Caution, curves ahead! Finding the perfect dress can be a game-changer, especially when it accentuates your natural curves AND enhances your confidence. If you have a pear-shaped body, characterized by a smaller waist, narrow shoulders, and hips that are wider than your bust, you’re in the right place. This dress roundup is tailored just for you. We’re sharing 12 dresses that will flatter your figure and make you feel fabulous. Discover just how to highlight your assets and embrace your beautiful shape with the right wardrobe choices….and with a few tips and tricks too. Let’s dive into figure-friendly finds that celebrate your unique body type!
Are you a maxi dress lover? If so, make sure you check out this post next.
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12 Dresses for Pear-Shaped Body
Before we dive into our dress picks, let’s reiterate what defines a pear-shape. Basically, your hips, butt, and thighs measure larger than your shoulders and waist. Erin doesn’t have a pear-shaped body. We know that. You know that. But she does own and wear several dresses that will work beautifully for pear-shaped body types and we’re sharing those below with a few additional finds that will fit and flatter your pear-shaped figure. We’re going to focus on the 3 primary dress silhouettes that will create the best style solutions for you… Fit & Flare, A-Line, and Wrap dresses.
Fit & Flare – Staud Wells Midi Dress
Erin loves this Staud dress SO much, she owns it in several colors and prints. The fit and flare silhouette accentuates the bust and waist and floats completely away from the body to camouflage your lower half. This is an extremely flattering dress and it’s SO versatile! Because the cut is classic and simplistic, you can dress it up or down depending on your shoes and accessories. You might see it and think, “Huh, it’s pretty basic. What’s all the fuss about?”. But trust us, the magic is truly in the fit. It really sucks you in on top to accentuate a slim waist. It’s so popular that once a new color or print is introduced it almost always sells out quickly. It also comes in a mini dress version and the Rig version which has a super-cinching thick elastic waistband. We’ll link several options below. It runs true to size.
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Fit & Flare – Aqua Blue Midi Dress
Here’s another fit and flare dress that would be SO perfect for summer. This dress by Aqua from Bloomingdale’s is less fitted throughout the bust and waist than the Staud dress in the previous look. It floats away from the body just under the bust and has beautiful, drapey movement. It has adjustable shoulder straps so you’ll get that customized fit, and the blue pattern is just gorgeous. It’s also super well-priced at $118 especially considering the A+ quality.
Fit & Flare – La Double J Sophia Dress
This La Double J fit and flare dress is one Erin has been traveling with. She brought it with her on her recent trip to Italy (you can check out ALL of her outfits here!) and to Cancun. It’s dressy enough to wear to a wedding, which she also did, but you can easily pair it with sneakers for a casual day of sightseeing or brunch. We love it when a dress doesn’t have to be “saved” for special occasions. This one is more of an investment piece but consider the cost per wear if you’ll be wearing it as much as Erin has. It’s made from a thicker cotton stretch material, has pockets, and a super flattering rounded square neckline. The print though…it’s so vibrant and special.
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Fit & Flare – Aje Belonging Mini Dress
The last dress in our fit and flare category is another blue printed dress. Erin has been LOVING blue prints this summer…but, can you blame her? This gorgeous shade looks so great on so many different skin tones. This one is a mini dress. Not all pear-shaped body types will love the shorter length but we wanted to give you some options in case you embrace a shorter hemline. The fabric is mid-weight with no stretch and the dress had a smocked back and adjustable shoulder straps. Erin added a chic Valentino belt to further define her waist and exaggerate the fit and flare silhouette.
A-Line Dress – Farm Rio One-Shoulder Maxi
This beautiful green print Farm Rio maxi is another dress Erin brought along on her recent trip to Italy. The asymmetrical neckline highlights the shoulder, and the empire waist sits just above the natural waistline, under the rib cage (the smallest part of most pear-shaped women’s bodies). On the lower half, the fabric eases away from the hips and thighs. You could easily pair this A-line dress with sandals or sneakers to look comfy and chic on any summer day. You could also dress it up for dinner with heels or wedges. Versatile!
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A-Line Dress – Avara Blue Print Maxi
If you are looking for an affordable A-line dress…this one is for you! This maxi by Avara was another favorite dress of Erin’s during her Italy trip. It has flattering smocking through the bodice which really emphasizes the small waist of a pear-shaped body. The flutter sleeves can be worn on or off the shoulder and create some width across your top to balance your lower half. The tiered ruffled skirt floats away from the body. It’s SO lovely and feminine and it’s priced under $100. This dress also comes in extended sizing. It would be a perfect vacation dress!
As you can see, florals are one of Erin’s favorite dress prints. We share a few more printed dresses in this post.
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A-Line Dress – Bronx and Banco Midi Dress
SO beautiful! We just love this lace midi dress. The tulle, the lace detail, the on-trend sheer panels…it’s perfection. And, it’s a great silhouette for pear-shaped bodies. The skirt floats away from the body and the horizontal trim at the bodice really helps define the waist. You could absolutely wear this dress to an event or party this summer but Erin wore it more casually with flats while sightseeing in Italy. Note about the flats…they are very comfy! Erin walked and walked in these shoes and not a blister in sight.
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A-Line Dress – L’IDEE Opera Gown
We wanted to share one dressy A-line gown for pear-shaped bodies. This L’IDEE halter neck dress is a stunner…with a capital S! Everything from the long, flowy length to the beautifully pleated fabric to the sexy open back and plunge neckline…it’s beyond gorgeous. The dress floats completely away from the body and all the attention is drawn to the upper half. You could wear this to a gala, event, or just on vacation if you’re looking for a piece that will truly make you feel fabulous!
Wrap Dresses
Wrap dresses are our final category for dress styles that look amazing on pear-shaped body types. And they are SO flattering. Depending on the fabric, wrap dresses are great for the office, casual days, formal occasions, you name it. They nip in at the adjustable waist and typically have a surplice or V-neckline that creates a slimming effect. Wrap dresses work to define (not hide!) your curves. While wrap dresses are pretty universally flattering overall, something magical happens when worn by a pear-shaped woman! Keep scrolling for 5 we LOVE…
#1) Cinq a Sept Ruffle Wrap Dress
A sleeveless wrap dress is perfect for summer. We love the ruffled hem, structured shoulder, and flattering surplice V-neck. This would be a great day-to-dinner dress paired with a blazer for the office and some sexy heels for the evening.
#2) Steve Madden Tori Tie Waist Shirtdress
When it comes to flattering and cost-effective, you really can’t beat this wrap-style dress by Steve Madden. Erin tried a version of this dress during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale last year and loved the fit and fabric. It’s super versatile and comes in 8 other colors. By the way, if you’re interested in following along with Erin for her 2024 NSale picks, make sure you check out this post next.
#3) Diane Von Furstenberg Faux Wrap Dress
It would be neglectful of us NOT to include a Diane Von Furstenberg dress in our wrap dress roundup because she basically perfected this dress style back in 1972! And it’s still going strong proving what a classic style it really is. This dress is actually a faux wrap dress that is not adjustable at the waist. It has a surplice v-neck and sexy leg slit that isn’t TOO high. A great LBD this this would be great to balance out wider hips while creating a defined waist.
#4) Collared Wrap Dress
Our next wrap dress is in this gorgeous red that is so fun for summer, but it also comes in black. The cap sleeve and collared neck helps add some width across your upper body if you have narrow shoulders. It glides over the hip area without clinging and creates that coveted balanced silhouette.
#5) Sleeveless Linen Midi Wrap Dress
This linen summery shirt dress is such a beautiful color and would be great for the office, or just for keeping cool running errands paired with a pair of sneakers. The website says if you are between sizes, you might consider sizing down.
Did we miss anything? If you have a pear-shaped body and love a particular dress style, don’t keep that to yourself. Please share in the comments below.
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