Cocktail Dresses

A cocktail dress is a women’s attire which is worn in formal parties and occasions. Christian Dior who was a famous fashion designer in France was the first to coin the word ‘cocktail dresses’ to the formal evening wear in 1940’s.

Since the parties mostly will be held in the evening they are also called evening dress or gown. Some of these dresses will be customized according to the occasion and some will be worn for fashion. There are various sizes and the length of the gown may be up to knee, may also touch the ankle of women. Or it may be ‘tea length’ which is about 2 inches from the ankle. If it touches up to ankle, then it’s ‘ballerina length’ and this ballerina length is quite suitable for evening gown.

Since women wear the dress mainly in a cocktail party, which is a party where drink will be provided first as an appetizer, it is named as cocktail dress. The drink maybe any mixed drink, alcohol, wine like champagne etc.

Cocktail dress also will be worn for semi-formal occasions. Such cocktail dresses were called as ‘late afternoon’ dress in early 20th century. The name came just after the evening dress. Such ‘late afternoon’ dress will be less in richness and luxury when compared to the evening gown.

This ‘late afternoon’ cocktail dress is mostly skirts and professional women opt for it. The idea behind is that, when business suits are worn by men, ladies wear the afternoon skirts or dress suits in order to equalize them to the occasion or when they are in their profession.

After 80’s the dress is valuated by its sumptuousness than length and it is worn to show their wealth. Some of the designers began to categorize the full skirt cocktail dresses as ‘dancing costumes’ in the middle of the 20th century which are suitable especially for formal dances. Another extravagant dance is called ball dance which is popular and to which only ball gowns are worn. Ball gowns are different from evening gowns and will always have strapless top with full flaring skirt and it corresponds to white tie (formal wear for men) which will be worn especially for ball dance ,opera etc.

The cocktail dresses often will be made of luxurious fabric like silk, satin, velvet, chiffon taffeta and comes with various shapes like mermaid, A- line, trumpet, sheath etc. with straps, sleeves or halters. These cocktail dresses correspond to men’s black tie (semi-formal).

Any little black dress (LBD) of women will be considered as cocktail dresses and originated in 1920 and considered essential for women as a convention of fashion. Women can use it as business wear with jacket or for evenings along with ornaments.