Black Cocktail dress

Typical Cocktail dress, storefront, South Hampton

A cocktail dress or cocktail gown is a woman's dress worn at cocktail parties, and semi-formal occasions. A dress (also frock, gown) is a garment consisting of a Skirt with an attached Bodice or with a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece Cocktail party is a Party where Cocktails are served Women may choose to wear what has become known as a Cocktail dress.

The length of cocktail dresses varies depending on fashion and local custom. The length ranges from just above the knee to touching the ankle. When it is about 5 cm (2 inches) above the ankle it is called tea length and when it is almost touching the ankle it is called ballerina length, although ballerina length dresses usually fall into the evening gown category. A tea gown or tea-gown is a woman's at-home Dress of the late 19th to mid-20th centuries characterized by unstructured lines light fabrics and frothy or feminine An evening gown is a long flowing lady's Dress usually worn to a formal affair

At semi-formal occasions, less elaborate, shorter-length cocktail dresses may be worn, when gentlemen are in dark suits. The term gentleman (from Latin gentilis, belonging to a race or "gens" and "man" Cognate with the French word gentilhomme The man's suit of clothes is a set of garments which are crafted from the same cloth Prior to the mid 20th century this type of dress was known as 'late afternoon'. When gentlemen are in business suits, ladies also wear dress suits or "good" afternoon skirt and dresses. A skirt is a tube- or cone-shaped Garment that hangs from the Waist and covers all or part of the Legs In European culture, skirts are usually A dress (also frock, gown) is a garment consisting of a Skirt with an attached Bodice or with a matching bodice giving the effect of a one-piece

By the 1980s a dress was considered to be cocktail less by where the hem fell, but more by the level of sumptuousness the garment attained.

In the mid-20th century, some couturiers began describing full-skirted cocktail gowns as "dancing costumes". Haute couture ( French for "high sewing" or "high dressmaking" oːt kuˈtyʁ refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted fashions These are suitable for formal dances but not for balls, or other white tie affairs, where ball gowns are worn. A ball is a formal Dance. The word 'ball' is derived from the Latin word "ballare" meaning 'to dance' the term also derived into "bailar" which is the White tie ( evening dress, full evening dress in the UK is the most formal evening Dress code. A ball gown is the most formal female attire for social occasions

See also: Little black dress

External Links

• Cocktail dresses from the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa