A-line dress: beautiful models and styles, who it suits, fashionable images with photos

Fashion surprises us every year with new styles, fashion trends, and modern trends.

But there are things that, even after years, do not leave women's wardrobes. Such clothes include trapeze dresses, which appeared in the women's wardrobe thanks to the famous fashion trendsetter Yves Saint Laurent.

Beautiful trapeze dresses 2021-2022 are no less relevant today. Almost every woman can wear an a-line dress, because the a-line dress style has a huge advantage - it very beautifully models a woman’s figure, hiding the flaws of the silhouette.

If you have a small belly and you don’t know how to hide this problem, beautiful a-line dresses will be just right in this case.

Fashionable a-line dresses are also suitable for women with an undefined waistline. Thanks to the thoughtful cut of the dress, the a-line will make you slimmer and more feminine.

The secret of the a-line dress is that the top of the a-line dress is narrowed, which allows you to emphasize beautiful shoulders, arms, and chest. Further, trapeze dresses smoothly expand towards the bottom, modeling the silhouette, and thus creating a visual resemblance to the geometric figure, which indicated the name of this style.

Today, beautiful a-line dresses are presented in a huge number of options. We decided to focus your attention on some of them to help you, our dear fashionistas, choose the optimal A-line dress model for yourself.

Distinctive features

The trapezoid shape for the dress did not appear this season. Fashionistas more than 50-60 years ago adopted this cute wardrobe item, but then they combined it with low-heeled shoes or small pumps.

The classic A-line dress was invented by the famous couturier Yves Saint Laurent at the beginning of his career. The collection instantly created a sensation, so all fashionistas bought clothes of this cut. The first trapezoids were created based on the artist Mondian and were distinguished by their richness of prints. You can find black ornaments, blue lines, and multi-colored rectangles on them.

The classic trapezoidal dress is sleeveless, the length is strictly knee-length, the neckline is small and round. The peculiarity is that this cut favorably emphasizes the feminine contours of the chest, and the widened skirt gives complete freedom of movement and does not at all hinder the woman’s movements. Therefore, the A-shaped thing instantly became synonymous with freedom and emancipation. This is also explained by the fact that the trapezoid has no belts. American and European women, who were forced to tighten their waists with tight belts and sometimes even corsets, sighed with joy when they had the opportunity to wear such comfortable wardrobe items all the time.

Who is the trapezoidal model suitable for?

For women with any body type, a trapezoid will be a rational choice. Even those who have extra centimeters in the waist and hips wear it, since the loose cut hides this defect in the best possible way.

But clothes with a classic cut fit most favorably on those who have a boyish body type, that is, narrow hips and shoulders, a small bust size.

Their figure becomes proportional and feminine.

This option is also suitable for girls with an apple body type, but in this case, preference is given to models in which the flare starts from chest level. This allows you to hide your tummy. Of course, girls with a pear-shaped figure also wear a trapeze, since the loose cut and flares hide extra centimeters in the hips.

The dress is truly universal, as it can be worn by both those with a prominent bust and those who are thin. In the situation with the former, clothing favorably demonstrates this fact, but does not attract undue attention. And those girls who cannot boast of proportionality in the bust area, when using a dress with a collar or pockets in the chest area, visually increase the volume.

Self-tailoring

When interested in how to sew a trapeze dress, women often assume that there are some difficulties in the sewing technique that provide the model with clear lines and maintain its shape.

In fact, there are no tricks, but there are two rules that are constantly applied in the art of tailoring:

WTO, that is, wet-heat treatment of seams - it provides 80% of the result; it is not so important to iron the finished dress as it is necessary to steam and flatten all seams with an iron in the process of sewing the product;
selecting a material based on density and rigidity directly for the model of clothing that you are going to make - for example, a sheath dress, if sewn from easily draped materials, will either not hold its shape or will hinder movement when worn.

Where to wear

The a-line dress is universal. If it is made of knitwear, then it is quite suitable for work, if the dress code is not too strict. If it is silk or linen, then for a walk in the hot summer or even on the beach.

Models made of satin, chiffon, and openwork are an excellent option for a romantic date. If the dress is long, floor-length, then it can easily replace any classic one for going to a special event. But in this case, special attention is paid to decorations.

Varieties

There are several types of such clothing.

Length

The length is selected according to the figure.

Floor length

Floor length is an option for an evening dress or creating a safari and casual look (if the appropriate colors and materials are selected). Particular attention is paid to shoes, as the ankle length draws attention to them. Bright ballet flats, wedge sandals, and woven sandals are suitable.

Midi

A classic version, the dress ends near the knee. The style is created in such a way that this particular length demonstrates the correct proportions of the figure, even if they are not ideal. Fits into any look: business, office, romantic, everyday.

A short

A mini dress is chosen by those who can boast of slender and thin legs. But in this case, the top of the clothing is chosen to be as closed as possible, so as not to seem too revealing.

Season

The choice of model is also influenced by the season.

Summer

Summer trapezoidal dresses are made of cotton and linen. Even if these materials do not always retain their shape well and may wrinkle, the girl feels comfortable in them. The fabrics allow air to pass through, and the loose and flowing silhouette will prevent you from sweating.

Spring/autumn

Spring and autumn options are made from knitwear, denim, and cashmere. The dense fabric holds its shape well and is easy to care for. A-line dresses are replacing straight-cut office clothes, sundresses with blouses or turtlenecks. The image fits within the dress code, but it becomes more romantic and feminine.

Winter

An a-line dress is also suitable for winter; it is made of high-quality wool, thick knitwear, and cashmere. It goes great with leggings and tights. At the same time, if you choose underwear to match the shoes, you create an unsurpassed and thoughtful look.

Sleeve type

There are several types of sleeves.

Long

Long sleeves are non-standard in appearance. Due to the tapered cut at the shoulders, they are also quite narrow. But then there is an expansion to the brushes. But there are also options with completely narrowed sleeves. It looks beautiful if the length of the dress is mini.

3/4

Versatile length, suitable for office environments and everyday life. Can be worn in any weather.

Short

Short sleeves in a trapeze dress are a loose concept. It can reach up to the elbow or barely exceed 5 centimeters. Short sleeves are suitable for informal meetings. If the sleeves are lanterns, then it replaces a romantic dress for a date.

Without sleeves

A classic, but the hangers can be either large or very narrow. This season, variations are popular when the collar surrounds the neck like a necklace, but there are no sleeves. In a dress, the trapezoid of the collar often becomes the main highlight of the image, so it is decorated in every possible way (prints, rhinestones, beads).

Popular colors

Choose one of the popular flowers of the season.

White

Creates a feeling of brevity, aristocracy and simplicity. Choose either as a cocktail dress or as the basis for creating a casual look.

Red

This option cannot be called overly sexy and open, but it attracts the gaze of others.

The image is romantic, but not vulgar and not provocative thanks to the cut.

Black

A change from the classic little black dress. It will come to the rescue if you are planning a date, but you don’t want to “invent a wheel.” It will also replace office attire, because it fits perfectly into the dress code.

Blue

Noble and dark shades are suitable for work environments. Bright, blue-black, rich ones will decorate a brunette on a romantic date.

Pink

Creates a flirty look for summer. Great for blue-eyed blondes.

Yellow

The best choice for summer. Creates a playful mood and attracts attention.

Blue

Both long and short models look advantageous.

Rich blue is for brunettes, light as the sky is optimal for natural blondes.

Green

Green is the choice of young ladies with brown and red hair. Combines with white, red, brown, orange.

Burgundy

An elegant option for creating an office or romantic look. Knee length is the choice of women over 30 years old.

In a cage

A classic dress model that was seen on fashion shows back in the 60s. Allows you to create a retro style.

Textile

They sew a wardrobe item from different materials.

Knitwear

Knitwear is suitable for spring and autumn. It is light, but warms well enough. Often models are equipped with large collars with collars.

Wool

Wool clothes are the choice for cold winters. One hundred percent natural wool will warm you and prevent you from getting sick. But if a woman is allergic, then attention should be paid to other equally warm fabrics - flannelette, cashmere, mohair.

Chiffon

Chiffon dresses are weightless and form a feminine and flowing silhouette. Suitable for hot weather, as chiffon has the property of cooling the skin.

From staple

The staple is inexpensive and practical. Similar to natural cotton, but more practical to care for. Doesn't shed and has good air permeability.

Guipure

Both the entire dress and its individual parts are made from guipure. A guipure ribbon on a satin trapezoidal dress or a guipure collar will complement the romantic look.

Lace

Lace clothing is the trend of the season. Combine with other fabrics to prevent clothes from showing through. Lace options are used as cocktail dresses.

Linen

Natural linen, excellent air permeability, cools the skin, and is pleasant to the touch. But despite the advantages, it wrinkles, so a linen dress is not suitable as office wear.

Fabrics that visually correct the figure

When choosing fabric for plump ladies, the features of the texture are taken into account. Dresses made of shiny, transparent material enhance the figure. Smooth, soft fabrics suit donuts better. Visually, they make the figure slimmer.

Knitwear

Machine-knitted and hand-knitted jersey is in fashion. To sew clothes for overweight ladies, smoothly dyed, melange, variegated fabric is used. Knitted dresses are worn in warm and cold seasons; their soft, streamlined silhouette makes business and casual looks feminine.

Chiffon

The fabric drapes easily and forms beautiful lines. Chiffon gives softness, seductiveness, and femininity to full figures. It hides excessive roundness. Young women use it to make seductive summer outfits for relaxation.

Linen

Linen wrinkles, but in modern dresses for every day for summer, slight carelessness looks stylish. Comfortable business dresses and leisure outfits are made from this natural fabric for plus size girls. Particularly impressive are models made from plain-dyed linen, as well as bleached and semi-bleached linen.

Crepe de Chine

This silk fabric has a fine-grained surface, so it has almost no shine. Light summer outfits (sundress, tunic dress) and going out outfits are made from crepe de Chine.

Staple

Various summer outfits are sewn from the staple. This is natural fabric. It is pleasant to the touch, breathable, and thin. Staple dresses hold their shape easily. Using drapery allows you to hide excess volume in the abdomen and hips.

Staple dresses with a pattern fit perfectly on crumpets. The pattern helps to smooth out the silhouette, making the full figure more graceful. Optimal average and maximum length. Girls with a pear-shaped figure are suitable for styles with a voluminous top. A-line dresses mask the imperfections of a rectangle-type figure.

Cotton

Natural cotton fabric is breathable, and products made from it have high hygienic qualities. Light summer outfits for relaxation are sewn from cambric and chintz. Models decorated with stitching, braid, and lace in a rustic or romantic style are modern and beautiful.

Guipure

This is an openwork fabric made of cotton or silk threads. Outwardly it looks like lace. Elegant guipure dresses suit older women. Exclusive models for plus size ladies are present in the collections of famous fashion designers. Retro style is in fashion. Designers offer chic evening dresses with long skirts.

Floor-length dresses made of guipure elongate the silhouette and hide the belly. Models with contrasting lining look especially interesting. Sleeves reduce volume in the upper body. They hide full arms and shoulders.

Lace dresses

Lace fabric suits women of any size and age. The fabric softly fits the figure. Hides her flaws well. A-line dress made of lace makes the look light, masking the volume in the hips. High-waisted peplum styles make the belly invisible.

Lace fabric combines well with other fabrics, so it is often used as an insert. In the 2019-2020 season, classic styles of lace dresses will be fashionable:

trapezoid;
case;
A-line maxi.

Viscose

This original viscose outfit is practical and of high quality. Complex designs are sewn from this fabric. Advantages of the material:

does not wrinkle;
easy;
does not accumulate static electricity;
does not lose color;
Cools in hot weather.

A model with an open bodice and a loose skirt fits well on a figure with full hips. Suitable styles for viscose fabric:

straight silhouette shirt dress with ¾ sleeves, it can be combined with leggings;
sheath dress, a bright print in medium size is suitable;
models with asymmetry (hemline, open shoulder).

Plain, floor-length dresses in the Greek style are suitable for going out. In the 2019-2020 season, pink, cherry, and azure colors will be fashionable.

Jeans

A denim shirt dress will hide your curvy figure. Denim fabric is dense, so it hides body imperfections well. She breathes, a plump woman feels comfortable in her. Stylish jewelry completes the look.

Interesting options

The most interesting options for the trapezoid are noted.

Fitted

Beautiful a-line dresses do not expand immediately from the chest line, but neatly fit the waist. The model is suitable for everyone except girls with an apple body type. In this case, the clothes are belted, but the strap is thin and not very tight.

On the yoke

The gathering is located in the neck area, under the bust or on the straps. The yoke effectively hides figure flaws.

With a flounce at the bottom

The flounce at the bottom turns a dress of an already classic silhouette into a cute little thing, relaxed and cheerful. If the dress is short, it will be an excellent option for young girls for every day, if it is long, it will be the highlight of an evening look.

With a collar

The collar visually enlarges the chest, the stand lengthens the neck. And if you choose a small lace collar, it will add a touch of romanticism even to a formal office look.

With cut-off back

From the front it looks like a standard A-line dress, but there is an opening at the back. At the same time, it can either open only the area between the shoulder blades or almost expose the entire back.

Warm

A warm dress is made at least to the knees, with a collar, and long sleeves. It looks fresh and sophisticated and goes well with warm leggings and tights.

Step-by-step construction of a pattern

The trapeze dress (a pattern for beginners is presented later in the article) is built on the basis of an individual dress base with a set-in sleeve. For a figure close to standard, a ready-made pattern is used. Correctly taken measurements will help determine the size and location of changes.

Construction based on the finished pattern is carried out in several stages:

The main lines of the base pattern are transferred to the prepared paper. From the basic base, the new pattern does not use darts at the waistline, they do not need to be transferred to the new drawing.

The chest dart is moved to the armhole.
Along the bottom line there is an expansion of the shelf and back. The expansion is laid according to the model from 7 to 15 cm.
A new side seam line is drawn. At the upper point of intersection with the armhole, it coincides with the base, then gradually expands - slightly to the waist line and strongly to the bottom line.
The construction of a set-in sleeve for an A-line dress has no special features; the base pattern is used without changes.
The position of the pockets is marked on the shelf, the details of the pockets (valve, patch pocket) are drawn on the shelf, then transferred to a separate sheet.

Large symmetrical parts of the back and shelf are cut out in half, and a fold line is marked in the center. Small parts are cut out entirely. The A-line dress looks good with raglan sleeves. The armhole line directed towards the neckline emphasizes the model's extended silhouette.

The easiest way to model raglan is on a proven basis with a set-in sleeve:

On the pattern of a single-seam sleeve, a line is drawn connecting the point of the height of the sleeve cap and the middle of the line of the bottom of the sleeve.

A-line dress: pattern with raglan

The sleeve is combined with the armhole at the point of the front roll (in the narrow part of the armhole and the corresponding point on the sleeve).
The front roll point is connected to the neckline, the line is drawn at a similar angle to the side line.
To construct the back half of the sleeve, the steps are repeated.

Raglan is the easiest to process. To sew it in, you do not need to shape the fit of the edging relative to the armhole. First, all the details of the dress are assembled, the neckline and fastener are processed, then the side sections are sewn down and the bottom of the product is folded.

Features of socks

In some cases, such a model will become indispensable.

Pregnant

Pregnant women can choose a loose-fitting dress with an extension from the chest. The convenience is that you can buy a size larger and it won’t be noticeable.

Full

For overweight people, the trapezoid is a real salvation. They bundle it with:

jackets;
long jackets;
trench coats;
raincoats.

If you combine it with a sleeveless cape and heels, you might be surprised when you look in the mirror - at least 5 kilos are visually removed.

How to choose shoes

The choice of shoes depends on the style of bow you are going to create. If selected:

60s style, then thick-soled sandals or classic pumps are suitable;
retro style - shoes with massive heels;
casual - pumps, ballet shoes;
youth - wicker sandals, moccasins;
evening - stilettos, high heels.

The color scheme can be enlivened with shoes in bright colors. But this is inappropriate for an office look.

Examples of fashionable images

Popular sets this season:

knitted dress and cropped jacket;
classic black dress and bright bolero;
retro clothes and silk neckerchief;
oversized model and platform sneakers.

The A-line dress suits everyone. But so that it does not seem ordinary, it is recommended to complement it with stylish textured jewelry and clutches, handbags with a thin strap.

What to wear with an a-line dress?

Your imagination will tell you what to wear with an a-line dress. It could be a jacket, cardigan, golf shirt, bolero jacket or short leather jacket. When putting together a clothing ensemble, it is important to take into account the consistency of the fabric structure and the color spectrum of the elements. A dress made of perforated leather goes well with a leather jacket or denim jacket. Wool short sleeves can be paired with a fitted turtleneck, while viscose dresses can be paired with a wool blazer. A summer dress made of satin goes harmoniously with an openwork blouse or a short denim jacket. A light chiffon product can be decorated with a neckerchief or an elegant strap on the hips, without using unnecessary items of clothing.

A floor-length a-line dress requires a special approach to choosing elements of the ensemble. To create a romantic look, you can use a long cardigan, raincoat or cape. Products of medium length look harmonious with a jacket that reaches mid-thigh. Short dresses can be worn with short jackets, cardigans or boleros.