Clothing Definitions — definitions of garments and clothing terms from Apparel Search
A cocktail dress or cocktail gown is a shorter-length lady's gown worn at cocktail parties and other semi-formal and formal occasions. Less elaborate versions may be worn at semi-formal occasions when gentlemen are in dark suits, and a longer, full-skirted cocktail dress may accompany black tie. The length of cocktail dresses ranges from just below the knee to tea length, about two inches above the ankle, and sometimes ballerina length, touching the ankle. This page explains how the cocktail dress is calibrated to the occasion and to what the men present are wearing, and covers the mid-20th-century full-skirted cocktail gowns that some couturiers called dancing costumes.
A cocktail dress or cocktail gown is a shorter-length lady's gown worn at cocktail parties and other semi-formal and formal occasions. Less elaborate versions may be worn at semi-formal occasions when gentlemen are in dark suits. (When gentlemen are in business suits, ladies also wear dress suits or "good" afternoon dresses). A longer, full-skirted cocktail dress may accompany black tie (although in the late 1960s and early 1970s short cocktail dresses were acceptable black tie attire).
In the mid-20th Century, some couturiers began describing full-skirted cocktail gowns as 'dancing costumes'. These are suitable for formal dances but not for balls, or other white tie affairs, where ball gowns must be worn.
The length of cocktail dresses ranges from just below the knee to tea length (about two inches above the ankle) and sometimes ballerina length (touching the ankle), although ballerina length dresses usually fall into the evening gown category.
A wide variety of materials, styles and accessories are acceptable; silk, satin and chiffon are always popular choices.
Evening Dress (White Tie)
| The above article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/cocktail_dress). Modified by Apparel Search 8/14/05 |
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The cocktail dress exists to solve a calibration problem: an evening event that calls for celebration dress but not for a ball gown. The traditional guide was the men's dress at the same event. When gentlemen are in dark suits, a less elaborate cocktail dress — or a dress suit or good afternoon dress — is correct; when the men are in black tie, the longer, full-skirted cocktail dress is the matching level. That pairing logic explains the style's wide range: the same category stretches from a simple silk sheath to a beaded, full-skirted gown, and the invitation's dress code tells the wearer where in that range to land.
The style's classic period was the mid-20th century, when some couturiers described full-skirted cocktail gowns as dancing costumes — dresses made to move at formal dances, while still not ball gowns. The distinction mattered then and still explains the category: suitable for formal dances, but not for balls or other white tie affairs, where ball gowns must be worn.
A cocktail dress is a shorter-length gown worn at cocktail parties and other semi-formal and formal occasions. It is dressier than an afternoon dress but stops short of the full-length ball gown reserved for white tie and balls.
Cocktail dress lengths range from just below the knee to tea length, about two inches above the ankle, and sometimes ballerina length, touching the ankle — although ballerina-length dresses usually fall into the evening gown category.
A wide variety of materials, styles and accessories are acceptable, with silk, satin and chiffon always popular choices. The fabric and finish set the level: a silk or satin dress with formal accessories can accompany black tie, while plainer versions suit semi-formal occasions.