Formal short dresses for evenings with a dress code

A half-circle skirt if there’s dancing

At a wedding with a band, you want a hem that moves when you do. Take our burgundy velvet. The skirt is cut as a half circle that stops at the knee and flares whenever you spin, and the long sleeves end in neat cuffs. From the front it’s covered, with a round neck. Then you turn around and there’s a cutout on the back. That’s the surprise.

In emerald it’s the same idea, sleeves and all, and in winter you won’t need anything over your arms indoors. Gold earrings, a little bag on a chain, mid heels you can stand in all night. Since the skirt is loose, choose your size by bust and waist. Spin in front of the mirror at the fitting.

Lilac velvet with off-the-shoulder sleeves cut to three-quarter length is also knee-length, nice for full-length photos. Silver earrings and gray or nude shoes go with it.

High necks that make a mini look serious

A closed collar changes everything. Take the red turtleneck mini. Neck and arms covered, only the hem is short, and with a black blazer it even works at the office. For the party, over-the-knee boots leave just a little leg showing. Skip the necklace. A watch or a bracelet looks better.

The emerald velvet with a stand collar stretches, so it won’t pinch at dinner or on the dance floor. Wear your hair up to show your neck. The marsala velvet has a high neckline and unusual sleeves, and it’s another formal short dress that needs nothing around the neck, just long earrings and thin black tights.

White velvet, purple shine and the coat question

White velvet photographs with depth, not flat, which is why our white mini with long sleeves is lovely at a winter photo shoot or graduation. Nude tights with a slight shimmer keep white from blending into your legs. The purple lurex mini shimmers on its own, so small silver rings are plenty.

On top, any formal short dress looks best under a coat that doesn’t hide the hem, or a cropped faux fur.

Frequently asked questions

Can I wear a mini when the invitation says formal?

For cocktail or semiformal, sure. Black tie is different. Go long and look through the formal gowns.

What size for a close-fitting velvet mini?

Check your bust and hips on the size table. At the fitting, lift your arms and sit down once. We make every style here in XS to XL.

Won’t I be cold in December?

Not with long sleeves and tights. If you’d like more length, the velvet page has midis and maxis.

Where’s the sparkly stuff?

Lurex knits and glitter are together on the short sparkly styles page.