Fashion Dressess

Golden Girl Dress

Singer Carrie Underwood arrives at the Sony BMG Music 2008 Grammy Awards After Party held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.

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A golden dress sets you up to look Hollywood glam, whether the gold comes from a metallic fabric, sequins or beading like the one Carrie Underwood is wearing.With a gold dress, you'll want to tone down accessories and makeup: a hint of other shine is fine, but the dress takes center stage.

Mermaid Dress

Singer Beyonce Knowles arrives at 'Movies Rock' A Celebration Of Music In Film in Hollywood, California.

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Nothing is more vavoom than a form-fitting mermaid formal. It hugs your curves and then flares out at the bottom to make you look more visually balanced, like this super sexy green dress does on Beyonce.Remember: for dresses this sleek, you'll need top-notch undergarments like Spanx for support.

Halter Dress

A model walks the runway during the Monique LHuillier 2008 Fashion Show at The Promenade in Bryant Park during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2008 on September 11, 2007 in New York City.

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The halter dress is a formal dress fave because it draws attention to your face and bust. Whether the straps consist of fabric, string or embellishment like this Monique Lhuillier dress, you'll show off pretty shoulders with a halter dress. The halter silhouette looks great with hair pulled up and away from the face.

Empire Waist

Actress Hayden Panettiere arrives at 11th Annual Entertainment Tonight Party Sponsored By People September 16, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.

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The raised waist or empire flatters just about every figure because it creates a longer line. In a long version, the empire dress is elegant; when short, like this dress worn by Hayden Panettiere, it takes on a babydoll silhouette (great for younger women).

Strapless Long Dress

Actress Drew Barrymore attends the premiere of 'Lucky You' at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.

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Nothing is more glamorous than a long strapless dress for special occasions: it shows off some of the most attractive features on a woman including shoulders, arms, face and arms without being too bare.Whether you choose a short gown or a long gown, like this tiered style Drew Barrymore wears, you'll want to pay extra attention to accessories around the face (either earrings or a necklace) and lips (Drew chose red!).

Full Skirt

A model walks the runway during the Betsey Johnson 2008 Fashion Show at The Tent in Bryant Park during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Spring 2008 on September 11, 2007 in New York City.

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Feeling sassy? Try a formal with a full skirt to show off your playful side. Shorter dresses with a full skirt, like this one from Betsey Johnson, have more of a ballet or '50s feel to them; longer dresses with full-out ball skirts will make you look (and feel) like a princess.

Chiffon Dress

Actress Keira Knightley arrives to the Premiere Of Focus Features' 'Atonement' at The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in Los Angeles, California.

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One of the prettiest ways to wear a formal dress is to go with a light and airy fabric like chiffon. It has lots of movement, and takes color beautifully while keeping a bit of transparency.Keira Knightley's dress from Rodarte is a good example of how chiffon can take fullness and pleating and still look delicate.

Floral Dress

Actress Marion Cotillard poses during the 80th annual Academy Awards nominees luncheon held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, California.

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Don't save florals for tea parties and weddings: they are perfectly formal on party dresses of all types. Look for allover prints or border prints, large flower prints like Marion Cotillard's dress or watercolor prints.

One-Shoulder Dress

Actress Katie Holmes arrives at the AFI FEST 2007 in Hollywood, California.

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Drama queens know that a one-shoulder gown is the only way to go for major impact. Not all one-shoulder dresses are created equal: look for soft draping, like this Katie Holmes dress, for the most flattering look on all bodies.