occasions to wear an evening gown

We all grew up listening to fairy tales about beautiful princesses in gorgeous evening gowns. Think Cinderella! It doesn’t matter how old you are, that childhood dream will always remain etched in memory.

If you are a celebrity or if you belong to the high society where black tie events or red carpet events happen almost everyday, evening gowns might have its own permanent place in your wardrobe.  But for others, there are very few occasions where one actually gets a chance to wear the evening gown- prom night, weddings, some fancy ball or a romantic holiday evening. This is exactly because of the fact that we are not living in 18th century- the century of gown wearing peeps! Also we tend to compromise glamour for every day comfort.  But every now and then, it is nice to just let our hair down and bask in the glory in a gorgeous evening gown. Evening gowns were always thought to be super expensive. Let this not dishearten you as there are plenty of inexpensive options for gowns available. Psst, these days you can get them on rent as well!

So where exactly can you wear an evening gown without feeling like the odd one?

To the theater– Oh no, we are not talking about wearing gowns to movies. But you could wear the same to musicals or opera or even theatrical performance. Usually theatrical performances are conducted in the late evenings and the atmosphere around allows to you to be at your festive best. Besides, choosing a long dress for the theater is clever idea, because there you don’t have to move much or dance or walk. Hence, you can enjoy a relaxed blissful evening just sitting and enjoying the performance. The ambiance will definitely add to your glamour quotient!

Photo shoot– In the insane world of selfies, if given a chance to stand out of the crowd why not have a photo shoot? You don’t have to be a model to have one! You could hire a photographer or walk into a studio and either buy a gown or rent it out. It is not as expensive as you think it would be. With a bit of imagination, you could get your photographer to turn you into any character of your choice. A bit of pampering and indulgence every once in a while will not hurt, agreed?

Your birthday– What better occasion to wear a gown than your birthday! It’s your birthday and you deserve to look and feel your best. Wherever you go for your birthday party, let be it a restaurant, night club, park, cinema or even at your own home- your birthday is the day to be anything but ordinary. So why not an evening gown? So walk tall in an elegant evening gown and feel like a movie star.

Masked ball or Halloween or costume party– If there is a party with costumes or some related masked holiday as Halloween, maybe this is your chance to wear the evening gown. You should find out the theme of the party and pick a gown best suited for the occasion. You could even improvise and add extra elements to make your outfit fun and unique!

Unfortunately, there are very few occasions and places where we can wear the evening dress today. But that’s why modern fashion has taken some elements from the gaudy evening gown and has applied it to our everyday style. Let’s go back to the 50s and 60s when midi dresses were so much in vogue. They are great alternatives to the evening gown and can be used for the casual or festive look and even for extra special events. Another alternative to the evening gown is the maxi dress. There are so many varieties of maxi dresses out there. They needn’t always be necessarily long or adorned with rhinestones. There are simple, causal maxi dresses that are apt for a walk or brunch with family or cocktails with friends.

Anyway, if you are still disappointed that there aren’t many occasions to wear the evening gown, remember that ladies of royal times had to wear it all the time and it was their everyday style. It was not that easy! But today we have a huge choice of styles and you can never be too bored. So save the evening gown for that special event.