Formal gowns and dresses

While it’s true that you won’t wear one of your formal dresses to your wedding, it is possible that you will wear it to your friend’s wedding reception. You may also choose to wear it for a fundraising social or a formal dinner at a banquet hall. The beauty of a formal dress is that it has the sole function of making you look like a princess at the ball, no matter what the occasion is. Formal dresses, gowns and evening dresses are typically floor length, but they range in sweep. Some are designed with mermaid drops while others have layers upon layers of petticoats sitting atop a Southern Belle hoop. Traditionally formal gowns and dresses had long sleeves that were usually cut slightly longer than the arm to extend to the back of the hand. Other formal gowns were designed to be strapless and were matched with long sleeved fingered gloves to give the appearance of sleeves while your shoulders were bare.