Clutch Party Dresses for Elegant Get-Togethers

Posted by printdress on November 3rd, 2014

Gowns grew ever more elaborate as the centuries rolled on. The sack-back gown, for example, would make most modern wedding gowns look like sundresses. It was made of luxurious fabrics arranged in box pleats that fell to floor with a modest train. The dress was so heavy it had a square hoop to give it shape. As you may have guessed, only members of the bon mot could afford these formal gowns.

During the reign of Queen Victoria, the term "evening gown" was first used. Most fashionable individuals agreed that an evening gown was an elaborate dress with long sleeves that almost always had a hemline that fell between the ankles and the floor. Even so, designers continued to experiment with new looks. Over time, dressmakers used less and material and women started showing more skin. By the end of the 19th century, the most fashionable gowns were sleeved numbers with décolleté necklines. Strapless cheap party dresses came around a bit later as simplicity began to sell. Women wanted fun, flirty dresses that were actually comfortable.

The most formal social gathering nowadays is the black tie affair. A traditional wedding held in the evening or a political dinner often requires formalwear. That means tuxedos for the guys and evening gowns for the girls. The definition of an evening gown is not set in stone. As a general rule, the hemline should reach the ankles. Full length or tea length dresses are preferred. Luxurious materials like satin, silk, velvet and chiffon are commonly used in evening gowns. Creative black tie invites are always fun because they give girls the option of wearing cocktail dresses instead of evening gowns. One again, there is no standard, accepted definition of what a cocktail dress actually is. When compared to an evening gown, cocktail dresses are invariably shorter. The length of the little black dress, for instance, can range from just above the knee (the mini) all the way to the ankles (tea length). When a woman does wear a cocktail dress to an event that calls for creative black tie, she should select a tea length dress, since it is still considered to be a formal affair.

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Joined: May 10th, 2014
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