Black prom dresses with open shoulders, slits and shine

Black velvet to the floor, with a slit

Think about the actual night for a second. You’ll climb out of a car in front of everyone, go up a flight of steps to the photo booth, sit through dinner and then dance for three hours straight. Our black velvet gown to the floor has a slit cut high up the leg for exactly that. Nobody has to hold up her skirt. It also has a boat neck that leaves the collarbones bare.

We also make a velvet maxi with open shoulders and both arms covered to the wrist. Good news if the gym AC is set to arctic.

Then there’s the velvet maxi with one sleeve. One bare shoulder, no necklace.

Velvet pile soaks up light, which is why a prom black dress in velvet looks deep in pictures instead of flat. Bring your heels to the fitting. The hem should clear the floor in them, or you’ll catch it on the stairs to the photo booth.

Shorter cuts for the last hour of fast songs

For prom, black dresses above the knee are the easy ones to move in. The barest is a velvet mini on thin straps. Throw a cropped jacket over it for the entrance and lose it when the music starts. Cold out? Sheer black tights and pointed pumps.

If you want sparkle without sequins, go for our lurex wrap mini. Metallic thread runs through the knit, and phone cameras love it. With the satin wrap, it’s the waist you play with. Tie it snug or leave it easy. Long sleeves balance the short hem.

Somewhere in the middle sits the lurex midi with open shoulders, a drape at the waist and a slit at the leg. Gold hoops. Done.

Some girls would rather keep their neck and arms under fabric all night. For them we sew black rib knit turtleneck midis, each with its own leg slit, and the softest of those stretches enough that you’ll sit through a long dinner and the speeches without once tugging at the fabric. Without the slit it’d be a Monday office dress. Big earrings work better than a chain here.

Frequently asked questions

Isn’t black a bit gloomy for prom?

It isn’t once a little skin shows. A slit or an open neckline does most of that, and a shiny clutch handles the rest.

How do I pick my size?

Our S is roughly a US 4, and the range goes from XS to XL. At the fitting, sit, lift your arms and do a little dance in front of the mirror.

How do I clean velvet after the night?

Cool water and the delicate cycle, with the dress turned inside out. After that it goes on a hanger, and any creases get a steamer from the back, never an iron on the pile.

Can I see other colors and lengths?

Sure. Here’s every black dress we make, the short styles for prom night and the whole prom page in all colors.