Fashionable Evening Dresses

Evening dresses are a dream to shop for for practically every woman. Because it usually means a magical evening is in store, most embrace this journey, even bringing along girlfriends to find the perfect dress.

If shopping for evening dresses is on your agenda anytime soon, following is some sage advice to keep in mind. Keeping you feeling fashionably beautiful is our top priority. It is in this spirit that these evening dress tips are offered.

Pour Le Jour's Guide to Finding the Perfect Evening Dress

Length of Evening Dresses: When most think of evening dresses, they think floor length. And, while there may be a variety of reasons you will stick with this, you don’t have to. Evening dresses come in all lengths. And, if you have great legs, an evening dress is the perfect attire to flaunt theme in – beautifully and classily.

Dress Length Tip: If you’re shorter in stature, don’t choose anything that stops right at the ankle or shin. In effect, you cut yourself off at that point. Either go all the way to the floor along with a heel as high as you can comfortably stand it, or go with a short dress with heels. Usually the shorter the evening dress, the higher the heel should be because it elongates the body, which always makes for an elegant look.

Colour of Evening Dresses: In evening wear, colour is extremely important. If your event is more demure and you are afraid of being too colourful, but don’t want to wear black, try deep jewel tones that compliment your skin tone.

Shimmery midnight blue and deep cranberry come to mind. Usually, these can stand in as the “new black,” while still offering the hint of colour you want.

Style of Evening Dresses: The one thing you want to remember about style when it comes to evening dresses is to accent your best feature. If you have delicately broad shoulders and an elegant, elongated neck, a halter, off-the-shoulder or strapless evening gown might be in order.

If you have a tiny waist, choose a style that draws attention to this feature of your body. If you have great legs, as mentioned above, consider short evening dresses.

Accessories for Evening Dresses

Shoes for Evening Dresses: The more ornate the evening dress, the less ornate the shoe should be. Many make the mistake of overdoing it when wearing evening dresses. This is because most of us don’t have an occasion to play dress up often. But, less is always more. And, if you get the heel length right, you’re half way there.

Handbags for Evening Dresses: Clutch bags complement evening dresses beautifully for a reason. They are delicate and just large enough to handle a lipstick, compact and mobile phone.

Jewellery for Evening Dresses: If the dress is ornate, very little if any jewellery may be needed. If jewellery is worn, make a bold statement with one piece. It’s effective and divinely simple – which is always in style.

Style Tips for Various Types of Casual Dresses

Following are some style tips for various types of dresses. Because, when someone says, “It’s all about the dress,” that’s really not quite right. What it’s really all about this the complete dress outfit, from the shoes to the jewellery, to the handbag.

Putting Different Spins on the Casual Mini Dresses

Mini dresses are great because they can be worn alone, or over skinny jeans for example, creating an entirely different look.

The types of shoes you wear with mini dresses can transform them from casual daytime wear, to chic evening wear. This depends on the style of the dress, of course.

Ballet slippers with a mini dress for example are perfect for a casual afternoon of museum strolling with a beau or taking in a movie with your favourite girlfriend. They are an ideal, feminine alternative to jeans and a t-shirt on casual outings. Come nightfall, slide out of the ballet slippers and into a pair of skinny jeans and three-inch spiked boots and you’re ready to go clubbing or out for a martini at that chic new club.

As for jewellery, that all depends on the style, colour, design and cut of the dress. If it’s pretty bare up top, e.g., spaghetti straps, you can really make a statement with your jewellery. A rule of thumb is, the fussier the clothing, the more simple the jewellery. And vice versa.

As you can see, the mini dress is a versatile style every fashion maven should have in her closet.

Versatile Looks for Mid-Length Dresses

Mid-length dresses can be just as versatile as mini dresses, but in a different kind of way. Instead of adding additional clothing with mid-length dresses, it’s all about the shoes and bag.

A casual mid-length dress is a multipurpose wardrobe staple. It can go from the classroom to the club to the latest hip restaurant – if you accessorize it accordingly.

For more laid back occasions like school, sleek flats and/or a wedge heel underscore the bohemian, carefree flavour, while maintaining its style. For these types of outings, oversized shoulder bags and/or messenger bags fit the style of them nicely.

If you’re meeting the gang for cocktails at the latest swanky restaurant, pairing mid-length dresses with stiletto-heeled boots and/or pumps is an instant way to upgrade this look. An elongated, bejewelled clutch as a purse and you’re reeking style in no time at all.

Style Tips for Casual, Full-Length Dresses

Full-length dresses are, of course, most often worn to formal occasions. But, for casual, full-length dresses, look to the shoes and jewellery to provide versatility. Depending on the style of the dress, you can pair it with a stiletto-heeled pump or boot, or a mid-rise heel. Casual full-length dresses go well with flat-heeled boots as well. Especially if they are of quality leather.

In spite of the fact that women wear trousers, dresses lend a feminine appeal that is embraced by all women, young and old; traditional and modern; conservative and fashion-forward.