Two dresses in the same size can sit completely differently on the day, and the reason is the silhouette — the shape the dress is cut to, and the way it is built to hold that shape. A bodycon follows the body from neckline to hem; a drape skims and adds movement; a strapless holds by tension rather than hardware; a tiered skirt builds volume as it drops. Knowing what each dress silhouette actually does makes the choice far easier than a size label alone. Our dresses at Top To Bottom come in sizes S to XL and span all of these shapes, so this guide walks through what each silhouette does and which of ours it belongs to.
Bodycon, drape or strapless: what each silhouette does
Start with the shape rather than the colour, because the silhouette sets the whole character of the dress. A bodycon is cut close and follows the line of the body from the neckline down, so it reads as sleek and asks for very little styling on top — one earring, a heel, and nothing competing with it. A draped or asymmetric shape does the opposite: it gathers fabric to one side and lets it fall, which adds movement and makes the cut itself the feature, so everything else stays plain. A strapless leaves the shoulders bare and holds its position by an elasticised band and an inside grip rather than by straps, which is a specific summer or evening look that wants almost nothing added. A tiered or shift shape carries volume instead of closeness, skimming rather than gripping and moving as you walk. None of these is more flattering than the others in the abstract — they simply do different things, and the right one is the one that matches how you want to move that day.
How a dress holds its shape without a fastening
Much of what makes a silhouette work is hidden inside the seams, and it is worth knowing what to look for. An elasticised neckline holds a strapless or straight cut by tension, moving with the body rather than gapping away from it, and an inside rubber grip at the bust is what keeps a strapless dress where it was put. A second elasticised band under the bust gathers a skirt and gives it lift, which is how an empire or strapless shape gets its movement. Ruched and gathered details draw fabric in so it breaks rather than pulling flat, and a drawstring or a back tie lets you adjust the gather after the dress is on. Where a design pulls on with no zip at all, that shirred or elasticised construction is doing the fastening's job. These are the details that decide whether a dress holds its shape through a long day or fights you, so read the construction as closely as the cut.
Dress silhouettes at a glance
The short version before the individual dresses:
- A bodycon follows the body and wants minimal styling; a drape adds movement and becomes the feature itself.
- A strapless holds by an elasticised band and an inside grip, not by straps — a specific warm-weather or evening shape.
- A tiered or shift skims and carries volume rather than closeness.
- Elasticised bands, rubber grips and ruching are what hold a shape without a fastening.
- Our dresses run S to XL; choose the silhouette for how you want to move, then the size.
Celestine Draped Mini Dress in Navy
The Celestine draped mini dress is not symmetrical, and once you notice why it is hard to unsee: one shoulder is padded and the other is not, tilting the whole line slightly so it reads as deliberate. From that shoulder the fabric gathers into a ruched detail and draws into an elongated drape, over a high neckline and short sleeves, closed with an invisible side zip. It is lined. An asymmetric drape does not want competition, so keep everything plain and let one side be the feature. Navy at this length is the sensible sibling of black — the same job, slightly softer.
Ysolde Bodycon Mini Dress in Pale Pink
Pale pink and close-fitting is a bolder combination than either half suggests, and the Ysolde bodycon mini dress does not soften it. The silhouette is bodycon and cut short, following the body from the round neckline to the hem without a break, with one fixed floral detail as the single place the eye stops. An invisible back zip keeps the surface smooth and it is lined. A fitted mini needs almost nothing and punishes overthinking — a heel, a small bag, one earring shape repeated. The floral detail sets the neckline in a photograph, so wear your hair up if you want it seen.
Thea Asymmetric Mini Dress in Red
Red, short and cut on the diagonal, the Thea asymmetric mini dress has a definite idea about which way the eye should travel. The neckline is asymmetric on thin fixed straps, so the fit at the top is set by the size, and an attached scarf moves with the dress to keep a simple shape from being plain. An invisible side zip leaves front and back uninterrupted and it is partially lined. Asymmetry does the styling for you — put the earring on the bare side and stop there, a heel and a small clutch, and let the scarf trail rather than tying it down.
Rhoswen Draped One Shoulder Dress in Pale Pink
The Rhoswen draped one shoulder dress is built around a single asymmetric line, and everything else serves it. The neckline drapes over one shoulder and leaves the other bare, and the covered side carries a ruffle sleeve so the asymmetry reads from across a room; the midi hem has a side split for an easy walk, closed with an invisible side zip. It is unlined. The one-shoulder cut does a necklace's job, so leave the throat bare — an earring on the exposed side, hair pinned away from the draped shoulder. A bridesmaid dress that will not look out of place at a cocktail party three weeks later.
Mireille Strapless Mini Dress in White
White, strapless and cut short, the Mireille strapless mini dress is built for the fortnight of the year when you stop checking the forecast. There are no straps: the straight neckline is elasticised and holds by tension, a ruffle trim softens the top edge, and a second elasticised band under the bust gives the skirt its lift. Cotton keeps it breathable and it is lined. Strapless and white is a specific look, so the rest can be almost nothing — a flat sandal, bare shoulders, sunglasses. Brunch outdoors, a long lunch, a hotel terrace: warm days that turn into warm nights.
Amaris Strapless Midi Dress in Cherry Print
A cherry print is not a subtle thing to put on a strapless dress, and the Amaris strapless midi dress is better for refusing to be subtle. The straight strapless neckline stays put on an inside rubber grip and an elasticised back band, with a back cut-out and an invisible side zip; the satin bust is lined and the body below left unlined. Bare shoulders and a bold print mean everything else retreats — a plain sandal, small earrings, hair up to show the back cut-out. Midi length keeps it wearable in daylight, so it works for a summer lunch as readily as the evening after.
Kalinda Mini Dress in Red
Red, short and made in linen, the Kalinda mini dress is a holiday dress that does not pretend to be anything else. Linen is the whole argument — it breathes, creases the way linen creases, and keeps its shape in heat that would flatten something heavier. A v neckline sits on fixed straps over a summer motif print, closed with an invisible back zip, and it is unlined, which is correct at this length in this weather. Mini and bare-shouldered means daylight first and evenings second — a flat sandal, a straw bag, sunglasses. It rolls into a case and comes out looking like linen, which is to say right.
Dagmar Tiered Velvet Maxi Dress in Jade Brown
Velvet with a floral worked into it, cut into tiers, in jade and brown — the Dagmar tiered velvet maxi dress has never wanted to be subtle. A deep v carries short sleeves and functional buttons across the bust, so how open the front sits is yours each time, and the tiered skirt drops in stages to the floor; a crossover tie at the back sits above an invisible zip. A deep v and a tiered skirt send the eye the whole length, so keep the shoe simple and let it — gold at the ear suits the print better than silver. A wedding-guest dress for an autumn or winter ceremony.
Honora Mock Neck Midi Dress in Orange Floral
A high mock neck on a floral is an unusual decision, and the Honora mock neck midi dress is more interesting for it: covered at the throat, loud everywhere else. The neck sits high and closed, a back opening fastens with a button, and an invisible side zip keeps the front uninterrupted so the orange floral reads as one continuous piece. Rayon gives it the drape to fall at midi and it is lined. With the neck covered, put nothing there — an earring instead, and hair up to show the button at the back. A wedding-guest dress for a ceremony where you would rather be memorable than blend in.
Read as a set, these dress silhouettes are a way of choosing by feel rather than by label: close or loose, symmetrical or drawn to one side, held by straps or by tension. Decide how you want the dress to move first, then pick the shape and the size to match. The whole range, S to XL, is on the full collection.