrical neck line, off shoulder dresses are surprisingly great for the inverted triangle body type. This particular dress also has a wrap effect which can create a feminine look at the bottom half. I noticed these dresses always work better when they are not very snug. So I always size up to get that relaxed yet feminine fit.
One shoulder maxi dress
Broad shoulder or not, you are going to look stunning in this asymmetrical dress. It is so feminine and will create the illusion of curves, whether or not you have a defined waist line. This dress is perfect for those semi-formal weddings where you want to look polished and feminine but still feel comfortable.
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