Ball dress in velvet, satin or lurex, mini to floor

Most of the time a ball dress from us means floor-length velvet, cut with a leg slit or one bare shoulder. There are also velvet and lurex midis and minis for a ball with an easier code, in black, red, emerald, navy, white and powder pink.

A slit, one bare shoulder or a mermaid flare

Start with the champagne velvet. It goes all the way down, leaves one shoulder bare and has a single long sleeve on the other arm, and the slit lets you walk without fighting the skirt. That’s plenty of dress. Skip the necklace and wear gold earrings.

If you’d like both arms covered, look at the emerald floor-length style. Round neckline, sleeves to the wrist, and a slit on the left leg that opens only when you step. Our black one has a boat neck instead, so your collarbones show, and that’s where long earrings or a fine chain go. Red works the same way, and you’ll see those cuts among the ball gowns in red.

Then there’s the navy mermaid. Close through the hips and thighs, it opens up into a wide hem under the knee, and it’s the ball dress you want for photos on a grand staircase. On this one, pick your size by the hips. More deep blue is waiting on the navy page.

Waltzing in a long velvet hem

Long hems want heels. Not sky-high ones, just enough that the front edge stays off the floor. Put on the exact pair you’ll wear to the ball, walk across the room, sit, stand up and turn once. Caught the hem with your toe? The heel’s too low.

For the walk in from the parking lot, a short fur jacket is great. Wearing a long coat over a floor-length ball dress in January is fine too, as long as the skirt hangs free under it and doesn’t drag through the slush outside. Our warm picks for a winter ball are all about that season.

If the invitation sounds more relaxed, a velvet midi with long sleeves is enough. So is the blue lurex wrap midi, which has a belt at the waist and stretches when you sit down to dinner.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to go floor-length?

Only for black tie or white tie. A college or charity ball usually takes a midi, and a school formal is happy with a sparkly mini.

What size works for a slit gown?

Check the size table against your bust and hips. Hips matter most here. Get them right and the slit lies flat when you walk. We cut each gown from XS to XL, and XS comes out near a US 2.

Which colors stand out in a ballroom?

Red and emerald. Navy and black look rich in low light, and white velvet comes out deep in photos. For something softer, try our pink and powder ball looks.

What if my velvet gets creased on the way?

Steam it from the inside and keep the iron off the pile. Wash it inside out in cool water, 30 °C at most, then hang it to dry away from the radiator. If you’d rather go a little less formal, browse the long evening styles next.