Sometimes referred to as the “party dress,” cocktail dresses are short to mid-length and are semi-formal. There is no single ...

For women, this can be a little trickier. If the party starts at 6 p.m. (with a cocktail hour), a woman can wear a more formal cocktail dress. If after 8 p.m., a long dress is preferred.

For women, glitzy dresses of any length are appropriate — just not a gown." In other words, cocktail attire is a dress code that falls somewhere between casual and black tie.

Black-tie dress code, explained – and five chic outfit ideas to shop now More formal than cocktail attire, less formal than white-tie 💃 By Kara Kia Published: 20 May 2025 Jump to Products ...