Elegant dresses chosen by the occasion on your calendar

Closed at the top, one detail below

The easiest way to look put together is to cover the neck and arms and let one thing stand out. Our navy velvet midi has a stand collar and full sleeves, and then there’s a slit up the leg. Wear it to the theater or a cocktail party, and add a blazer for a work dinner. Hair up, earrings in silver or gold, heels and thin tights that the slit will show.

The black velvet turtleneck midi is even simpler. There’s no decoration at all, and it doesn’t need any. Big earrings or a bracelet, pumps on a medium heel, a straight coat.

Prefer a softer color? Lavender velvet with a round neck and a slit goes to a birthday dinner in a restaurant. Silver earrings, gray or nude heels, a long gray coat when it’s cold out.

Skirts that move, sparkle that’s built in

Some of the most elegant dresses we make have movement in the skirt. The burgundy velvet with a half-circle skirt hits the knee, finishes the sleeves in cuffs, and there’s a cutout in the back that people only notice when you turn around. Wear it to a friend’s wedding or a New Year’s party where people will dance. Medium heels, gold earrings, hair pinned up so the back shows. From the front it looks closed in photos, and that’s handy at a family celebration.

Pleated velvet in powder pink is the quiet one. Round neck, three-quarter sleeves, a midi length that’s right for an anniversary dinner. In winter, wear it with thick nude tights and ankle boots, and a camel or milky coat on top.

Lurex doesn’t need jewelry. The violet mini glitters as you walk, sleeves down to the wrist, and a couple of small silver rings is all it wants. Black ankle boots, a short faux leather jacket.

In summer we switch to satin. An emerald wrap mini in satin, polyester with elastane, keeps long sleeves, which makes it one of the more elegant dresses you can wear on a cool June evening. Gold earrings and nude pumps.

For a long hem, see the evening gown page.

Frequently asked questions

Can a short dress look elegant?

It can. Long sleeves and a closed neckline balance the legs. Add sheer tights in winter and it’s just as right for a theater as a midi.

How do I keep pleats looking sharp?

Never press them flat with an iron. Use a steamer on low and keep the dress on a hanger.

How should I size a close-fitting velvet midi?

Measure bust and hips and check both. We cut these XS to XL, and the L is about a US 10.

Anything for a wedding I’m attending as a guest?

Take a look at our refined wedding guest styles, or the wider page of occasion dresses for christenings and anniversaries.