When dressing to flatter your rectangle shaped figure, your main challenges will be to maintain the figure balance that you already have and create the illusion of a defined waistline so that you look more like the hourglass ideal. Avoid styles, such as shifts or trapeze dresses, that hide your shape.

The exception would be for women who wear extra-small sizes, and who want to wear trendy trapeze or straight shift dresses or tops. You can get away with these styles because of your tiny size. If you wear such styles, you’re imitating the 1920s flapper style or the 1960s Twiggy look, rather than trying to create a shapely look. Several dress styles will work well for the petite woman who has a rectangle shaped figure. However, if you’re size 6 or above, you’re better off sticking with the strategy of creating an illusion of an hourglass figure.

Also avoid styles that tend to over-emphasize either bust or hips. For example, if you wear a gathered skirt, your hips will look bigger and make you look bottom-heavy. Likewise, if you wear a style such as an off-the-shoulder top, you may find that you appear top-heavy.

Your other big challenge will be to create the illusion of a defined waistline. Placing emphasis on the waist or midriff area in such a way that you appear to have a defined waistline will make your figure look more shapely.

For example; by wearing a cap-sleeve top with a band at the hip, you add to your already balanced shape without putting more emphasis on top or bottom. The top would make for a defined waistline if its with a satin band under the bust. You could wears straight, dark-wash jeans, which will makes you look taller, and if you add a wide vertical line on the top, it would help add height as well.

Empire dresses are an option because they create a waistline under the bust, and the skirt flows from the waistline. This style is also good because it doesn’t distort the natural balance of your shape.

Wrap dresses with A-line skirts are a good choice too. You can use the wrap tie to cinch your waistline.

Color block dresses with a waistband that’s a darker color than adjacent colors define your waistline by making it appear to recede. Although it’s often more difficult to find this style of dress, you can usually locate a color block dress that’s right for you. If you sew, consider a color block style the next time you make a dress for yourself.

Finally, for special occasion dressing, flatter your figure with a corset-style dress, which has a vertically paneled and boned midriff.