Dress Style Guide: Find the Right Dress for Every Occasion

Choosing the right dress depends on the occasion, the dress code, the season and your own style. This guide explains the main types of occasion dresses and when each one works best.

Evening dresses

Evening dresses are made for formal dinners, galas and events after dark. They are usually floor-length, in fabrics with weight and movement such as satin and crepe, in deep colours like navy, burgundy, black and chocolate brown.

See our evening dresses.

Black tie dresses

Black tie is the most formal dress code most of us ever meet. The safe choice is a floor-length gown in a rich fabric with elegant, simple lines. Avoid short hems and very casual fabrics.

See our black tie dresses.

Wedding guest dresses

For a wedding, start from the invitation: formal and evening weddings call for a long dress, daytime and garden weddings suit a midi or a lighter maxi. Avoid white and ivory, and choose a dress you can sit, eat and dance in.

See our wedding guest dresses and summer wedding guest dresses.

Prom dresses

Prom is the night to wear the dress you have been imagining: a corset gown, a satin maxi, a tulle skirt or something that sparkles. Check that you can move and dance comfortably before you decide.

See our prom dresses.

Corset dresses

A corset dress has a boned, structured bodice that shapes the waist and stays in place without constant adjusting. It works for formal events as a maxi and for parties and weddings as a midi. If you are between two sizes, choose the larger one.

See our corset dresses.

Satin dresses

Satin catches the light and drapes close to the body, so the cut matters. Bias-cut gowns and cowl necklines are the classic satin shapes for weddings and evening events.

See our satin dresses.

Maxi and midi dresses

A maxi dress reaches the floor and suits formal dress codes. A midi dress ends at the calf and moves easily between daytime and evening. If the invitation does not say, a midi in a dressy fabric is rarely wrong.

See our maxi dresses and midi dresses.

Party dresses

For birthdays, engagement parties and New Year's Eve, choose a dress with one strong detail: sparkle, lace, a cut-out or a full tulle skirt.

See our party dresses.

How to choose your size

Measure your bust, waist and hips and compare them with the size chart on the product page of the dress. Our size guide explains how to measure.

Read more

Longer guides are in our Style Guide blog, and all collections are listed in dress categories.