Evening dresses are women’s favourites—they’re the gowns of beauty queens and royalty, real and not, like those who are royal for a day on red carpets or corporate events. You only get to wear these on very special and monumental occasions, which is why it’s understandable that it’s intimidating to some women.
It’s simple, really. Don’t use what you learned in prom. What you wore then is different from what you’d wear in adulthood. Unless, of course, you picked something very elegant and rather mature for your age back then!
Black-tie or cocktail?
When the dress code says cocktail, you can arrive in those ubiquitous and sexy knee-length dresses. When the dress code says black-tie, a floor-length gown is expected. Evening dresses come in a wide range of styles because evening events come in a wide range from casual to formal!
No matter the event, what you want for evening is elegance. Pick your evening dresses for how pretty they make you feel! Sexiness comes after and as a side-effect, not the goal of the dress. Elegant doesn’t include too revealing cuts that make you spill up top or show too much above the knees.
For cocktail evening dresses—stop at or just a couple of inches above the knee. The shorter the hem, the higher the neckline should be. For floor-length evening gowns—avoid stiff fabric that stands out like a tent instead of gracefully draping your figure. Even billowing skirts don’t balloon out. They cascade and fall.
Colours and classy match-ups
Evening wear calls for black, and very deep shades of red and blue (navy, midnight, royal). These are the classics. If you want to stand out a little, pick a jewel-toned colour that would bring out your hair or eyes and flatter your skin tone at the same time.
No matter the event, what you want for evening is elegance.
Jewel-tones come in two groups: water and fire. If you have a pink-ish glow, you have a cool skin tone that goes best with water shades: sapphire blue, quartz purple, teal, and cool, blue-toned magenta. If you have a peachy glow, you have a warm skin tone. Wear fire and earth colors. Ruby red, emerald green, topaz yellow, and warm amethyst.
For footwear, stilettos for cocktail and closed pumps for black-tie. No platforms, only single-sole heels. But if your hemline is very long, wear open-toe, strappy shoes for tantalizing glimpses of your feet when you walk.
Shoes and gown shouldn’t be too matchy-matchy in colour, but it doesn’t hurt, especially with shorter skirts. Metallic and nude shades are best, elongating your legs and unobtrusive.
Experiment with blazers and knits for cover up on dates and drinks. Just the right jacket—soft or tailored—turns an evening dress sassy or sweet, laidback or corporate.
Bare your arms. It’s the new sexy, especially with floor-sweeping gowns. Accessorise with a thick bangle or a statement ring and you’re all set. For upswept hair and bare shoulders, leave it bare, and call attention to your face with a pair of eardrops instead.