Satin formal dresses for cocktails, proms and weddings

The red slip you can wear in winter

This is the one satin style here from our cold-weather collection. Short and red, it hangs from two thin straps, the V is deep and there are no sleeves at all, so it stays light even in a hot, crowded room. In December throw a big black blazer over it, add sheer tights, and it’ll go to the New Year’s party or the office one. Strappy heels, a small bag, little earrings. Skip the necklace.

Under that neckline you’ll need a strapless or adhesive bra.

Wraps, ruffles and prints for the warm months

The rest of the page is summer satin, and it returns to the catalog in March. You can still pick your style ahead of a June wedding or a prom.

The wraps are the dressiest, and the white one is the satin formal dress we’d hand you for a prom. It’s a mini with long sleeves and a V, and it’s polyester with a little elastane, which gives it some ease when you move. Beige or silver sandals with it, pearl studs, an ivory jacket for later. The emerald wrap is cut the same way, and gold is the metal for it. Those long sleeves are nice on a cool June night, and in spring it goes under a trench.

Want a longer hem? There’s a green midi, V-necked and short-sleeved, ruffled right at the waistline, and it’s a good satin formal dress for a wedding banquet or a dinner out. Add stone earrings and loose waves.

Prints feel a little less serious. A pink floral wrap ends at the knee, and so does a blue polka dot wrap, while the black mini with small red flowers has ruffles at the hem.

Each of them dresses up or down with shoes. For the polka dots, low heels at night and a white jacket over your shoulders. With the red flowers on black, red or black heeled sandals and a tiny bag picked to match the print. The pink floral one wants nude sandals, pearls and a thin milky cardigan if dinner’s by the water. Easy.

Frequently asked questions

Is this silk?

No. It’s satin with a silky look, polyester with a bit of elastane in the styles where the description lists it. You still get that soft shine under evening lights.

How do I pick a size in a wrap?

Measure your bust. Tie the wrap so the V lies flat, and that’s how it should sit on you. We cut these from XS to XL. A US 4 is about our S.

Can satin go in the dryer?

Never. A cool hand wash, then lay it out somewhere shady. If it needs pressing, use a warm iron on the wrong side.

Where can I compare other fabrics?

Look through all our formal looks, every satin style we sew, or the shorter satin options for cocktails.