What Is a Cocktail Dress?
Sometimes referred to as a “party dress,” a cocktail dress is a mid-length semi-formal dress that is often chosen for evening outings. Although the style of dress itself emerged during the 1920s, contemporary fashion designer Christian Dior has been credited with coining the term “cocktail dress.” The classic “little black dress” defined by Coco Chanel is a type of cocktail dress, and is often touted as a versatile must-have for any woman’s wardrobe. One of the most iconic images of the cocktail dress in popular culture is that worn by Audrey Hepburn in the 1961 film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Other stars famous for wearing cocktail dresses include Louise Brooks, Twiggy, Kate Moss, and Sarah Jessica Parker, while some of the world’s most famous fashion designers, such as Balenciaga and Prada, are known for their cocktail dress designs.
Most cocktail dresses can be dressed up or down depending on which items they’re paired with. One of the benefits of cocktail dresses is their appropriateness for both a professional environment in the daytime and a social outing in the evening. In the daytime, women might wear cocktail dresses paired with fitted jackets or cardigans, creating a conservative outfit suitable for an office environment. In the evening, the same dress could be worn to a lounge or club when paired with eye-catching accessories or the footwear most often worn with the frock, high heels. Boots can also be worn with a cocktail dress if they are fitted rather than loose or clunky.
Although the cocktail dress is known for its versatility, there are certain types of cocktail dresses that are inherently formal or fancy and difficult to dress down. These cocktail dresses are distinguishable by such features as sequins, satin, halter necks, bubble skirts, beading, and plunging necklines. There are also certain styles of cocktail dresses that might be too informal depending on the event, such as dresses with buttons down the front, jumper-style straps, or dresses worn layered over shirts. In 2009, author Laird Borrelli- Persson published an illustrated retrospective called The Cocktail Dress, which offers a historical look at the classic cocktail dress and its place in fashion as well as quotes by famous designers.
Written by G. Melanson
