evening dresses

Evening dresses are a type of long, flowing women's gown, normally worn at formal receptions that take place during the evening. There are several types of evening dresses, ranging from tea gowns, to ballerina, to full length classical dresses.

The materials used to tailor evening dresses are of high quality, and may include velvet, chiffon, satin or silk. Moreover, evening gowns may be adorned with diamonds or other gems, golden or silver threads, belts, pins or many other decorative elements.

To complement an evening attire, women will often wear jewelry and shoes that go well with their dress. Sometimes a ball gown is referred to as an evening gown, although there are several important differences between the two types of dresses.

According to the rules of etiquette, ball gowns are worn either for ball room dancing, or white tie occasions that allow such extravagant wear. Ball gowns will always have a full, wide skirt and a strapless bodice, whereas evening gowns encompass a wider array of cuts and lengths. Moreover, ball gowns are always made of luxurious materials, adorned with sophisticated patterns, and are exotically trimmed. Women's evening gowns, however, correspond to men's white and black tie wear, and may come under different shapes and models, including sheath, mermaid, trumpet, dropped waist or A-line.

Sheath dresses are created to fit the body tightly and highlight the woman's figure. For this purpose, they are usually made of thin materials, such as silk or fine cotton. Length-wise, they generally fall right under the knee, and may be strapped or strapless, and with or without patterns. Mermaid dresses are shaped like a mermaid, in that they fit the body tightly, much like sheath dresses, but they flare below the knees to resemble a mermaid's tail. Trumpet dresses are fairly similar to mermaid dresses, only that they usually flare right at the knees. Dropped-waist dresses have a waistline that is dropped below the actual waist of a woman, and they may be either fitted or flared. A-line dresses are a classical example of women's wear, as they are close-fitting at the top area, while gradually widening at the skirt area.

For white tie events, evening dresses tend to be more elaborate, expensive, and will typically be full-length, to match the very formal outfit worn by men. For semi-formal, black tie occasions, women can wear tea length gowns or even cocktail dresses, depending on the accepted dress code for each event. The new evening dresses 2012 make for a hot topic in fashion magazines, that strive to anticipate what the most prominent fashion designers have in store for us for the coming year.

Historically, evening gowns have been part of women's attire since the 18th century, when they were designed to be very elaborate and large items of formal clothing. The term 'evening gown' did not emerge until the 19th century, when ankle-length models came into fashion, although during Queen Victoria's reign, ostentatious floor-length dresses, with huge sleeves, were also very popular.

In the 1840s, evening gowns became more revealing, tailored to drop off the shoulders, and adorned with wide flounces below the waistline. Over the next few decades, as women's fashion transformed under multiple cultural influences, evening gowns went from very low-necked in the 1850s, to low necks and short sleeves in the 1860s, to sleeveless dresses worn with satin or velvet gloves in the 1880s, the wasp-waist cut and long trains in the 1890s.

At the dawn of the 1990s, during the Edwardian era, the high-waisted 'empire silhouette' came into fashion. To create this look, the dress is gathered just under the bust, and continues with a long and loose skirt which slims the body and emphasizes the bust. The long dress skims and lengthens a woman's appearance, and it is especially useful for pear-shaped women. Nowadays, evening gowns of various fashions can be worn at the opera and theater, at dinners, wedding receptions, as well as other formal events.

The rules of etiquette state that a lady's attire must include a number of clothing items and accessories for very special, white tie occasions. The most important such item is a ball gown, cut either to the ankles or full length, as well as a pair of dancing shoes (which may be high-heeled or flat), various items of jewelry, including matching necklace and earrings, long evening gloves, an exquisite cape, cloak or coat, a clutch-style, adorned handbag, or another type of small evening purse. Optionally, women can wear rings and bracelets, hair pins, or tiaras. Wearing a wristwatch is not recommended, unless it is crafted with precious materials and can be mistaken for a fine bracelet.

Formal evening garments should also be closely selected to match the event they are worn at. For example, debutantes are to wear long, white ball gowns that symbolize purity and youth. Debutantes are young women from upper class or aristocratic families, that have just reached maturity and are introduced to society at a formal, coming of age event, named a debut. These young women may also wear long, white leather gloves, as well as discreet pearls to match their chaste appearance.

Evening gowns are typically handcrafted by experienced tailors, and may take months to create, as they require a high level of skill and can be considered esthetically valuable works. A number of evening and ball gowns worn by prominent historical figures are viewed as culturally relevant, and are currently preserved, either as part of private collections, or displayed in museums and exhibitions across the world.

Remarkable evening gowns are distinguished from ordinary dresses through two important aspects: the cut and the materials used. The cut is usually haute-couture, unique and very fashionable, while only the finest, most-expensive materials are used - the fabric may be rare silk or velvet, embroidered with precious stones, pearls, fine, exquisite threads, and other expensive adornments. Due to the overwhelming publicity associated with high profile events, modern wealthy women often contact renowned fashion designers months in advance, to create one of a kind, luxurious evening dresses for them.

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