The development of world fashion trends is often influenced by external circumstances. Few people know that a whole class of women's clothing began in the difficult 30s of the last century. The pencil dress that appeared then became the ancestor of hundreds of models and styles for all times. This is the so-called eternal classic, which this season has been updated only in colors.
When choosing a pencil dress for 2016, you should not deviate from the typical canons of business style, since this outfit can hardly be called evening. Unless it is made of shiny fabric and decorated with chic necklines. Although many elegant styles are created on the basis of this model. Take, for example, the popular “mermaid” or “fish” cut - they are formed on a meringue “pencil” or “case” of the classic style with the addition of a flared godet skirt of various lengths.
The history of this cut is based on the principles of an economical approach to the creation of women's clothing in the difficult post-war times. Until the early 30s, luxurious outfits were in fashion, the sewing of which required up to 7 meters of fabric. After the end of the First World War, this became an unaffordable luxury for the vast majority of the population of developed countries at that time. In return, the designers proposed practical and comfortable minimalism that fits the average needs. A little less than a century has passed since then, and the pencil dress has taken root so much that it is being improved from year to year.
Look at the photo of a pencil dress for 2016 - this timeless classic allows every woman to look luxurious in any circumstances: 
Distinctive feature of the style
A distinctive feature of the style is the cut-off waistline, which allows you to create unique combined models from material in contrasting colors. Thanks to this trick, you can visually increase the volume of your hips, emphasize your waist, or create an elegant bust.
A business outfit in the form of a dress with a pencil skirt is today a classic office style. It does not require any special additions, and you can diversify your look by changing thin neck scarves made of the most delicate silk. A distinctive feature of the business style in this type of women's attire is the uniformity of the fabrics used and the clarity of the pattern lines. Although some “excesses” in the form of curly cutouts and guipure inserts in the waist area may also occur. 
A completely different matter is an evening pencil dress, which creates an elegance of the image due to the perfect cut and luxury of the outfit due to the use of original fabrics. Here, monochromatic material is also welcome, but it can be replaced with thick satin, which perfectly supports the silhouette. An important detail is the skirt. A long pencil dress can be straight, without any extensions to the bottom. Slits, high side or back slits may be appropriate here. The model with a wide skirt is not inferior in popularity. Moreover, it can be made from transparent and flowing fabrics, which favorably emphasize the contrast of the upper corset part. 
A business outfit with a skirt of this cut is absolutely inappropriate and will look at least vulgar. In the classic version, the silhouette is slightly narrower along the hemline. Acceptable length is up to the middle of the knee. There is no need to experiment and try to combine classic elegance and mini length. Restraint and clarity of the silhouette are the main winning points of this style. 
Models and colors
The pencil dress models presented in the 2016 collections are not particularly original - they have a classic cut and monochromatic color scheme. Popular colors are black, white, red and rich blue. For slim and young people, it is proposed to use pastel beige in combination with brown accessories. The absence of sleeves as such has become almost universal; this allows the wardrobe item to be used in combination with turtlenecks like an office sundress. The neckline also attracts attention. If last season a wedge-shaped and triangular shape was allowed, emphasizing the gracefulness of the neckline, then in the coming year preference is given exclusively to a boat-shaped neckline. This smooth line with a strictly defined semicircle adds femininity and elegance to the image. It is perfectly complemented by a thin string of pearls and an elegant chain made of precious metal. But you should refuse massive jewelry, especially those made in a rough “rustic” and ethnic style. 
The black pencil dress is a classic in the style of Chanel, who first proposed the “little black dress” model based on it. In the modern world of fashion, this is the basic foundation of any fashionista’s wardrobe. You can add sophisticated pumps and a business jacket to it. The model will look no less impressive in combination with high leather or suede boots. 
A white pencil dress is distinguished by its purity of color and looks most advantageous when sewn from fabric. This is a neutral tone that emphasizes youth and hides the age of the fair sex. It goes well with simple but original silver jewelry, a classic hat and a coat in the form of a frock coat. 
The opening of the season is a red pencil dress; special attention should be paid to the shade of Marsala, which is most popular throughout 2016. But you shouldn’t forget about the other halftones and color options. Rich red and delicate crimson shade, bright scarlet and delicate pink - they all have the right to exist. The only difficulty in choosing them is choosing the right combinations with other elements of the image and adding accessories. Lacquer brown or black would be an ideal complement to the pure shade of Marsala. The handbag is matched to the color of the shoes.
Look at the photo of a pencil dress in white and black, red and other equally attractive shades: 
Models for plus size ladies
Not only “slim women” can afford to wear this elegant and practical outfit. Pencil dresses for plus size ladies can also be used to advantage, but it is worth observing some points when choosing a model. The style should have a sleeve, even if it is very short. The main thing is that the fabric covers the upper part of the forearm, where something that you would like to hide can treacherously peek out. Correct fit of the shoulder line is ensured by a special fitted cut with many longitudinal darts. It is also worth paying attention to the elements of drapery and such an important part as the peplum. It is she who creates the “hourglass” image and extra pounds are visually hidden as if by magic. 
A pencil dress for plus size people can be made in two colors. In this case, it is advantageous to select the bottom of the product from a lighter material than its upper part. again, a redistribution of color visual accents occurs, due to which an increase in the visual volume of the thigh smoothes out the excess fullness of the chest.
Look at the photo for examples of pencil dresses with sleeves for plus size fashionistas: 
Modern fashionistas are increasingly returning to dresses, but quite recently in our country the most popular clothes among women were trousers or jeans. One of the most win-win options that will be appropriate in almost any situation is a beautiful pencil dress.
Since the style was born in the post-war period, its most important feature is brevity. The dress, in its classic form, should fit the figure, have a shallow boat neckline and be sleeveless. The length is usually knee-length, with the skirt tapering towards the bottom.
This is the case that suits absolutely everyone, the main thing is to know what to pay attention to. Slender girls can choose any dress; if the figure is very fragile, it is better to choose a thicker fabric. For tall people, knee-length is suitable; on a petite woman, a shorter version will look better. Ladies with curvy figures can easily find their pencil dress, because, thanks to its style, it will help hide some imperfections. The absence of a seam on the belt will visually elongate the figure, and the dense fabric in the waist area will make it slimmer. Beautiful breasts, which plump girls often have, will be adequately emphasized.
The pencil dress has long gone beyond its original style. And although the key points remain unchanged, mainly the silhouette, many new details and nuances appear.
A huge variety of cutouts is no longer limited to the boat. This could be a V-neck, a stand-up collar or a deep neckline. Original cutouts of abstract geometric shapes, with many sharp angles, have come into fashion. The top of the dress can even be made in a bandeau style. A beautiful cutout on the back turns the dress into an evening outfit.
Classic length, just below the knee, complemented by mini and maxi. By adding a full skirt to the usual one and sewing it at knee level, the designers invented a new style: the mermaid dress.
In addition to the usual sleeveless dresses, winter models are appearing. They have long sleeves, a high collar and warm fabric. There are short and 3/4 sleeves, flounced sleeves or with cuffs. A huge number of additional elements can decorate a modern pencil dress. These are patch and welt pockets, additional folds, cuffs, collars, large and small buttons, zippers. There are practically no limits to the imagination of designers here.
In the 30s of the last century, when, thanks to a shortage, the pencil dress was born, it was of a restrained, often dark, color. With the development of the fashion industry, the color range expanded, but until recently, the pencil dress remained part of the business wardrobe and belonged exclusively to the classic style. It was monochromatic and dull. But fashion dictates its own rules, introducing new elements into the classics, transforming them into different styles. Now on the catwalks you can see not only bright colors, but also various prints that include several colors at once, for example, geometric or floral.
The well-known little black dress from Chanel may well be a pencil dress. It suits absolutely any occasion. And every woman should have it. A figure in such a dress will always look great. It can also be worn to the office, complemented with a blazer or neckerchief. At the same time, it is perfect for a party, even with the strictest dress code.
With such a dress, every girl can create her own image, and it will certainly be sexy. For those with snow-white skin, a red dress will help you look very elegant, like a Hollywood diva, if you use bright lipstick to match. But it will look great on dark skin too.
Red is only suitable for special occasions. It is bright in itself and, naturally, a woman in red will attract the gaze of others. You can wear this dress to a celebration or to the theater. It will also be indispensable on a date.
Blue is one of the most beautiful colors, it is elegant and deep. Also suitable for a special occasion rather than every day. Blue goes very well with black, you need to remember this when choosing accessories.
This dress is like a blank slate. It can be equipped with a huge number of things. At the same time, you can practically not limit yourself in choosing colors. You can wear various scarves and shawls, blazers of any color and style, and your favorite jewelry.
In addition, combining it with nude tights or stockings will make you appear taller and slimmer.
Here a lot will depend on the shade. Muted, marshy shades are suitable for work and everyday life. Bright emerald shiny fabrics are an evening option that goes perfectly with gold jewelry.
The favorite color of all little princesses. A pink dress is suitable for a young and slender person. The color is ideal for summer; it will beautifully highlight your tan. Older women should avoid it. At least in classic dresses.
The final result and overall impression of it will depend on the fabric from which a particular dress is made.
Absolutely an evening option. It can look very elegant and expensive. In this case, the quality of the fabric is extremely important; it must be very high, otherwise the dress will look cheap and shine too much.
Feminine and at the same time comfortable, who doesn’t dream of this. You can wear a knitted dress to work and to a cafe with friends afterwards. It is important to remember that knitwear can show figure flaws if it is thin. Models made of thick knitwear, on the contrary, will have a tightening effect, so you shouldn’t discount them, even if your figure is far from ideal.
The sexiest option. Often this dress has a flesh-colored lining, which creates the feeling of its absence. When choosing such a dress, you need to pay attention to the quality and pattern of the lace itself. Everything should look noble and elegant, because with such fabric it is very easy to slip into vulgarity.
It will help create a clear silhouette without flaws. It will hide flaws and highlight advantages. This fabric will not allow you to wear a dress one size smaller or larger. Everything here must strictly comply with the parameters. Only then will it fit perfectly and look as it should.
The length of the dress is one of its main parameters. It depends on where you can go in it, and who you can wear it to.
A short dress can look very attractive, but only on the owner of slender legs. For plump girls, a different length will be preferable. With age, a mini is also not always appropriate, even if your legs allow you to wear it, you need to be careful. An exception may be the beach or a non-obligatory summer walk.
This is a classic pencil dress length that is perfect and flatters everyone. Both thin and plump. Always looks elegant and sophisticated. This is exactly the length that was originally intended. A below-knee length dress can be worn to the office or to a business meeting. When imagining a business woman, everyone sees her exactly like that.
This length allows you to wear the dress in a looser environment if the style is more neutral. It will not restrict movement even while walking or shopping.
The long pencil board became a relatively recent development. Several styles have appeared in this version. Of course, they are more suitable for evening outings, since it is difficult to imagine such a dress in another setting.
Since the classic version of the pencil dress is a medium-length dress with no sleeves, it should be worn without tights. In extreme cases, and here you need to weigh everything carefully, you can wear very thin, almost invisible tights or flesh-colored stockings. Colored, and especially black, tights should never be worn if your arms are open.
A warm dress made of thick knitwear, which has long sleeves, can be combined with any tights that match the color. If the dress has a neckline, you can add a scarf. You can wear jewelry with a high collar, if the dress does not have any additional elements, the main thing is not to overdo it.
A pencil dress and pumps with thin heels are the perfect look. But in modern fashion, given some transformations of the dress, it is already acceptable to wear sandals or shoes of other styles. In this case, the heel is required, in any case, and it will be better if it is thin. Ankle boots are combined with autumn dresses; they should not be rough and as open as possible. A heel is also required.
A pencil dress can be presented in many variations, so it is possible to choose an image so that it is stylish, fashionable, beautiful and individual.
A bright and elegant set can be created by adding black classic shoes to a red dress, a black coat just below the knee and accessories of the same color: watch, belt, sunglasses.
2018-07-04 The sheath dress is one of the most successful designs of designers of the twentieth century. It is a one-piece, narrow dress that fits the figure and makes subtle accents on feminine assets.This style came into fashion after the First World War, in the early 30s of the last century. During a period of general shortage, it was considered unreasonable to spend a lot of money on tens of meters of expensive fabric to sew just one dress, so women began to abandon wide skirts and fluffy dresses, which, moreover, were not very comfortable to move around in.
They were replaced by a sheath dress - comfortable, multifunctional, and, moreover, allowing you to experiment with various jewelry and accessories, creating different models and outfits. Thus, a black sheath dress easily turned into a little black dress from Coco Chanel, and complemented by a wide skirt at knee level or below - into a mermaid dress, which was very popular among Hollywood actresses of that time.
In the 60s of the last century, the sheath dress was at the very peak of popularity. In addition to classic models, dresses with a deep neckline and bare shoulders began to appear, as well as elegant options - long narrow dresses made of rather dense and expensive fabrics, giving the figure a slim and solemn look.
A sheath dress can be either tight-fitting or moderately wide, of very different lengths - from a revealing mini to floor-length. The types of necklines are also different - V-shaped, round, boat, square; a stand-up collar also looks good as a strict option. The dress can be either long or short sleeved, sleeveless, with straps, or even with completely bare shoulders.
A variation of the sheath dress is the pencil dress. In principle, this is the same sheath, but with a transverse seam at the waist, thanks to which the dress can have a top and bottom of different colors, which looks very impressive and successfully hides some of the shortcomings of a particular type of figure.
This style is a classic that is always present in women's wardrobes, and today it is again on the crest of a fashion wave. A sheath dress (pencil dress) is universal, and this is very important for modern women. Unlike the Chanel dress, it can be not only black. The color scheme is varied, but closer to neutral - brown, gray, beige, blue and their shades.
The style of the sheath dress is strict, and therefore patterns such as flowers, geometric patterns and others are quite rare. The only thing that can diversify the monotony is, as mentioned above, the top and bottom of the pencil model being different in color. An insert at the waist in the form of a belt, different in color from the dress itself, would also look nice.
The fabric for such a dress should be dense - knitwear, linen, cotton, suit fabric.
Who is suitable for a sheath dress (pencil dress)
For girls with ideal shapes, any model of pencil dress, in any color, is suitable. Fragile girls with an Hourglass or Slender Column figure will look great in a pencil dress in cream, pink, green, yellow. You can even experiment with stripes or asymmetrical prints.
For overweight women with an Apple or Pear figure, a sheath dress can be an ideal option.
The absence of a transverse seam visually lengthens the figure and makes it more graceful. In addition, a little loose at the waist, it emphasizes the chest well and disguises the fullness of the hips.
If you are short, it is better to choose short models of pencil dresses; if you are tall, on the contrary, longer ones.
Skinny girls should choose dresses made from heavy fabrics to add some weight to the silhouette.
If you have small breasts, then a dress with ruffles on the chest is an ideal option.
Don't know your body type? Take the free test..What to wear with a sheath dress (pencil dress)
A pencil dress (sheath dress) should be worn with shoes, boots, or ankle boots with heels. Platform shoes, ballet flats, slippers and other flat-soled shoes are absolutely not suitable for a dress of this style. It makes any type of figure look squat and visually fills it up. Stockings or tights are a must for this outfit.
Accessories should be stylish, but not flashy: a small clutch bag, a bracelet or watch, a string of pearls or long beads with small stones. You cannot wear a belt with a pencil dress.
A sheath dress in combination with a business jacket can be worn to work in the office, with jewelry - in the evening at a restaurant, and in combination with a warm jumper it will become a comfortable outfit for an evening walk.
A pencil dress should be present in the closet of any woman and girl over 16 years old. This dress perfectly combines conciseness, classics and proper sexuality. It perfectly emphasizes the figure, while exposing very little of the female body. For women and girls who want to look stylish, elegant and noble, a pencil dress was created.
By wearing an ultra-short mini, you clearly make it clear to the people around you what you want from this life. And not necessarily sex. Lovers of short skirts simply lack emotions, admiring glances from men and the conviction of their irresistibility. However, it is not always appropriate to show off your legs to others. In addition, in recent years, men have already become oversaturated with the sights of half-naked girls. Because looking at the young ladies in short dresses, it’s immediately clear what they are ready for.
But men are hunters by nature and it is important for them to conquer and conquer beautiful girls. This is why women wearing more revealing dresses attract much more interest.
Story
Dresses of this style began to be worn relatively recently. In the twentieth century, society gradually began to move away from pompous dresses. This was especially affected by wars. In times of general hunger and shortages, it would not be wise to spend tens of meters of fabric on sewing one dress. And it’s difficult for girls to move around in fluffy dresses. Therefore, by the 30s, women completely stopped wearing voluminous dresses.
They were replaced by a pencil dress. Due to its modest style and color, women could wear all kinds of accessories. After all, buying beads is cheaper than buying a new dress. Moreover, this dress went perfectly with heeled shoes and stockings.
Sophia Loren and Marilyn Monroe were forced to look at dress differently in the 60s. Seeing how this dress hugged the chic curves of these actresses, women realized that they could look no worse than film stars. Society has changed since then. Women increasingly began to engage in business, go to work, and as it turned out, the pencil dress fits perfectly into the office style of clothing.
Styles and models
A classic pencil dress should fit a woman's figure, the skirt should taper towards the bottom, there are no sleeves and no seams at the waist.
And this dress is never short and has a boat neckline. A classic dress is usually made in a strict color scheme: black, grey, white and brown. Such a wardrobe detail can become the basis for creating many different looks. By adding accessories to the classic pencil, you can constantly change without emptying your wallet.
Nowadays designers do not stop at classic models. They offer the fairer sex to wear options with a peplum, long sleeves or an open back. Of course, it is important to be able to wear such bold styles at the right place and time. Showing up to work in a dress with an open back will cause confusion among your colleagues. This outfit is more suitable for dinner at a restaurant or going to a party.
How to choose?
For girls with ideal figure parameters, you can wear anything. You don't have to limit yourself to colors. Dresses in pink, cream, etc. will look great on you. You can also experiment with a dress - pencil stripes, polka dots and asymmetrical prints.
For fragile girls, you need to choose dresses from rough, heavy fabrics. Silk will not suit them. The ideal option for you is a dress in a bright color, with ruffles in the bust area.
A pencil dress for plus size girls and women will be a real salvation. Despite the fact that it always fits the figure, it hides all its flaws well.
Just choose outfits that are a little loose at the waist. Or opt for a dress model that uses thicker fabric in the waist area, which acts as a corset that is not visible to others. Plump girls usually have beautiful breasts and hips and are able to emphasize these figure advantages.
The taller you are, the longer the dress you can afford. But for little girls it is better to wear shortened models.
With what and where to wear it?
As mentioned earlier, this dress is an indispensable option for work. A woman in a dress is always beautiful and confident, and this is very important at work. In addition, wearing a pencil dress to the office, you will not contradict strict requirements for appearance.
This outfit has significant advantages. This is its versatility and ability to change quickly. You can safely wear it to work and immediately after it go to a romantic dinner. To do this, just put on a smart jacket and stylish jewelry, let your hair down and you are ready to conquer men's hearts.
It is also great for going to exhibitions and social events. After all, it combines severity and femininity.
For a dress of this style, you need to choose stylish, but not bright, accessories. It should be a handbag, bracelets or watches and definitely high-heeled shoes. By the way, modern shoes with a large platform are not suitable for a pencil; it is better to wear a classic pump.
And don't forget that you can't wear a belt with it.
As you can see, many arguments indicate that a dress of this style should be worn constantly. Business style doesn't have to be boring. Wear a beautiful dress and decorate it with your smile.
