Of all iconic fashion items, the red dress may perhaps be the most powerful (and yet the most intimidating.) This bold statement piece can be hard to pull off, but if done correctly, it has the power to make you the talk of the town. But how exactly can one go about making sure they look flawless in their red dress?
There are five simple ways anyone can look good in a red dress:
- Find a red that matches your skin tone.
- Match the dress to your makeup.
- Find a dress silhouette that suits your body shape.
- Invest in shapewear.
- Keep accessories simple.
But before we dive deep into all these ways you can ensure you look fabulous in your red dress, let’s go over why it’s so important (and sometimes difficult) to look good in a red dress in particular.
Why Looking Good in a Red Dress is Important
Believe it or not, the reason it’s important to look good in a red dress isn’t simply chalked up to vanity—it actually comes down to science. Don’t believe me? Check this out:
The “red-dress effect” is a phenomenon that describes the psychological pull the color red has on potential partners. People, especially men, are more attracted to red than “drab” colors like white, and when tested, they have been statistically proven to prefer those wearing red clothes over those wearing other colors.
Whether this attraction humans have towards red is a leftover evolutionary mechanism or learned behavior from generations passed, it’s clear that wearing red is a surefire way to turn heads.
So, when you wear a color that gets such attention, especially when worn in combination with the ever-ethereal dress, you may want to make sure you’ve done everything you can to maximize your look. Thankfully, you’ve come to the right place.
How Do I Look Good in a Red Dress?
Ensuring that you look as good as possible in your red dress is easier than you may think- you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get there. It mostly comes down to how well you know your colors and yourself.
Did you know that different shades of red suit certain skin tones best? Or that there are ideal color combinations for your dress shade and makeup? There are also certain dress types that will suit specific body types best.
Paying attention to details like these are simple ways to maximize how good you look in your red dress. And we’ve got all the details to help you find out what works best for you.
5 Simple Ways to Look Good in a Red Dress
Without further ado, let’s check out the five best, simple ways you can make sure you look good in your red dress for your big event. For each step, we’ll take a deep dive into all the details you need to look good in your red dress.
Find the Red that Matches Your Skin Tone Best
One of the biggest factors that can impact whether your red dress looks absolutely amazing on you or looks somewhat off is whether or not your red dress is a match for your skin tone! Thankfully, this is an easy obstacle to overcome.
For this purpose, we will separate skin tones by fair, tan, and dark, with warm or cool undertones for each type; follow the guide below to find out which shade of red dress you should wear for your skin tone:
| Skin Tone | Undertone | Recommended Red Dress Shade |
|---|---|---|
| Fair Skin | Cool Undertones | Medium, warm reds, such as a cherry red, are good for this skin tone to avoid anything too bright or too dark that can overwhelm you. |
| Fair Skin | Warm Undertones | Rich, deep reds, such as vampy shades, suit this skin tone to help bring out their warmth and complement their skin. |
| Tan Skin | Cool Undertones | This lucky skin tone will suit absolutely any shade of deep red to help their tan skin pop. |
| Tan Skin | Warm Undertones | Those with this skin tone look great in reds that have a warm hint of orange to them, such as a brick red. |
| Dark Skin | Cool Undertones | This skin tone is the red holy grail, as any shade of red complements their skin tone. |
| Dark Skin | Warm Undertones | For people with dark skin but warm undertones, a shade that is halfway in between medium and deep, such as a lipstick-type shade, will look stunning. |
If you follow this guide to choosing your red dress according to your skin tone, you’re sure to find a dress that suits you like a glove.
Match Your Makeup to the Dress, Not Your Dress to the Makeup
Believe it or not, you don’t usually want to go all out with red eyeshadow and bright lipstick when you go for a bold, red-dress look. Many people actually find that this looks rather unflattering, young, and even tacky.
In fact, it’s actually better to try to tone the colors down to keep the attention on your dress rather than distract from it.
- Lipstick: Try to keep the shade of your lipstick darker than the shade of your dress (especially if you’ve chosen to wear red lipstick, too). Bright red lipstick with a bright red dress can sometimes come off as tacky. Nude tones always look amazing with a red dress, too.
- Eyeshadow: Avoid wearing red eyeshadow completely. Red dresses look best with brown, nude, ivory, and even mauve tones—but red eyeshadow with a red dress can look “cheap.” Try to match your eyeshadow shade to your lipstick shade for consistency.
- Eyeliner: With a fiery red dress, it can be completely fitting to add some dramatic brown or black eyeliner to your look. Try to adjust the strength of your eyeliner to the vibe your dress gives off. If your dress is flowy and flowery, try less dramatic eyeliner. If it’s bold and clean-cut, dramatic eyeliner could be a good choice.
(Source: Juvia’s Place)
In short, sticking to nudes and muted tones will help complement your dress and accentuate your facial features far better than a 100% red makeup look will.
Choose the Dress Shape that Matches Your Body Type Best
Looking good in a red dress isn’t just dependent on the shade you choose; the shape is also important!
When it comes to body types, one size does not fit all. Everyone is born with a beautiful, unique body type, and certain dress types have a more flattering effect on each of these body types. So, to maximize how good you’ll look in your red dress, choosing a dress shape that works well for you is key.
There are about four main body types we’ll address, including hourglass, round, pear, and athletic body types. These body types are typically characterized as such:
- Hourglass: Proportional, curvy body with a smaller waist
- Round: Carry most of their weight in their waist, thinner arms and legs
- Pear: Thin upper body, smaller waist, larger hips and thighs
- Athletic: Narrow hips and broader shoulders with a well-defined waist
Each body type suits a specific type of dress best, so follow the below guide to help you figure out which type of dress you should choose and what features you should avoid according to your body type:
| Body Type | Recommended Dress Type |
|---|---|
| Hourglass Body Type | ● Belted or well-defined waist ● Tighter top section ● Deep necklines Avoid dresses that are oversized or shapeless. |
| Round Body Type | ● Shorter dress to flaunt legs ● Belted or cinched waist ● Flared skirts to distract from the waist Avoid dresses that have horizontal stripes or draw attention to the waist. |
| Pear Body Type | ● Strapless tops ● A-line skirt ● Details on the bust Avoid dresses that are oversized or body-con style dresses. |
| Athletic Body Type | ● Ruffles or embellishment in the hip area ● A-line skirt ● U or V necklines Avoid dresses that are strapless or too short. |
Keep Your Accessories Simple
A red dress is already a very bold piece. While adding accessories to an outfit is always a good idea (if not essential), your outfit can start to look loud or uncoordinated if you layer on tons of chunky accessories. Accessories should be kept relatively simple.
When it comes to jewelry, pieces like stud earrings, chain necklaces, simple watches, and delicate bracelets are all fantastic choices.
- If you have a warmer red dress, choose gold accessories.
- If your red dress is on the cooler side, silver will suit it just fine.
- If you don’t like gold or silver, white jewelry or pearls are also good for red clothes.
For purses, smaller, rectangular clutches are very popular choices when it comes to red dresses. Find a good handbag to invest in. They help the outfit look chic and build confidence. Depending on the shade of your dress, you may choose a rose gold, black, white, or ivory handbag.
A good heel will always go well with the red dress. A nice black heel or you could even pair it with a red heel, but it will look killer either way! (Having trouble finding the perfect heel for your wide fee? Check out how to make my heels more comfortable with wide feet to find some cool tricks to make the heels both comfy and stylish!)
But, no matter which colors go best with your red dress, remember that less is more!
Use Shapewear to Smoothen Body Lines
Shapewear is a type of undergarment designed to be worn underneath your clothing. It is supposed to smoothen and support your body lines. Shapewear will also help accentuate flattering parts of the body, such as the bust, waist, and hip area. This type of product is very popular nowadays and considered a staple in many closets.
Many women particularly like to wear shapewear underneath their dresses to hide unflattering undergarment lines (which can be a problem with red shades) and improve their overall figure. This can help increase your confidence, which is very important when wearing such a bold piece.
Even just wearing the right bra could help make the dress more appealing. Finding out the benefits of a wired bra could help you rock that red dress, and if you are worried about wearing underwire bra being bad for you, just know that those are myths.
Check out this plus-size shapewear or these thigh-slimming shapewear shorts from Amazon to see if shapewear is a match for you.
Conclusion
When done properly, the red dress can be the ultimate show-stopper. While wearing one may indeed be intimidating, if you follow these five simple steps, you’ll be able to wear your red dress with confidence while stunning all of your peers.
Choosing the right red for your skin tone, matching the red to your makeup, finding the right dress shape for your body type, keeping accessories simple and chic, and finally, adding shapewear to trim your figure are all great ways you can ensure that you’ll look great in a red dress, no matter what the occasion is.
Who is the Most Famous Female Fashion Designer?
The most famous female designer indicates that this person is well known and her name is recognized by more people than other female fashion designers. For this reason, Vera Wang has this title.
Vera Wang was once strictly a dress designer, creating couture pieces that were only seen on the red carpet. She also made wedding dresses that most brides could only dream of. But, thanks to a deal with a national department store, Wang’s designs are now more widely available to women that love fashion with a lower price tag.
Who is the Richest Clothing Designer?
This name might surprise you… it’s not a well-known designer outside of the fashion community, mainly because she only has two brands attached to her own name, while she works behind the scenes of many other designers’ brands.
Miuccia Prada is the richest fashion designer, with a reported wealth of over 11 billion dollars. Her last name is one that probably rings a bell, since she’s part of the Prada family. Prada is a label that’s been around for many years. She took over the family business and started her own label of Miu Miu.
After attending the University of Milan and getting her PhD in political science, Miuccia continued learning, but not in the political science, fashion or even business industries. Instead, she spent nearly five years training to become a mime.
Clearly, Miuccia appreciated the arts. So, when her family named business started losing steam, she started creating her own designs to revamp the line, bringing in updated styles that were more on trend.
Prada has continued to put her own spin on everything she touches, including new brands she acquires. Her designs are always original and she’s unafraid to veer off the tracks of what’s trending at the moment. Whatever she’s doing, she’s doing right.
And there you have it. The seven best fashion designers in the world, as of right now. These particular designers are the ones that have the biggest influence over the fashion industry, but the scope of their impact isn’t just limited to high fashion and couture.
The best designers are the ones that are able to communicate their style and share with others, as well as influencing the creations of fellow fashion creators. It’s the overall development of the brand, as well as longevity of being in the industry that makes someone one of the best. This is true of any business, so fashion is no different.
