With some of the biggest nights of the year ahead, the pressure of choosing the perfect party dress can get a little overwhelming.

Rather than grabbing the first on-trend piece you see, shop for your body shape this year. You'll be oozing confidence – and Christmas sparkle!

Here are a few guidelines…

If you have an hourglass figure…
If your shoulders and hips are roughly the same width, with a smaller than average waist, you've got a gorgeous hourglass figure. Show off the smallest part of your body with cinched in waistlines and fit n' flare style skater dresses. 

An open neckline and a nipped waist make this dress party perfect:

Caitlin Drape Crepe Dress, €62, Oasis

Don't be afraid to show off those pins, either – this tunic skims your curves in all the right places:

Sparkle Tunic, €56, Warehouse

If you have a pear-shaped figure…
A small chest, and shorter legs that are wider at the hips and thighs make you a pear shape. Go for dresses with empire waistlines or higher cut waistlines that give the illusion of longer legs.

We love this structured two-piece style dress:

Pink Jacquard Overlay Dress, €55, Miss Selfridge

And this sequin dress will sit perfectly on a pear-shaped lady:

Scatter Sequin Dress, €107, Warehouse

If you have a boyish figure…
If you're straight up and down with a smaller chest, go for styles that drape or gather around the chest or waist to give you a curvy silhouette.

This dress will draw the eye to the top half of the body:

Lace Bodice 2 in 1 Dress, €73, Oasis

And with a smaller chest you can afford to have more beading and detail all over:

Silver Megan Bodycon Dress, €112, Miss Selfridge

If you're curvy…
High-impact curves can look super-sexy when styled just right. Go for semi-fitted dresses that hug in the right places.

This plunging neckline is covered by a sultry sheer mesh panel, meaning you won't be on boob-spill alert all night:

Black Textured Mesh Plunge Dress, €87, River Island

This wrap dress looks amazing on all figures, and the waist-tie sash shows off your curves to perfection:

Red Bird Wrap Dress, €22.99, New Look