Elongate legs with an illusion dress

A classic sheath is perfect for a variety of holiday occasions and never goes out of style, so we know we’ll get our money’s worth. But some styles end up making legs look shorter and stockier. The stunning solution: a sheath with two-tone vertical panels. “The neck-to-knee linear pattern draws the eye up and down, elongating the entire body, while the contrast in colors optically trims thighs down the middle so they look half the size,” says celebrity stylist George Brescia, author of Change Your Clothes, Change Your Life.

“Plus, the combination of light and dark panels visually slenderizes the body and shows off feminine curves to boot.”

The result? A statuesque silhouette— even if a night of dancing has us trading our heels for ballet flats!

FIRST pick: Tommy Hilfiger, $99

(Macys.com, Colorblocked Sheath Dress)