Wrap Dresses: Your Ultimate Guide

Do you know that wrap dresses are fashion stapes, flattering, easy to wear, and suitable for almost any occasion?

If you want to look trendy and fashionable, you should have one dress of this style in your wardrobe.

Moreover, wrap dresses help to hide a multitude of sins and are perfect for just any body.

This will help you tie in just the right place and accentuate your waist.

It also hides any tummy you have and you can alter the dress any day. depending on your waistline and how you are feeling.

You can adjust the tie to create the most flattering effect and its position can vary from sitting just below the bust to right on the waist.

Thus, you can pick the wrap dress style that suits you best.

Furthermore, the v-neckline helps to elongate your figure and provides a flattering silhouette, that works practically well if you have a large bust.

Keep on reading to learn more.

Wrap Dresses

A wrap dress is also known as a tie-waist dress.

It is a dress without buttons or zipper enclosures. Instead, you can wrap the dress around your body that flatten it with strings or sashes.

Thus, it creates a V-neckline and an A-line silhouette.

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Moreover, it is important to note that the front of the wrap dress is open and features two side panels with strings.

One of the two attached strings is longer than the other one so that the side of the dress can overlap.

A wrap dress also features a small hole on one side to thread the longer string through.

History of Wrap Dresses

Wrap dresses were designed by the American fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg in 1972 following her divorce.

It was designed for professional women to wear to work and was also a symbol of the liberation movements of the 1970s of women.

Moreover, wrap dresses experienced renewed popularity in the late 90s and are still trending today.

Amongst a wide range of celebrities, you can see Gwyenth Paltrow wearing a bright orange dress at a London dinner.

Kim Kardashian at a charity event, and Christina Ricci at the British Academy Awards.

While other stars that wore this trendy number are actress and producer America Ferrera.

Superman, Desperate Housewives star Teri  Hatcher, and actress Helen Mirren.

What makes them different from a Kimino?

Both wrap dresses and kimonos are clothing items that wrap close to your body.

Unlike a kimono, which will need a broad sash or obi to close, a wrap dress tends to feature thin strings or straps.

Moreover, a wrap dress can have both short and long sleeves.

On the other hand, a defining feature of a kimono is the sleeves which are often wide and have a uniform circumference.

It is important to note that the Chinese kimono sleeves are one piece with the bodice of the garment and not sewn on separately.

While for a Japanese kimono, the sleeves are often sewn separately.

How to Tie Wrap Dresses

You can follow the tips below and learn how to tie a wrap dress with attached strings:

Find a Small Hole on the Side of the Dress: On most dresses, the hole is often present on the right side, around the waistline.

Thread the String through the Hole: You can thread the longer string, often on the left panel of the dress through the hole on the right side of the dress.

Then pull the string until the left half of the dress covers most of your chest.

Pull the String Around your Back: Wrap the string behind towards the left side of your body.

wrap dresses 2

Wrap the Right Panel around the front of your Body: You can choose to wrap the right panel so that it covers the left panel slightly.

Moreover, make sure that the dress closes entirely in the front.

Tie the Strings Together: You can also tie the two strings together with the right string meeting the longer string.

Then pull both strings tight so that they cinch your waist.

Tie the strings into a firm bow on the left side of your body.

Styling Tips

It is important to note that wrap dresses are great for both daytime and evening looks.

You can consider the following ways to wear and style a wrap dress:

Add a Cardigan: You can opt to layer a cardigan over a short-sleeve wrap dress for a comfortable look that is right for your office.

Dress it Up or Down with Shoes: You can pair wrap dresses with flats for a casual daytime look.

However, you can also dress up your wrap dress by adding heels for a more formal look.

Elevate your Look with Jewelry: You can pair short necklaces will the v-neckline of the wrap dresses.

styling tips

Moreover, you can opt for bracelets or statement earrings to dress up your outfit and complete your look.

Fasten with a Safety Pin: It is important to note that if the v-neck is too low, you can close it further with the help of a safety pin.

Or you can wear a tank top under your dress for more coverage.

Go formal: A midi or a maxi wrap dress along with heels is a perfect dress option for a formal event.

You can pair it will some eye-catching jewelry to complete your look.

Play with the Colors: You can wear wrap dresses in all seasons.

You can opt for a dark-color wrap dress with knits in fall and winter.

While a bright-color cotton dress is a great option for spring and summer looks.

Why Wrap Dress is great for all Body Types?

The best thing about wrap dresses is that they will fit you from the moment you purchase them to the number of times your weight changes.

A number of clothes do not give you a lot of room when you gain or lose weight.

However, with a wrap dress, it is a perfect fit every time and you can customize it to your figure.

Whether you are petite, curvy, straight, or tall, you can have a wrap dress with almost any figure type.

As they are adjustable, you can tie them as loosely or tightly as you like.

The tie waist will allow you to easily wrap it once or twice around and tie it to fit your figure.

for any occassion

As the closure is often a side tie, it can accommodate a few inches around your waist.

So you can continue to wear it while trying to burn off extra calories.

However, just because these dresses wrap around your body, does not mean it is right for any body shape.

When choosing the perfect wrap dress for your body type, you will need to pay attention to your curves and look at how they connect your bust, waist, and hips.

Moreover, you will need to figure out how to best flatter your body type and accentuate your assets.

Scroll down to see the specific style that makes your body type look best:

Body types and Wrap Dresses

If you know your body type you can select styles that will show your positive features and flatter your body.

While also downplaying the negative aspects of your figure.

Once you find your body shape, you will be able to find what style of wrap dress suits you best.

Apple Body Shape: With this body type, you tend to have a heavier upper body, in comparison to your lower body.

For this shape, you will need to create a visual balance between your narrower body and wider lower body.

Choose a wrap dress with a boat neck, scoop styles, and even a plunging neckline to draw attention to your upper body.

However, straps or cap sleeves that tend to cut straight across your shoulders and pinch off your arm are not comfortable for apple figures.

Opt for longer short sleeves or three-quarter sleeves instead.

Hourglass Body Shape: If you have a curvy tiny waist, then you have an hourglass shape.

To highlight your curves, you can opt for a well-fitted style with soft flowing lines.

Moreover, you can opt for body-hugging silhouettes and form-fitting wraps that hit the right angles at the right places.

With a sweetheart neckline, you can flatter the curves you already have.

Pear-Shaped Figure: With this body type, you tend to have a heavy lower body.

To help elongate and balance your figure by accentuating your top half, you can opt for scoop-neck and boat-neck dresses to make your shoulder look wide.

This will help you draw attention to the upper body.

Moreover, decorative necklines and other details will bring the illusion of volume to your torso.

You can look for patterns in sleeves or embellished necklines and shoulders.

Rectangle Body Shape: With this shape, you do not have a well-defined waistline, and your body tends to look straight.

When choosing warp dresses with this body type, aim at creating an impression of a waistline.

This helps to reduce the straightness of your figure.

You can opt for a v-neck style dress to create a figure that flatters your overall silhouette.

Moreover, with horizontal strips, you can create an illusion of width and curves throughout your body.

Ruffles, bows, or embellishment details can help create extra volume on one half of your body to create an illusion that you have lots of curves.

Inverted Triangle Body Shape: With this body shape, you tend to have large hips than the rest of your body.

To understate the upper half of your body, you can opt for v-necks to make you look slim.

Make sure to remember that you choose a wrap dress that has a lighter color in the upper body but the darker middle and lower parts.

Wrap dresses in jersey or shape-skimming chiffon are great for creating an illusion of an hourglass body shape.

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