First of all, you have to think of what type of event this is going to be...is it a holiday party? Cocktail Office party? Family party? Answering this question is a great first step in helping you to narrow down what dress you will exactly be looking for. Considering the time of year I'm only going to divulge in fall/winter related dresses. Another tip that is great if you don't feel like whipping out the credit card for a one-time-wear dress, is pair a neutral LBD (little black dress) with black tights and fun peep-toe shoes/any other kind of fun heel. The tights will make it seem more wintery, and especially patent leather shoes will definitely give you less of a out-of-season look.
One designer I ALWAYS swear by is LaRok - there dresses are super unique and great for a fun, sexy look that will have you standing out against all the other lame black dresses. LaRok, also surprisingly does great things for women with big chests...like myself. Their stuff may seem small and only made for models, but don't pre-judge, this is false. Also, their dresses (especially) are usually initially overpriced so they go on sale almost always so that's great. For example, the dress below, as you will see was originally ~$300 and I got it for less than ~$200 which is a great deal! Another great, great dress designer who really understands women's bodies is Nicole Miller. I think almost every other formal-related dress I have purchased in my lifetime has been by her - she's great and is always coming out with something fresh, yet is always consistent with style, making her dresses very dependable.
So happy dress shopping, and don't forget to take multiple bras (strapless included), spanx, a standard black skin-tank-top and control top tights with you when you go dress shopping, this will help you decipher exactly how the dress fits on your body. Don't be afraid to buy multiple dresses and take them home - just as long as you save the receipt you can always return it!
(1) Larok: Vixen Combo Mini Dress (Orig. $298 - NOW: $178.80)
It looks a tad cheap/trashy in the picture, but I PROMISE this dress is amazing, and the top has spandex in it, so its super stretchy. Also, it's a racerback tank so that's super flattering for those who have lots of arm fat like myself, and the print on the skirt is not as leopardy as it looks, it's more like faint black ovals if anything. This is what I'm wearing to my formal event and I can't wait!!
Link: http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=120096&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results
Link for better views of the dress: http://www.djpremium.com/shop/G1-V98635-R54334-P444915/larok/belted-tank-dress.html
(2) Rory Beca: Kelly Dress with Pleated Ruffle in Black/White ($495)
It's a little pricey, but a Rory Beca dress is definitely worth it! This one is a great buy. The high waist of the skirt part makes gives it a classic and sophisticated look, while the feminine ruffles combined with the sexy V of the top gives it a soft edge. This great combo means you could keep it simple and wear it to that office party or glam it up with a great pair of pumps + accessories (especially since the dress is so simple!) and wear out on the town or to another party (of course with a different crowd attending, we wouldn't want people seeing you in the same dress twice!)
Link: http://www.revolveclothing.com/DisplayProduct.jsp?product=RORY-WD76&c=Rory+Beca
