Cocktail Dresses for the Party Occasion

Cocktail dresses as the name suggests are evening gowns worn generally for parties and informal occasions. Depending on the style and comfort of the women, cocktail dresses could extend from anywhere above the knees to ankle length.

Cocktail dresses as the name suggests are evening gowns worn generally for parties and informal occasions. Depending on the style and comfort of the women, cocktail dresses could extend from anywhere above the knees to ankle length. Couple of inches above ankle length is referred as tea length, while if the dress falls to a ballerina length which is touching the floor, it is more suitable as an evening gown rather than a cocktail dress. The term was first used by the fashion powerhouse Christian Dior.

Cocktail dresses or evening gowns depend a lot on the fabric for their look and hence they also represent an individual style statement. While some prefer the sexy, revealing tighter cocktail dresses, some are more comfortable in the casual evening frocks which are also more colorful with bright patterns. These cocktail dresses can be differentiated by their shoulders. There are three varieties. The pleated and folded no shoulder variety was very famous till recent times along with the conventional frock with two straps. The latest fashion though is the single shoulder where the cocktail dress winds up around and across one shoulder for balance leaving the other side bare for a mystic look. This is also very close to the Indian sari look, although hem of the saris generally touch the floor and the shoulders aren’t left bare.

Cocktail dresses can also be tight and chic for the slimmer women who would want to reveal their legs. These cocktail dresses are generally knee length and are more figure-hugging unless they are the loose frock variety that is more casual.

Although cocktail dresses for men are mostly black trousers with dinner jackets, women have no such paucity in their variety. The more beautiful and enigmatic look comes with the empire waist and the classic A-line cocktail dresses for women which suit, afternoon and evening parties. A single necklace, bracelets and dangling earrings are often coupled with the knee length cocktail dresses for the perfect informal, stylish and mature look.

Traditional V-cut and halter necklines make for great cocktail dresses for the tall woman, giving the impression of broader shoulders and consequently a narrow waist thus creating a very curvy impression. Chiffon, silk and cotton are used for the flowing gowns which widen at the bottom and are very comfortable along with being stylish. Another variety of cocktail dress is the knee length, figure hugging variety that starts from the neck and has bare shoulders. This especially suits the cute look, or the working woman look, with a designer watch and a handbag, without much scope for jewelry items. This kind of a cocktail dress is sleek, sophisticated and can be sometimes be worn on formal occasions too depending on the knee length. Black is the chosen color for this style and can be worn to draw attention to your figure without being too revealing at the same time.

Floral prints, velvety look or deep satin look with colors such as purple and bottle green can also be used in cocktail dresses although, one has to be careful to differentiate between the vintage evening gown and the informal dress you want to wear at a cocktail party.

About the Author

Swimsuit Specialist Wasiim Bhuheekhan is the author of this article on Brazilian Bikinis. Find more information, about Bikini Swimwear here