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Off to a party and have no idea how to dress your pear-shaped body? Not to worry. Plenty of stunning celebrities with the same figure as you constantly wow us on the red carpet at premieres, parties and awards shows. Petite star Christina Aguilera, television host Maria Menounos and "Sex and the City" actress Kristin Davis all have the characteristics of a pear shape: wider hips with the majority of their weight on the bottom half of their bodies. Yet, we see how gorgeous they look rather than wonder why they chose that outfit, because they strategically choose dresses to minimize and flatter. So take a cue from these beautiful ladies, and take pride in your bootylicious pear shape!
The Nipped-In Number
Follow petite pear-shape singer Christina Aguilera, and find a dress (mini or maxi) that shows off your waistline. Whether it's with a big bow, fabric gathering or well-placed ruching, the attention to your waist will completely distract envious witnesses from your wider bottom half. Stay away from nipping in the wrong places, however. Empire-waist or baby-doll dresses that cut you right below the bustline are a big no-no. It'll be clear that you're hiding something in the area under that curiously billowy skirt, and will draw even more unwanted attention to it.
The Elegant A-Line Dress
Kristin Davis played the adorable Charlotte York on "Sex and the City," and continues to impress us with her fashion choices. Davis' dazzling sequined bodice gown at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Gala in 2008 was the perfect choice for a body like hers and an event like that. The brightness of the sequins draws the eye to her slim torso, while the A-line skirt falls swiftly to the ground. Very much a princess dress for a formal evening, this style, added with sky-high stilettos to ensure the most lengthened silhouette possible, is an elegant option for even the most body-conscious ladies.
The Cool Cascading Dress
For those who want to minimize by maximizing, this is the dress for you. Take a look at Maria Menounos' fire-engine red dress at the 2010 Golden Globes that's short in the front, tapers down to the ground and trails toward the back. The volumized skirt and the fitted bodice completely works for her body shape and will work for yours too. By maximizing that particular area, your hips, thighs and derriere look non-existent underneath all that fabric. Her one-shoulder neckline also draws the eye up to her decolletage, making us pay attention to everything but her pear shape -- not to mention the strong, confident color she chose for her dress. Don't shy away from color, ladies!
The Bold Bandage Dress
Jennifer Love Hewitt donned a body-hugging Herve Leger bandage dress at the "Ghost Whisperer" 100th episode celebration in West Hollywood in 2010. The two-toned Mediterranean blue dress was both very tight and very short, and it did the exact opposite of what you might be trying to do: Show off a pear figure. If you want to hide the fact that you have a pear shape, there are plenty of options. However, there is no written rule that just because you happen not to be a 6-foot-tall super model, you have to hide what you have. Curves are sexy and feminine, and yours are no exception. So feel more than free to show them off in a dress that hides absolutely nothing, like a daring mini bandage dress.
