How To Dress For A Cocktail Party (For Her)

How To Dress For A Cocktail Party (For Her)
6 min read
28 September 2023

A cocktail party is an event or social gathering that can range from very sophisticated to something informal. Here we intend to explain how to dress for a cocktail if you are a woman.

A cocktail party is a social event that requires a specific protocol, but there are as many types of social gatherings as there are ways to dress for a cocktail party, although they all have one rule in common: even if you have to be less dressed up than if it were a wedding event, etiquette, you do have to put on more clothing than for a more casual meeting or commitment.

We already talked about how to dress for a wedding, now Albeli will talk about how to dress for a cocktail. 

What is a cocktail dress?

The cocktail dress, in general terms, elegant, short dress, which allows for many proposals, but is always short to the knee, to be more dressed up than usual. Yes, there are a series of issues that we must avoid if we want to wear a cocktail dress for women that is elegant. These would be, for example, glitter, excessive transparency, pronounced necklines, a dress that is too short, or sequins.

A cocktail dress can be plain, but it also allows prints, and as for shapes and colours, we must choose the one that best suits us, always keeping in mind that it should not be a long gala dress, nor one that is too informal.

How to dress for a cocktail

We don't necessarily have to wear a cocktail dress, but we can choose, for our outfit,  short two-piece suits, blouses and pants or blouses and skirts that are elegant and avoid stridency.

If the cocktail is in the morning, the most appropriate thing is to wear a floaty dress, with soft prints and pastel colours, nudes, and ultimately light colours, which would accept any shade of the colour palette. If the cocktail party is held in the afternoon, it is most appropriate to wear a dress in a single tone, in contrast to the cocktail options in the morning.

Depending on the cocktail hour or the time of year, you can combine the dress with a warm garment such as a scarf, bullfighter or elegant jacket, which is the same tone or one that matches the accessories. 

If the cocktail party takes place at night, we can allow ourselves more licenses, such as wearing more daring dresses in your court, keeping in mind that black is always a safe bet. A black dress, whatever its cut, will look great with more striking accessories that make it unique, even if the dress is simple.

What should not be missing: accessories for the cocktail dress

A dress that is elegant and beautiful in itself will be much more so with the right accessories: shoes, bags, headdresses (if required) and outerwear.

The most appropriate shoes to complement a cocktail dress will be mid-height shoes, whether closed, slingback or open. A shoe that never fails is the classic mid-heeled pumps, since these types of shoes are very comfortable, taking into account that in this type of event, you spend a lot of time standing. 

If the footwear is elegant, goes well with the cocktail dress, and is a little more polished than what we typically wear, high-heeled sandals or even flat shoes can also be very appropriate.

Large bags slung over the shoulder are out of the question for carrying to these types of events. The most suitable bags will always be handbags, clutch bags, envelopes, jewel-type bags, with decorations or plain. 

The materials of the bags can be very varied, from suede and leather to satin, printed fabrics, tortoiseshell, metallic bags, with rhinestone inlays, etc., what matters is that it combines well with the shoes or sandals that we are going to wear.

The choice of jewellery will always depend on our style, although it should be discreet and elegant, with precious or semi-precious stones, and that complement well with the chosen bag and shoes. 

Sometimes, with some simple earrings, or a large brooch, they can make us look great if the dress is more sober and in a single color. The same goes for bags, shoes and other accessories.

How to dress for a cocktail: Hair and makeup

Both hairstyle and makeup must match the dress and accessories selected. Elegant updos, which above all will be very appropriate at night or if we wear a headdress, semi-updos, and long hair can all be good options, whether the cocktail party is held in the morning, afternoon or at night. 

A short hairstyle with a wet effect can look great for an evening event. But if you have short hair and need even more inspiration, we share the article we did on how to make short hair hairstyles for women. 

Regarding makeup, it can be more striking and darker in afternoon and evening events, while, if it is a cocktail party held in the morning, the most appropriate tones will be pastel, nude, pink, or brown. clear. 

We must avoid metallic colours and stridency in makeup. Although we can allow ourselves the license to wear shadows with metallic tones at night, or crimson red lips, the makeup will still be a complement to the dress, so, if we wear a more sober cocktail dress, a slightly more striking makeup will be elegant and will not clash with the outfit.

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