Dresses are one-piece items of clothing worn by women and girls mainly as formal wear. A dress is made up of a bodice with a skirt joined to it. Sometimes, the matching bodice may be separated from the skirt, but the impression is still that they are joined. Dresses are also known as frocks and gowns. In a broader sense, the term “dress” refers to any items of clothing worn by women. In western countries, women and girls often opt for dresses instead of skirts and blouses as often they are seen as more feminine and pretty.
The nature of the occasion usually determines the type of dress worn. Evening dresses, regarded as classy and glamorous, are worn by women on formal occasions such as state dinners, balls and wedding parties. Ball gowns can be specifically worn for dancing. These are long dresses that have either a sweeping or trained skirt. Young girls opt for fashionable prom dresses for their high school proms. Cocktail dresses are worn by women at cocktail parties and semi-formal occasions. Brides wear wedding dresses to charm their guests on their special day. In western culture, wedding dresses are usually white or off-white in colour, but creamy shades like ivory and eggshell may also be worn.
Women can choose from a wide variety of dresses according to their shape, size and comfort. A sundress is a casual dress without sleeves that is worn during summer since it is made of light fabric. The straight shift dress is a timeless yet versatile dress style. It is a straight outfit without waist shaping or seams. A variation of the shift style, a sheath dress is a fitted dress usually without a sleeve or waist seam. Some dresses feature a bodice resembling a tailored shirt with a full or straight skirt as an attachment. These outfits are known as shirtwaist dresses. An empire line dress has a waist line placed above the natural waist just below the bust. This is a flattering piece of attire that creates an illusion of slimness by camouflaging wide hips. Trimmed with ribbons, lace, and bows, the baby-doll dress is a smaller version of the empire line. A mini dress denotes a dress in any style that is shorter than knee-length. Maxi dresses are figure-friendly outfits that are usually worn with wedges and platform shoes. There are several other dress types of including the flapper, toga, caftan, smock, jumper and trapeze dress.
Dresses come in many patterns, designs and colours to suit the tastes and preferences of individual customers. Popular dress styles include sleeveless, half-sleeve, full-sleeve, strapless and one-shoulder. The type of neckline varies too, and so we have the curved neckline, square neckline, scoop neckline and sweetheart neckline. Cotton, velvet, silk, lace and chiffon are some of the common materials used for dresses.
