Advice
Guys, you are about to attempt a feat that is not easy. Buying your wife or girlfriend the perfect evening gown or formal dress is an effort more daunting than one of Hercules' tasks.
How do you begin such a monstrous task? Fear not, with a little practice and savvy, even a man who can't pick out a coffee mug to save his life, will be able to buy the perfect gown for his lady.
Check out the Stars
Check out what the stars wear to the Oscars, Golden Globes and other awards. If your wife is older, don't go for a Lady Gaga outfit. Think elegance. Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon are two actresses to look for. They tend to wear outfits to awards that look beautiful and stunning. This is just to gather ideas, not dish out designer prices (unless of course you have that in your budget).
Ask friends
If you are completely at a loss, contact one of your wife/girlfriend's friends and ask her. She might know the type of dress your wife secretely desires. But make sure she does not tell your wife. If your wife has no friends, take a recent picture of your wife, head over to some fashion stores and window shop. Tell the clerks what size and height your wife is. You might see a dress you like but the key is: How will it look on your wife? Will your wife like it? And even though you don't want to admit it, will you like it? Search for evening dresses online and ask her friends what they would go for.
Know the size
If you are not sure what size your wife is, check out the size of the latest dress that she is wearing. Look in the closet. Don't ask her!!!
Know her well
If she's conservative, go for a dress that is modest about showing cleavage. A gown with a halter strap might work but if she doesn't like to show her back, opt for a spaghetti strap dress. On the other hand, if your wife is the first one out on the dance floor, then give your goddess that ancient Olympian look: a one-strap dress or no strap dress.
Colors?
How does a guy pick out a color for his wife's dress? Her complexion is a factor before making a decision. If your wife has a dark complexion, white will look stunning. If she has an olive skin tone, go for a darker green, blue or red. If she is pale, gold or silver will look gorgeous. There's also dresses with patterns on them that can make her stand out, but if the dress is to be worn on more than one occasion, try to keep it simple. Another way to pick out color for your wife is her personality. If she's outgoing, and loves to stand out, buy her a Ferrari red colored dress. If she's a wallflower, stay with darker colors.
Little black dress to rescue
If you are in despair and just can't find a dress, there's always the infamous "little black dress." These dresses are sexy, and can be worn on more than one occasion.
Less is more
If your wife has a body to die for, less is more when you pick out her dress. If your significant other has a lot more to love, don't go the other extreme and pick out a dress that is better suited to put groceries in. Buy her something that drapes around her figure and flows when she walks.
It's a bit of a challenge to buy your wife/girlfriend an evening gown, but its worth it if you can pull it off. Let her make the ultimate decision when you present her with the dress. If she really loves it, she will tell you. If she hates it, let her and you pick out a dress together.
But if you can pull this off, you are definitely a husband or boyfriend to hold onto. Become a hero, buy a dress for your lady.