BethSanchez

The Best Cocktail Dresses

The season of sultry cocktail parties is here. Skip the little black dress and find the sexiest cocktail dress to fit your style. Here’s a list of some of the best kinds going:

Sleek

If you are blessed with a slim figure, why not go ultra sleek and show it off? With a long, smooth dress, don’t over do it. Pick single color dresses and don’t distract from that sexy dress with too much jewelry. Slits and peekaboo backs work well, and add interest. Avoid the plunging neckline or extra frills. You want draw the eye along your sleek curves, not away from them.

Try: An all white dress with a little leg and a lot of line.

Plus Sized

So you might not be able to pull of the long, sleek dress, but you’ve got assets to flaunt! The sexiest cocktail dresses for plus-sized women make use of high waists and low necklines. You want to look for pieces that are structured, and flow over those areas you want to camouflage, while amping up the attention on parts you love.  Love your shoulders? Try a halter top. Have great legs? Pick a shorter hem. Pick a luxurious material that feels great, and make sure you’ve got the undergarments to support it. For versatility, consider a shawl to place just the way you want it.

Try: A cute halter with a fun print and high waist to accentuate your top.

Vintage

Vintage has caught up and is now everywhere. The great thing is that vintage dresses can be just a sexy as modern ones, and you have so many more styles to choose from. When choosing your sexiest vintage cocktail dress, make sure the garment has worn well through the years. Check for rips, fades, and stains. Check that fasteners, like old zippers, snaps, and buttons are all in good repair and you can use them easily. If something is really appealing, but needs a bit of work, check out how much it would cost to repair it. You might be surprised how little it would take to glam up an older piece to suit your modern eye.

Try: Something unexpected, like a summery print with a classic neckline and vintage shoes.

Little Black Dress

This is a perennial favourite, for great reasons. This sexy dress can go anywhere and will suit anyone. The secret is that every little black dress has a style that lets the wearer emphasize the best bits. Your little black cocktail dress might have a low neckline, or a short hemline, or be a breezy strapless. The black works to mask parts you don’t want to show off, and accentuate the line or curve you want. Plus it works everywhere, any season, for any reason.

Try: A cool, sexy and stretchy dress that keeps you comfortable at any party.

Whatever your shape or size, one of these cocktail dresses is sure to suit your own personal sense of style.