Satin cocktail dress or a cocktail satin wrap

Picture a rooftop bar around seven, the sun dropping behind the buildings, and a satin cocktail dress catching the last of the light without one sequin on it. We cut ours from a silk-look satin with no natural silk in it. Most of them wrap at the front into a V, and one red slip on thin straps goes its own way.

Where to knot a satin wrap

Tie it at the narrowest part of your waist. That’s really the whole trick. The chocolate midi comes with ties for exactly this, and when the knot sits where you’re slimmest, the wrap line runs clean from shoulder to hem. On the pink floral wrap you also set the depth of the V while you knot it, which means a Friday bar and a Sunday lunch with your mom can be one dress worn two ways.

Pick the size by your bust. The ties look after the waist. If the top is too snug, the neckline pulls open when you sit down at the table. We sew each of these from XS to XL, roughly a US 2 through 12.

Want sleeves with a short hem? The white and the emerald minis both have long ones. A long-sleeved satin cocktail dress like the emerald wrap also goes under a trench in May or September, and nobody at the office will guess it was bought for a party.

The red slip, two black prints and your shoes

Thin straps, a deep V, no sleeves. The red mini is the boldest satin cocktail dress we make, and it needs a strapless or stick-on bra underneath. Keep the jewelry to small earrings and skip the necklace. Stiletto sandals, a little bag, done. It belongs to our fall and winter line, so for a December party throw an oversized black blazer over it and wear sheer tights. There’s a whole page for the red satin slip on its own.

The black styles are printed. One has tiny red flowers and ruffles along the hem that sway as you cross the room, and that satin is mostly polyester plus 2 % elastane, enough to give a little through a long dinner. The other has small blue flowers and an off-shoulder neckline. Go by your bust there too. That top should stay put all night without tugging. Red or black heels with the first, silver earrings with the second.

Most of the wraps and prints are from our spring and summer line and come back to the catalog with warm weather. For a chilly terrace later on, an ivory jacket over the white wrap or a denim jacket over the blue polka dots is plenty. You’ll find more of the fabric among every satin style we sew, and the cuts that reach mid-calf are among our satin midis.

Frequently asked questions

Which one works at a wedding?

The beige midi is the safe pick. It’s long-sleeved and covers the knees, fine for a ceremony where bare shoulders aren’t welcome. For a summer reception, the pink floral midi ends at mid-calf.