What is the definition of a cocktail dress?

[TheChosenTwo]

I don’t think I own one, I just googled and looked at images and they all seem to be varying in length and style!
I need one for an occasion where the dress code is cocktail dress, happy to buy whatever it is but wtf is one?!

What are the menz told to wear.

You’ll look like a contestant on The Apprentice in that!

I love cocktail dresses though i agree there is quite a broad spectrum. They can vary greatly in length but i try to find the balance between too short and too long. I usually think for a cocktail dress it is more formal than business wear but not as dressy as ball gown.

I’ve never watched the Apprentice so the meaning of this passes me by.

I have only seen these dresses on the red carpet recently and maybe on the Royal style thread. I am reminded of Sophia Loren and Elizabeth Taylor!

Black or navy or, if you find a nice one, grey.
With short sleeves, or to the elbow. Mid-calf length. Understated.
Avoid glitter - add your own (necklace; earrings; evening bag)
Try: Ghost or Baukjen.

I always think of a cocktail dress as a non floor length evening dress. Basically look at it and ask if it would be suitable as a costume in Breakfast at Tiffany's and if the answer is no, move on. If you want sleeves then looking for a midi dress in silk with lace sleeves would be a good place to start.

https://www.coastfashion.com/product/coast-satin-lace-boat-neck-midi-dress-with-fluted-sleeve_bcc07037?colour=navy

If you fins a sleeveless dress you love then places like M&S sell lace sleeves to wear underneath to give coverage although the colours are quite limited. My favourite cocktail dress is black and sleeveless so I always wear some underneath as I have psoriasis.

I bought this bobby dazzler from Vinted for an 80’s party, but this to me is a true cocktail dress 😂. Admittedly I could hardly breathe all night as an 80’s size 10 is about a 6 now!

I’d say it’s knee length or shorter and evening fabric, lace/satin/velvet. Not a day/work dress. I think any colour, but for a wedding I’d say not black/white.

Arghhh feel like im back to square one with the conflicting advice again 😂😂😂
so basically anything goes really?
Regarding what the men are wearing, I don’t know, whatever they would wear to a cocktail party? I’m guessing just not ripped jeans or surf shorts?
Sounds like I’m going to be fine just going in a nice dress so I’m not worrying about it, just going round in circles when trying to find out what exactly cocktail attire might be!!

The gorgeous gold goddess Jenny packham dress the princess of wales wore is £4k and polyester. So 🤷🏻‍♀️

https://www.next.co.uk/style/su446112/ae0165#ae0165
Take a look at this dress. I've seen you've mentioned that you like a sleeve and the colour red. It's elegant and something that can be worn to other occasions too. Very reasonably priced and available from shop rather than online. You can accessorise if you want to. I think it would be quite flattering for any figure.
Hope you find something suitable that you really like.

Honestly there's no point worrying about polyester for eveningwear. The alternatives are silk (often too expensive and not as available) or sometimes viscose. A quality polyester fabric is often the best option for an evening look.

I would also say a cocktail dress is a day-length evening dress, that could be midi, mini or knee length these days. I think the test is, would it look out of place in daytime? So you need an evening type fabric, colour or style, eg showing a bit more skin, or a satin/lace/velvet, or glitter/metallic/embellishments, depending on your style.

https://www.johnlewis.com/hobbs-anais-hammered-satin-dress-kyanite-blue/p112653258?s_share=jlappdroid this because of the fabric, needs glam accessories but is more covered up

https://www.johnlewis.com/gina-bacconi-everlee-lace-dress-navy/p112273641?s_share=jlappdroid
More usual type of lace cocktail dress (very safe)

https://www.johnlewis.com/phase-eight-felicity-semi-sheer-fringe-mini-dress-black/p112523041?s_share=jlappdroid LBD with sleeves compensated by sheer fabric and short fancy skirt

Perfectly tailored shift dress, black, great neckline that shows collarbones, knee length, plain bow-less ballet flats, is always my cocktail go-to.

OP have a look at coast they do beautiful dresses perfect for a wedding!!

White tie - ball gown and gloves
Black tie - evening dress (long form fitted dress - might be strapless, have straps or sleeves - looks formal so a long floaty beach dress wouldn't cut it!) Think princess Diana revenge dress if it went to her ankles
Cocktail - mid length to above the knees, formal, again strapless, straps or sleeves. No cut out bits showing midriff etc. At the formal end, think princess Diana revenge dress. At the less formal end, Look at Quiz in the wedding section for ideas on the sort of outfits - anything that isn't long in this section (so you don't get confused for a bridesmaid)
Don't over think it. The red dress that you posted looked lovely. Team with heels, sparkly clutch necklace earrings and fascinator x

This. No two pieces and no big skirt as that becomes a ballgown. Fitted, on the knee or above and chic.

Yes, I’ve certainly worn trousers when the dress code was ‘cocktail’.

I spent my teens and early adulthood reading Evelyn Waugh - so my impression of a cocktail dress is a garment reflecting the extravagance and urgent desperation of the interwar period. It shouldn’t be ‘safe’ - at all, in fact it should carry an element of risk. It’s a dress for smoking and getting drunk on champagne in; stupidly confiding in the worst possible person, leaving with a person other than the one you arrived with, waking up the next morning in Puerto Rico …

A ‘nice dress’ would be the antithesis of all that.

Mine is the assistant in Pretty Woman “dinner, well you’re going to need a cocktail dress”See here

It’s a wedding and an evening event so I would be pretty sure they mean not standard wedding guest attire, they want you to wear a party/evening dress, anything short of a ball gown. Think lacy, sparkly shiny, silky, velvety fabrics, jewel colours, metallics and black rather than florals and pastels. All those dresses that people usually say are too bridesmaidy to wear to weddings would be fine 😂

I think this is a fairly classic interpretation of different dress codes & holds up well OP.
https://www.houseoffraser.co.uk/guides/dress-codes-explained
For me, cocktail dress would mean within 2" of the knee, structured tailoring of some kind (so not a tea dress) and usually not strapless if it's a military or formal event - but probably more relaxed on that aspect for a wedding.

You'd probably get away with most things in reality, including dress-like separates or jumpsuits. But floor length would be OTT, anything above 3/4 thigh would miss the mark & a mini might result in some audible tuts - depending on how gracious or otherwise the hosts & their guests are ;)