Say you had a dinner or a girls’ night out to attend and the first cloth that caught your fancy was a backless dress. Would you wear it immediately or you’d pause to consider your options, including how best to style it?
I’m guessing your answer is the latter. And for that reason, I commend you.
A lot of things go into rocking an outfit that brings in compliments and stares. You understand that. It’s why you’re on this page in the first place.
And to satisfy your curiosity, you’ll find in this article trendy tips on how to wear a backless dress.
Keep them at the back of your mind for the days you want to wear a backless top or dress. Or better still, save this page so you can always come back to consult it.
Here’s what we’ll cover.
What is a Backless Dress?
This is one style of womenswear designed to show a woman’s back. They mostly come as tops, dinner gowns or evening dresses, wedding dress, swimsuits, etc.
These types of dresses for women can be of any length. You can always have it as you like it whether mini, midi, ankle-length, floor-length, etc. And if you want them tight-fitting like a bodycon dress or loose-fitting, you’ll have them.
Furthermore, they come in various styles and necklines. However, halterneck seems to be the most common.
They also come with any type of sleeves whether spaghetti straps, puff sleeves, mutton sleeves, short sleeves, long sleeves, etc. And to add more accents to its sexiness, some spaghetti straps low-back tops form a criss-cross design behind.
Also, sometimes, they look fully covered from the front view only for you to look behind and see how it flaunts the wearer’s back.
In addition, fashion designers are adding a tweak to these dresses. To cater to women who aren’t comfortable exposing their backs, they had fabrics like tulle or net behind.
This adds more details to the dress, while still subtly exposing the back.
How to Wear a Backless Dress
“The definition of sexy is a backless piece. It’s very feminine yet alluring. It’s the perfect mixture between sensual and subtle. There’s no need to show more skin than needed but it makes you feel like a woman. It’s ideal.”
Gina Ortega
These words of Gina Ortega, Founder of High On Fashion, ring true. These styles of clothes are sexy and feminine.
They’re edgy statement pieces on their own. And when you wear them, you don’t need to over-accessorize or wear any other thing that’ll compete for attention.
Let your back steal the show by following these tips to the letter:
1. Consider the Occasion
These styles of dresses aren’t for the professional environment. Thus, avoid wearing them as formal office wear unless you plan to layer them with a long coat or blazer.
They’re perfect for black-tie or white-tie events, dinner dates, etc. Furthermore, you can as well wear it to a wedding if you’re the bride.
If otherwise, go for a moderate open-back dress lest you should outshine the bride.
2. Consider the Weather and Venue
These dresses aren’t suitable in cold climates unless the sleeves are long enough to shield you.
Similarly, some venues may be cold. Some may be inappropriate for such outfits. And if you’re caught in an open-back dress, you’ll feel uncomfortable throughout the event.
To be on the safer side, consider the weather and the venue of the event before going ahead to wear a low-back dress. Or better still, keep a shawl or outerwear handy to layer when it gets cold.
3. Own Your Body
Whether your breasts are big or small shouldn’t stop you from wearing dresses you love.
So, own your body. Rock your backless dress with your breasts without feeling shy. Remember, you didn’t create yourself.
All you can do to augment your body type or breasts size is to consider it when dressing up.
And that’s what subsequent tips will show you.
4. Wear a Suitable Bra
Some low-back dresses come with a built-in bra to support your breasts. If yours has this, you need not worry about wearing a bra underneath.
However, the perfect bra for this type of dress is one without a clasp. That is a backless bra.
It’ll push up your breasts while preventing them from slipping out. If you don’t have this, a bra with a transparent back or a low-buckle bra will do the magic.
Depending on the depth of your backless top or dress, the clasp of your low-back bra won’t show when you wear it underneath your dress.
In addition, you can also wear a racerback brassiere that is the same color as your dress. If you do this, the design of a racerback bra will blend in with your dress, giving off the illusion that it’s one piece.
And if your dress has a halter design, a halter neck bra will be your best bet.
Moreover, if you’re small-breasted, an adhesive bra would work for you. Though they may not be as supportive as a low-back bra, they’ll do a good job keeping your breasts in place and hiding your nipples.
5. Use a Fashion Tape
Do you wanna go braless but can’t because your nipples keep protruding? Wanna push up your breasts and highlight your cleavage? Wanna avoid a wardrobe malfunction?
Use a fashion tape.
Similar to claspless bras, fashion tapes house your breasts whenever you wear these designs. Get one for yourself as they’ll always come in handy.
6. Wear a Complimentary Necklace
Accessorize your dress with a necklace designed to drape to the back. They’ll give onlookers something more to stare at while they drool over your beautiful back.
7. Wear a Suitable Hairstyle
Unless you want to use your hair to cover your back, short hairstyles should be your go-to when rocking a backless dress.
That is, pixie cuts, ponytails, low cut, updos, and any other hairstyle that leaves your back bare.
However, you can also allow part of your hair to drape down to your back to create more accents. And if you’re putting on some long braids or weaves, feel free to flip them to the front with a hair accessory so nothing comes in between the stares and your back.
8. Go Completely Braless
Do this if you’re daring and confident enough. But mind you, some people will have their eyes on your nipples. So, be ready to entertain more stares than you bargained for.
9. Wear a Shirt Underneath
This is a great option if you don’t have suitable underwear and you aren’t comfortable going braless.
Don’t give up on your dress. Instead, give it a chic look by pairing it with a shirt underneath.
For more effect, ensure the shirt has a color that contrasts with your dress so each stands you out the more.
10. Layer It
Similar to the tip above, you can as well layer your backless dress with a sweater, blazer, cardigan, shirt, coat, etc.
Though it’ll thwart the purpose of your dress by hiding your back from public glare, it’ll save you from harmful environmental elements and also elevate your style.
11. Be Confident
People will stare once you don this outfit to an event. It’s up to you to ignore their probing or admiring eyes and strut with majesty and confidence.
Wear a smile always as you exude confidence. It’s the one curve that sets everything straight.
Above all, the main goal of wearing a backless dress is to flaunt your back. And as such, if your back isn’t in good shape, you aren’t giving people something worth their while to stare at.
To ensure your back doesn’t ruin the beauty of your dress, adopt a healthy skincare routine and moisturize often.
It’ll help you achieve flawless skin; one void of blemish, acne scars, sunburn, etc. And once you achieve this, you’ll rock your backless dress with confidence to the occasion you have in mind.
