Long velvet dresses with sleeves, to the floor

You can leave the shawl at home with long velvet dresses with sleeves, because dense pile and covered arms do the warming. Ours reach the floor, and most of them open into a slit at the leg. We cut them in burgundy, black, navy, emerald, red and white.

Full sleeve, three-quarter or only one

Start with how much arm you’d like covered. The full-sleeve styles are the warmest. A round neck is what you get in burgundy and emerald, while black and blue have a boat neck that shows the collarbones, and the navy mermaid gown hugs you down to the knee and only then flares. A sleeve like that will carry you through a winter reception.

Three-quarter sleeves go with bare shoulders. That’s the cut of our burgundy, emerald and white off-shoulder gowns. The wrist stays free for a bracelet or a watch. Since the open shoulder line already decorates the dress, we’d skip the necklace and put your hair up. There’s a black one with bare shoulders and sleeves down to the wrist, too.

Then the one-sleeve cut, in red, burgundy and white. You get one full sleeve, and the opposite shoulder is left bare. In the red and burgundy versions we use a dense velvet with plenty of stretch. It sits flat and won’t slow you down on the dance floor.

How a floor-length velvet hem moves

Almost every gown here has a slit, and it opens on each step. That’s what lets you walk and dance in a long narrow skirt. Your shoes will show. A heel also lifts the hem off the floor so you don’t step on it. Which metal? Gold with emerald, silver with blue.

Do a full try-on with your shoes a few days before, and for the trip there take a coat that ends below the knee. Long velvet dresses with sleeves don’t need sequins or trim. Light does the work, turning the pile darker or brighter as you move, and that’s decoration enough.

Frequently asked questions

Will I freeze at a wedding in January?

Not in the hall. Thick velvet and a long sleeve are enough indoors, and a short faux-fur jacket covers the walk outside. Other warm ideas are on the page of winter wedding guest styles.

Can I wear the white velvet gown as a guest?

Leave white to the bride. Our white velvet is for an engagement party, a winter photo shoot or your own civil ceremony.

How do I choose a size for bare shoulders?

Go by your bust, since that’s what keeps an off-shoulder neckline in place. We sew these gowns in XS to XL, and our manager will help if you’re between two.

Where are the shorter velvet styles?

Minis and midis are gathered under velvet with sleeves in every length. For more floor-length ideas, see the long velvet page or our sleeved evening gowns.