Cocktail and Party Dresses for Formal Events

From left to right: Lovers + Friends | Donna Morgan | State of Being | NBD | Love, Nickie Lew

It’s about that time of year where the formal events begin! Whether you are looking forward to an upcoming sorority formal, a banquet, a graduation, or even weddings in not too long, it is time to start thinking about what to wear! For me, one of the most exciting parts about a formal event is planning my outfit and buying a new dress or pair of shoes that I love! I take every opportunity to dress up quite seriously!

Nothing is more stressful than having to do that outfit planning last-minute (that might be a stretch, but still, it is stressful), which is why I like to shop around in advance! Plus, when I am not looking to buy anything, I fall in love with everything I see, but when I NEED to last-minute grab a formal dress, I can’t find anything I like. Go figure.

As I am preparing for my own last sorority formal and my upcoming college graduation, I started rounding up cocktail and party dresses in both fun and conservative styles. Are you looking for a dress for an upcoming formal event? Check out these finds:

Fun, Party Dresses

Other great places to find fun party dresses that aren’t linked above are Akira, Tobi and Lulu’s! I have found formal dresses at all three of those shops and I have been super impressed with the quality and unique designs!
Sites to Shop:

• Nordstrom 
• Macy’s
• Asos
• Revolve
• Akira
• Tobi
• Lulu’s 
• Urban Outfitters
• Zara

Conservative, Trendy Dresses 

I use the term “conservative” a bit loosely here. Linked above are several options for trendy yet classy dresses that are perfect for important events like graduation or possibly weddings (but don’t pick the white ones in that case!). Also, most conservative dresses are made to be longer, so if you are petite, look for petite options if you can! However, one perk of being short: you can make fun and trendy dresses look more conservative because most dresses will naturally be longer on you!

• JCrew
• Nordstrom
• Nordstrom Rack
• Macy’s 
• Lord & Taylor 
• Bloomingdale’s
• Asos
• Revolve
• Gap
• Banana Republic 
• Francesca’s 

Accessories

A lot of the places listed above have great accessory options that are budget-friendly so your new outfit doesn’t have to cost too much!

Places to Shop for Shoes:

• Nordstrom Rack
• Lulu’s 
• H&M
• Akira
• Asos
• Any department store, such as ones listed above!

Places to Shop for Accessories:

• JCrew Factory 
• Lulu’s 
• Target
• Francesca’s

Where else do you find your favorite formal dresses? Hope you enjoyed and thanks for readings! XOXO!