How to Wear White Dresses

White dresses are refreshing and summery. The colour white connotes purity, innocence and liberty. Wearing white dresses well, however, is a little more complex than the simplicity suggested by the colour. This article provides some pointers on wearing a white dress well.

Steps

1.Be sure that white suits you. White doesn't suit all people but it is a colour many can wear without problems (provided the fit of the dress looks good). Warm skin tones go well with white; if you have a tan or naturally dark skin, white looks amazing. If white makes you look washed out, avoid it.

2.Select a solid and opaque white dress. White fabric suffers the curse of being see-through in many instances. When you shop for your white dress, check the transparency factor. To do this:


--Place the dress up against the light.
--Hold a hand behind the dress.
--Look for your hand and see how obvious it is. If you can see the color and form of your hand, that dress is going to show everything underneath!

3.Select quality fabric. Quality fabrics are less likely to be see-through. Some dresses may even be lined. Look for heavier count cottons, linen and some manmade fabrics.

4.Avoid clinging white dresses. White is not a colour that lends itself to good flattering when it clings to your curves. Select white dresses that billow, flounce and flow. White is about summer, freedom and breezes, so make sure that the dress reflects these features well.

5.Wear underwear that is the same colour as your skin. Don't wear white underwear, nor any other colour (other than your skin colour) for that fact. Skin-toned underwear will ensure that nothing peeps through to draw the eye to the wrong place; use skin-coloured slips, underpants and skin-coloured bras.

6.Choose an appropriate shoe to match a white dress. White is the color of purity and simplicity. If you want to stand out, you can add red high heels with your white dress, but some people might consider it over the top--and if that's what you're going for, that's good! Otherwise...

--Beige, camel, brown and soft grey make great colour choices.

--Silver, bronze or gold metallic sandals or flip flops are always perfectly fitting with white.

--Avoid wearing white sandals or shoes, as this will create an overwhelming effect.

7.Choose appropriate accessories. White is a canvas that will suit many kinds of accessories but a key element is to keep it simple. Never overwhelm the white canvas. Wooden accessories go well (bangles, beads etc.), as does any metallic jewelery.



Tips

--White has a "goody-two-shoes" image. It is recommended to show a little skin if you want to challenge this image a little.

--White at work should only be worn when the clothing item fits really well and is of good quality. Most white dresses are likely to be too summery and carefree to suit the seriousness of a business environment.

--White isn't always a great colour if you're raising children. It won't be white for long after picking them up and running after them. Save it for the special occasions when someone else is in charge of them for a few hours. Or, purchase white fabrics that will hold up to getting bleached every time the kids attack!

--A slip is not just something your grandma wore. Investing in a high quality, skin colored slip may be a lifesaver. (And as a plus, most men find a little slip peaking out when your skirt flutters very sexy.)



Warnings

--Never wear a white dress to a wedding; that's called upstaging, and the bride won't thank you for it. It is okay to wear a little white, perhaps a hat or belt, but never wear a white dress.

--Avoid patterned or bright colored underwear!

--Be careful wearing white during your period. Leakages are very obvious.

--In more traditional parts of the U.S., white is only to be worn between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Although this custom is observed less frequently than in the past, wearing white outside of this time period may be considered a faux pas, especially at more formal or conservative events.

--White tends to become see through if wet. While wearing a white dress, be careful of fountains, sprinklers, etc. If you know that there will be water where you are going and theres a good chance of you getting wet, you should reconsider wearing white.