Autumn cocktail dresses, fall cocktail dress styles

Evenings get chilly, the drinks get darker, and autumn cocktail dresses need sleeves again. Ours are mostly velvet, with satin, lurex and rib knit mixed in, short or midi, and most cover your arms.

Colors that match the leaves and the lamps

Fall evenings happen under yellow light, in restaurants and bars, and some shades just look better there. Chocolate velvet is one. It’s softer on the face than black, and it doesn’t look harsh under a dim bulb. Our chocolate wrap mini is cut from stretchy velvet, so it hugs the body without restricting your stride. There’s draping near the waist that’s kind to a tummy. The hem’s asymmetric, with one side lapping over the other.

Red’s the other autumn classic. A red velvet mini with long sleeves stands out on its own, which is why we’d keep everything else quiet. Emerald works too, and our pleated emerald midi catches light on every fold when you dance.

Don’t want a solid color? There’s a black mini with tiny red flowers and ruffles at the hem, already festive before you’ve added a thing. You’d just need sheer tights and heels.

What about white? A white velvet midi with one sleeve or a white satin wrap mini is lovely for an engagement party. Silky satin feels smooth against the skin.

Staying warm between the car and the bar

A fall cocktail dress has to survive the walk outside. Velvet and rib already help, and long sleeves do the rest. With a mini, add opaque tights and knee-high boots. With a midi, ankle boots on a steady heel work better, since the hem meets them somewhere near the calf.

Some of these are cold-season pieces through and through. The black velvet turtleneck midi, for one, is the dress for a theater night in late November. Others, like the red satin slip mini, have no sleeves and want a jacket over them the minute you step outdoors.

Planning for next season? Order early and try it on at home before the invitations start, because velvet doesn’t stretch much and the fit should feel easy when you sit. We make everything in XS to XL.