Formal Dresses & Evening Gowns
Whether your event calls for a formal gown that's long and flowing or a sequined mini dress, the formal dresses in our collection let you choose one that makes you feel and look your confident best, as if your dress was designed just for you. Also shop heels that really make your look stand out!
Dressy Gowns with Sequins
When you want to sparkle with every move, pull on a sequin gown or mini from VENUS. Some formal dresses are full-on sparkle from the neckline to the hem, while others have touches of subtle sparkle built into the fabric or sewn on as an embellishment. If you're interested in the more subtle approach, there are formal cocktail and party dresses that offer touches at the neckline, decorative buttons, jeweled functional closures, or sequins on the top half. Due to the high sparkle content of these dresses, consider creating a balance by limiting your accessories to a single piece, such as a bracelet or drop earrings.
Date nights with that special someone or a celebration with friends are among the perfect excuses to show off your curves in a formal VENUS sparkly dress.
Elegant Formal Dresses
There's something extraordinary about stepping out of your daily attire and into a long formal gown that makes you feel more powerful, confident, and ready for attention. Let VENUS put you at the center of it all! Ready to feel like a force when you put on a long dress? VENUS has the options to get you there. Find the perfect elegant dress, including:
- Dinner dress
- Date dress
- Winter ball or holiday party dress
From long sleeves to off-the-shoulder styles, plunging necklines to thigh-high slits, long formal dresses offer a varying range of coverage options that can take you through a variety of seasonal parties whether you're indoors or out.
Formal Dresses for Showing a Little Leg
Opting for a long formal dress doesn't necessarily mean you have to fully cover-up from the waist down. Several of our formal gowns have a side or front slit that lets you show off your legs as you walk through a room, take a seat for dinner or drinks, or strike a red-carpet pose. Some styles have a moderate slit while others sport a tight skirt with a thigh-high slit that is the perfect balance for a style with more up-top coverage. Proportion controls if the look is more sexy, chic, elegant, or modest.
Short Formal Dresses - Tips
Formal events used to mean only long flowing gowns but the relaxed rules of today allow for cocktail dresses at even black-tie events. If you want to wear a short dress to a formal affair, keep your look elegant and stylish by opting for black or jewel-tone colors.
A short formal dress assures a fashionable entrance at many of the events you’ll be spotted at this season. Whether a lunch or dinner function, a wedding, a bridal or baby shower or a long-awaited date night, that short and stylish dress makes for the perfect outfit in elegant sophistication.
The Up and Down Neckline
When it comes to formal events, the neckline plays as important a role as the hemline does. Not only do you want the neckline to be event-appropriate, but you also want to make sure you're not spending your time adjusting it rather than enjoying yourself. Invest in shapewear or foundations that form the base of a confident you!
Shop the VENUS formal dress options, and you'll spot necklines ranging from a high neck to plunging V necks. This varied assortment of dress necklines gives you the option to decide how high or low you want to go and what you'll feel most comfortable with.
Dreamy Everyday Formal
When you have a flattering dress that makes you feel fabulous, even less formal events are appropriate places to wear it! Fashion is no longer about following rules but about showing off your personal style.
Many VENUS formal dresses are well-suited to certain daytime events (think brunch, lunch, garden parties, etc.) if the accessories are kept minimal, dainty, or with natural-chic details like raffia and rope. Choose a dress with florals, small prints, or a neutral palette for a refreshing look of daytime elegance. Why leave a confidence-boosting dress hanging in the closet when it makes you feel fabulous, no matter when you wear it?
Wedding Guest Dress
Weddings aren’t just limited to the traditional “wedding season,” and dress codes can range from super-casual beach to full black tie. As an invited guest to a formal wedding, you’ll want an appropriate dress that's also going to keep you comfortable through socializing, sitting, standing and, of course, dancing.
Those guests looking for a stunning, stand-out dress have a multitude of VENUS options that work in every season and for every level of formal. There are even several options available for weddings that fall on or around certain holidays, such as a red or metallic dress for an autumn or winter wedding. Of course, you'll also find several black dresses in all lengths that can go all year round.
While formal dresses make incomparable wedding-guest options, they're also suitable for many other events where ultra-elevated attire is the standard, so change up your heels and jewels and wear that perfect dress over and over!
While hunting for the perfect formal dress, make sure you have ready the footwear and accessories you need that complement the look! Shop the entire VENUS site to find exceptional pieces that will help you put together a remarkable and memorable outfit.
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