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Click on a picture below for more details and larger image. Cocktail Dresses 2004 prom dresses, bridesmaid dresses, formal dresses, evening dresses. Welcome to Alldresses.com, Discount Designer Outlet for Prom Dresses, Formal, Bridesmaid Dresses and Gowns. Order online and save on all your formal, evening, prom, graduation, home coming and special occasions at very affordable prices. Browse though our fine selection of Prom Dresses, Bridesmaid Dresses, Evening Dresses, Formal Dresses, Wedding Dresses and Gowns. We can email close-up pictures if needed.
Cocktail clothing was accompanied by specialized accessories. Tiny bags, just big enough for money and powder were encrusted in sequins and rhinestones, set in a frame, most often with a small chain handle. Shoes were slipper-like, and often dyed to match dress or purse. Elbow length or shorter gloves and small hat were worn by guests, but the hostess remained more casual, without hat, purse or gloves. These accessories became traditional to cocktail dressing, and remained as part of the fashion through the mid-60s. During the early 30s, cocktail parties became a common social event. Waist-lined, slim skirted dresses were created for older women. Silk remained the desired fabric, but the cut of dresses became (as with the daily fashions) more refined. Tailoring created form-fitted dresses which were often decorated with rhinestones and lace accents. The "little black dress" became an essential part of a woman's wardrobe, and the typical cocktail dress color. Men's cocktail dress consisted of attire slightly less formal than evening wear. Jackets could be a different pattern and color than trousers; a straight tie was as acceptable as a bow tie. Cocktail fashion for men was not ascribed to as a specific style until the 50s. Late 1950s styles, Wards catalog, Fall/Winter, 1959. In the 1940s, soldiers returned from overseas. Many brought exotic clothing for their gals from faraway lands - which began a trend in ethnically influenced Asian dresses in beautiful brocade fabrics and bright floral Hawaiian rayon prints. Dresses began to bare more and more flesh, as necklines plunged daringly, hemlines (for cocktail dresses) rose again to the knee, and rarely was a sleeve in sight. Decorative elements were more lavish, and more outlandish. The more sequins and rhinestones, the better the design of the dress appears. As the late 40s melted into the 50s, cocktail became a culture. Cocktail parties remained, but couples and small group gatherings often went out. Music, starting in the 20s with the rise of the jazz age, became an important part of the cocktail hour. Cocktail bars became commonplace. They served beverages and provided background music, frequently by a piano player or a muted band. Lounge acts became incredibly popular, and an entire genre of music was created for enjoying cocktail parties. Men became as fashionably conscious about dressing as did women. Slim trousers made of silk or rayon and extravagantly cut jackets were often custom-made. Shirts of cotton or silk were shrouded in slender ties or ascots. Partaking of cocktails at home (which was acceptable, now that there was a cocktail hour) meant smoking jackets or dressing gowns with or without an ascot, trousers or pajama bottoms and slippers. For women, peignoirs became as elegant as cocktail dresses - but with even more to them! Full length gowns made from silk or nylon frothed with lace and ruffles. Cocktails moved from being purely a public event, to a private event - a romantic event. The home bar became stylish, and specific implements for mixing the perfect cocktail became a necessity. During the 50s, cocktail dresses for women evolved into a great many styles. Full skirts and décolleté necklines, slim skirts with jewel necklines, body-hugging and curve-enhancing was the order of the day. Dress and coat suits, and three-piece skirt suits also became popular, always combined with the tiny matching bag, dyed-to-match shoes (or matching shoes and bag) and gloves. The transition between 50s and 60s cocktail wear was subtle. Colors were muted, pastels were popular. Silver lamé became equally as popular as gold lamé. As the sixties progressed, decoration (on clothing in general) became less obtrusive. Skirts narrowed, and for the young, cocktail clothing eventually gave way to wild discotheque outfits. The older crowd dressed quite similarly for the cocktail hour as they did 10 years previous. Alcohol consumption at all hours was becoming increasingly more acceptable, time and place seemed less important and cocktail parties began to fade in popularity. More frequently, couples stayed for the cocktail hour, and by the late 60s, loungewear replaced fancy cocktail dress. Women sported one piece jumpsuits which looked similar to full length gowns. Men no longer wore ties with a drink, and low waist-lined pants replaced the high waist-lined silk trousers. The 90s saw a revival of the cocktail tradition, in both music and style. Vintage cocktail fashions were affordable, and were basically the only way one could obtain a cocktail garment, since they had not been specifically designed for almost 20 years! Check out and save on our 2004 Prom Dresses, Evening Dresses, Formal Dress, Bridesmaid Dresses, Cocktail Gown, Bridal Gowns, Wedding Dresses, Mother of the Bride Dress, and Special Occasions Dress. Fabulous Jessica McClintock Dresses! We've searched high and low, near and far to find and put these unbelievable Jessica McClintock dress deals together. Cheap? Starting at $45 Approx. 75% off retail. Cheap? Just shop around online and compare our discount prices. Jessica McClintock a leader in social occasions and bridal apparel and a name synonymous with romance. Something for all: Proms, Weddings, Formals, Special Occasions. New inventory added daily! All dresses are in stock. We know you want to get your items fast! Orders within US are shipped Airborne Express 2nd Day Delivery. New Wedding Dresses Coming Very Soon! |
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