A blue and white envelope just arrived in your mailbox. Inside is an invitation to your friend's house warming party next week. She is going to have wine, cheese, hor dours, and entertainment. It's going to be a dazzling event and you know you should dress up, but you have no idea what to wear.
Deciding what to wear to any social event can be overwhelming, especially when you have party favors, decorating, and baking to worry about--in addition to your day-to-day work. Fortunately, an attractive cocktail dress is suitable for many occasions.
If you are looking for versatility, the little black dress is a classic. It's attractive, simple, and stylish. You can wear it to almost any evening occasion, and you can personalize it with high heels, jewelry, and a handbag. And the little black dress can be quite attractive--just think about Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman,” wear she wears a black cocktail dress with lace trim.
When you are shopping in search of the perfect little black dress, pay attention to the small details (below):
What to Look for in a Little Black Dress:
- Length. The dress should hit at the thinnest part of your leg above the knee.
- Cut. Make sure the dress flatters your body type. The dress should accentuate a woman's curves and waist, but never ever be too tight.
- Fabric. Jersey fabric is comfortable and stretchy, but it may not hold its shape. Invest in a dress with a soft, flattering fabric such as silk or satin.
If you prefer new, trendy styles, try an updated version of the little black dress with a modern touch.
The Little, Black Dress with a Modern Touch:
- Sleeve length: Try a sexy strapless dress. Or, try a dress with long sleeves for the winter-time.
- Tights: Wear patterned tights. Or, wear opaque tights, which are very trendy right now. Note: Opaque tights may dress down an outfit.
- V-shape: Try on dresses with a plunging V in the front to accentuate your attributes. Also, V-shaped backs can be very sexy and sophisticated.
- Lace: A black dress with lace can be very attractive and elegant. If the dress is very detailed, keep your accessories limited and wear classic makeup (red lipstick, mascara, and eye-liner).
Cocktail Dresses:
If you want to avoid black altogether, try on cocktail dresses! Cocktail dresses can be silver, plumb, gold, cream, etcetera. Wearing a stylish, colorful evening dress will make you more memorable, and it is much more festive than black. For the wintertime, try on dresses that are dark red, dark blue, ruby, gold, purple, or emerald green.
Choosing a Cocktail Dress:
To choose a unique, sexy cocktail dress, get an idea of what kinds of dresses exist. A simple online search works well. Consider dresses with lace, patterns, sequins, and satin. One-sleeved dresses and metallic are also popular, so don't shy away from them, Also, look for rich fabrics such as velvet and silk.
If you are unsure what kinds of social events and special occasions call for a cocktail dress, use the suggested guidelines below:
Occasions where a cocktail dress is recommended:
- Cruise ships
- Work-related parties (make sure the dress is knee-length and not too short)
- Semi-formal
- New Years
- Anniversary parties
- Holiday parties
- Charity events
- Dinner at an expensive restaurant
Occasions where a cocktail dress may be worn:
- Prom (cocktail dress designers make great, flirty 2009 prom dresses)
- Class reunions
- Evening weddings
- Dinner parties (ask the host in advance)
- Evenings out (to the theater, the ballet, or the Opera. Note: different parts of the
- United States are more formal or more casual than others)
Events where a cocktail dresses is not recommended:
- Business dinners (know your company's culture)
- Job interviews
- White Tie events
- Quinceanera events (cocktail dresses are different than Quinceanera dresses)
Now you can take a breath, relax, and look forward to your next social event. Once you have the basic black dress and one stylish cocktail dress, you will be set to party all night long.
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We're getting near the very end of the second season of Fox' smash hit reality competition So You Think You Can Dance. So You Think You Can Dance has proved to be a grueling 12-week competition for the dancers. The show is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions, and was created by Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe, who also serves as a judge the show. The final four who are dancing into the finals to become America's number one dancer are: Benji Schimmer, Donyelle Jones, Travis Wall and Heidi Groskreutz. The August 8th, 2006 show brought us the final competitive performances from all four, both as solo artists and in pairs.
Heidi and Travis started off the finals with a pair's disco performance. They danced to the disco theme song "Shake Your Groove Thing" by Peaches and Herb. Travis wore a John Travolta-esque white suit, and they did a full-on version of the 70's Hustle. There were lots of lifts in the program that were executed with ease. The judges didn't exactly find it memorable, but were mostly pleased by it. Nigel said that Heidi is the best girl partner in the entire competition. Judge Mary loved the dance. Brian and Nigel brought up Heidi's facial expressions, saying that they worked for this dance in particular. Her unusual and mostly jarring facial expressions have been noticed by many throughout the season.
Benji and Donyelle's turn found them attempting to execute the very difficult Viennese Waltz. Donyelle was wearing something that looked like a JC Penney prom dress. As a true Viennese Waltz, it missed the mark; Nigel Lythgoe summed the dance up in one word: hideous.
In an interesting turn of events, Travis and Benji danced together under then name of TRANJI in a program choreographed by Shane Sparks. The judges were very pleased by the routine, which featured both Travis and Benji dressed as 50's New York newsboys.
The rest of the solos were not memorable at all, evidenced by the fact that I have no memory of them. The girls did a pairs number from the Broadway musical Sweet Charity.
Travis and Donyelle did a bluesy routine, dancing to "Georgia on My Mind" by Ray Charles. The judges said it was "beautiful and captivating" and Mary said the routine made her feel like "having a mint julep and a Georgia peach." Brian said that it was pure art, and thanked Mia, who was the choreographer. Heidi and Benji came next with a aggressive and spirited Salsa, and Nigel said that Benji is the best male partner on the show who excels in executing lifts. Mary and Brian were equally as thrilled with the footwork and lifts. Together, Heidi and Benji were sensational.
The final performance of the night was a group performance choreographed by the famous Wade Robeson. The dancers were supposed to be famous couture models and posed and danced to Justin Timberlake's new single "Sexy Back".
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