Choosing Your Easter Dress

Each Easter my sister and I received a new dress to wear on Easter Sunday. Sometimes we had matching gloves and hats and, when we were older, we often received black patent leather buckle shoes and a tiny matching pocket book. One time we even got white patent leather shoes and a matching pocket book and I felt extra special as we walked into the church for Easter services. Years later I learned that Mom sewed most of our Easter dresses, making the memory all the more cherished. I often wondered how Mom found matching dresses for my sister, herself, and me each Easter. Now I know that she made the same dress for each of us, adjusting the pattern for our individual sizes.

Do you have a family tradition to wear a new dress for Easter? Perhaps you wear the new dress for Easter church services, or perhaps you have a family dinner on Easter and you want to wear a special dress. Since Easter is the advent of spring, perhaps you simply want to wear a pastel dress to adjourn winter and jump into the promise of spring and warmer weather. No matter your reasons for wearing a new dress at Easter, here are some tips for choosing your Easter dress:

• Fit. While some people would argue that color is most important when choosing an Easter dress, I assert that you need to consider fit first. If you're a plus-sized woman, you wouldn't choose a tulle creation with flounced sleeves, as a dress such as that would only add bulk. Instead, choose a dress that will fit the largest part of your body, and hug the smallest part. If you've a sheath dress in mind with a structured jacket, make sure that the shoulder seams sit at your shoulders, and that the jacket buttons with ease across your bust. To create the illusion of curves, choose a dress with a scooped neck and empire waist, allowing the rest of the dress to flow away from the body.
• Color. Once you've determined fit, choose a color that will enhance your skin tone, eye and hair coloring, and personality. Most Easter dresses come in pastels, but you shouldn't choose lavender if you've an olive complexion. Under bright light, hold the dress up to the inside of your arm, just beneath the elbow bend. If the hue accents your skin coloring, try on the dress for fit.
• Accessories. What would an Easter outfit be without accessories? Choose a pocketbook and shoes to coordinate your dress. Show off your flair and personality with a hat, bonnet, and gloves.

Easter comes but once a year. Why not help celebrate the holiday with a new Easter dress and accessories? Shop early, and remember to choose appropriate fit, color, and accessories.