What is a bodycon dress?
A bodycon dress is close fitting and usually made in a stretch knit like jersey or rib. It's a going out dress: date nights, 21sts, New Year's Eve. Pick a thicker fabric for a smoother line, and sort out your underwear before you leave the house.
When to wear a bodycon dress
Wear it to
Think twice for
Who it suits
Works on you if you want a sleek, streamlined line
Works on you if you like simple outfits built around one strong piece
Works on you if you want something that packs small and moves when you dance
Heads up if the fabric is thin: it shows every seam and strap underneath
Heads up if you'll be sitting for hours: a short, tight mini rides up
Heads up if it's a work event: a midi knit is the safer length
How to style it
- Strappy heels or heeled boots
- An oversized blazer or leather jacket
- Chunky sneakers for a casual night
- A small shoulder bag
- Sheer or opaque tights in winter
- Statement earrings
- Avoid. Visible straps or lines, unless that's the plan
- Avoid. Thin, shiny jersey under bright lights
- Avoid. Shapewear so tight you can't sit or dance
What bodycon means
Bodycon is short for body conscious. Dictionary.com defines it as designed to be close fitting and often made with stretchy material, and says the word came into English via Japanese "bodikon", first recorded between 1990 and 1995.
The look itself goes back a bit further. Chiswick Auctions traces it to 1980s designs that dropped the ruffles for simple, solid coloured dresses cut close to the body. In the 1990s came dresses made from "skin-tight knitted panels", now known as bandage dresses.
Fabric is everything
Bodycon works because of knits. Their structure is what gives them stretch, which is why they suit fitted clothes. The type of knit changes how the dress sits:
- Jersey: soft and stretchy, stretching mostly across its width. Thin jersey clings and shows what's under it.
- Rib knit: stretches more than jersey and recovers well, so it holds its shape through a long night.
- Interlock and ponte: thicker double knits. Interlock is more stable and less stretchy than jersey, so it skims smoothly. Best pick for a cocktail event or a work Christmas party.
- Bandage knit: firm, panelled and very structured. It holds its shape but has less give.
Comfort and what to wear under it
Thicker is your friend. A heavier knit gives a smoother line and is less likely to go see through. Do the light test in the change room: stand under a bright light or use your phone torch.
- Seamless underwear in a shade close to your skin tone disappears best.
- Check for strap lines from behind, or pick a dress with a built in bra or a neckline that suits a strapless.
- Sit, bend and take the stairs in it. If it rides up or digs in, try the next size or a midi.
- Shapewear is optional. Wear it if you like it, skip it if you don't, and make sure you can still breathe and dance.
Night out, day out, any season
Bodycon is a night out dress first: date night, a 21st, New Year's Eve. A ribbed midi with sneakers and a long coat turns it into a daytime outfit. New Year's Eve is summer in Australia and winter in the US, so think lighter rib knits in Sydney and a thick knit with tights and boots in New York.
Shop bodycon dresses
See all bodycon dressesCommon questions
What does bodycon mean?
Bodycon is short for body conscious. It means a dress designed to be close fitting, usually in a stretch fabric. The word came into English via Japanese and was first recorded in the early 1990s.
What should I wear under a bodycon dress?
Seamless underwear close to your skin tone, plus a bra that suits the neckline or a dress with one built in. A thicker fabric shows much less. Shapewear is optional.
How do I stop a bodycon dress riding up?
Choose a thicker knit with good recovery, like rib or interlock, and check the length sitting down. A slightly roomier size or a midi length also helps.
Can you wear a bodycon dress to a wedding?
Usually not to a day wedding, where it reads as a night out. For an evening or cocktail wedding, a midi in a thick, dressy knit can work. Check the dress code first.
Compare bodycon dresses across shops