Dear ladies, summer is coming, so are its rooftop parties, high evening events, cocktails invitations, etc. Only one specific dress code is needed for those occasions: the cocktail attire. Here are the rules to master this dress code and the faux-pas to avoid during those semi-formal events.

Dress

Colour: Choose sober colours as black, grey, white, light pink; or every deep colour: as deep blue, green or even red. All those colours are glamour and very feminine.

Shape: To respect the cocktail attire, your dress should be short, with a length stopping right above the knees. You can choose a voluminous feminine and fresh dress, which will create a contrast with your legs and make them look thinner.

Materials: You can opt for lace fabrics, which are as elegant as silk, soft and light fabrics. Casual fabrics as denim, jersey, chino, etc. are too informal for a cocktail party.

DON’T: Do not wear a dress or skirt above half of your thighs. Back low-cut is sophisticated but be aware: don’t fall in the sexy attire. Skin tight dress or a plunging décolletage are not appropriated to this kind of occasion.

Alternatives to the dress

The skirt: If you don’t want to wear a dress, I recommend wearing a flounce skirt. Graceful and light, it is a very elegant outfit when it is matching with a feminine top. I recommend sequin tops, which are festive and elaborate.

Trousers: You can also choose soft pants or a jumpsuit, long enough to cover your feet and make your body long longer and slimmer.

DON’T: Avoid wearing a shirt, jeans or shorts, which are absolutely not suitable for this kind of event.

Hairstyle and make up

Hairstyle: Concerning the haircut, this cocktail dress code leaves you several options. You may raise your hair up to accentuate the fineness of your face, highlighting your chin and your neck. You can also let your hair loose. However, you must make it sophisticated: brush it to create volume or structure them with hairspray or refined hair-slide.

Make up: Cocktail event means elegant and light make up. Rather choose night colours, like sustained red for your lips. For the eyeshadow, choose a pearl colour or light grey but forget day colours such as blue, pink and green. Concerning the nail polish, match it to the tone of your lipstick to create a nice harmony.


She chose to match lipstick and nail polish and wore light make up on the eyes.

Jewellery

DO: The cocktail etiquette asks delicate and refined jewellery. Choose between necklace and bracelets, earrings and ring. The rule is to have no more than two pieces of jewellery peer hand maximum.

DON’T: Fine or costume jewellery is appropriated, but do not wear tiaras. Do not wear a whole trinity at the same time. If you make an imposing jewellery attire, you will be seen as the lady who wants to show how rich she is.


Here is a good example of too many jewelleries.

Evening bag

Size: You will stand and walk the whole evening, therefore your bag should be small enough to be hold on one hand, and not too heavy, in order not to make you tired.

Colour: Match your bag with one minor colour of your outfit. If you are in one colour attire (as black), pair the colour of your bag with your jewellery or even with the colour of your lipstick.

DON’T: Forget the shoulder bag or any big hand bag, which are too heavy. This evening bag should not be bigger than 2 times the size of your hand. Hold it with one hand only on your side around the height of your waist.

Shoes

DO: Your evening dress will look even more graceful with footwear that adds length to legs. Any kind of high heels will work well with these outfits. I precisely recommend you stiletto, which suggests a feminine and lengthens shape of your feet and ankles.

DON’T: Avoid every ballet, flat, or other shoes. As a Lady, you can’t assume to wear non-feminine or non-elegant shoes for this type of occasion.

Ladies, I hope you now are able to choose the perfect attire in your wardrobe for the comings cocktail invitations this summer. Others articles about Dress Codes are going to be published, if you have an event and want to know about one dress code before the others, write us a comment, we will be please to do it as you wish.

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