Green cocktail dresses in emerald and leafy shades

Every green cocktail dress we cut comes in either a deep emerald or a brighter leafy green, and the fabric changes the shade more than you’d think. Velvet turns darker in warm light, while lurex and pleats bounce it around.

Emerald for winter parties

For New Year’s Eve, we’d reach for the velvet mini with thin straps first. It leaves the shoulders and collarbones bare, so wear a strapless bra under it. For the trip over, a little faux fur or a jacket keeps you warm, and you can drop it on a chair when the music gets loud.

Want sleeves? Our green lurex midi comes with long ones, a round neck and a hem between the knee and mid-calf. Its shine is even, with no sequins. That’s why matte shoes and a matte bag work best. Knee-high boots cover your legs under the hem on a frosty night.

The pleated emerald midi moves with you. Short sleeves, a simple round neck, and all the attention on the folds. When it’s freezing, wear a slim black top with a high neck under it, and let the pleats peek out below your coat.

There’s a rib knit turtleneck midi too. It’s a day dress first. Swap loafers for pumps and add gold earrings after work, and the same fitted silhouette turns festive. Skip the necklace, since the collar covers your neck anyway.

Satin and prints for summer cocktails

A few green styles live in our summer line, and you’ll see them online again when it’s warm. Two are silk-look satin. One is an emerald wrap mini with long sleeves, which keeps a short hem from feeling too bare on a cool evening, and it’s easy to wear under a trench between seasons. The other is a midi with ruffles gathered at the waist, plus short sleeves. It’s our pick for a graduation party or a dinner out.

Last comes a floral mini with tie sleeves that slip off the shoulder a little, plus a ruffled hem. It’s the fun pick for a garden party or a seaside dinner. Wedge sandals work at night, flat ones by day.

Gold pairs well with every green here, from earrings to the clasp of a small bag. Silver looks cooler next to emerald, so we save it for other colors. For more emerald, see our emerald shades, or try velvet in green for longer cuts.