WHICH DRESSES TO CHOOSE FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS?

Choosing the right dress for a special occasion matters. What you wear should reflect the nature of the event and also bring out your personality and your style. The right dress lets you feel confident and comfortable. An outfit for a special occasion deserves real thought
- it is not only about elegance, but about how you will feel in it for the whole event. A dress should suit the occasion, and equally your own comfort and how you feel that day.

Etiquette counts too - for more formal events such as galas or weddings, choose muted pieces that show your elegance without pulling attention away from the event itself. For less formal gatherings, a cocktail party or a dinner, you can allow yourself a touch of extravagance and let your own style show.

Cocktail dresses are the safe bet for smart parties, banquets and company events. They usually fall to the knee, which makes them both elegant and easy to wear. Classic colours work best - black, navy or burgundy always look good. Dresses with subtle cut-outs or asymmetric details are another
option, bringing something modern to a classic shape. For something more distinctive, try a cocktail dress in pastel shades or with a delicate print.

For more formal occasions such as galas or grand balls, long evening gowns are the best answer. Gowns like these are often richly decorated, which gives them real presence. Look at pieces in silk, satin or velvet, fabrics that bring quality along with polish and shine. Long evening gowns are also a chance to play with fabric. Shining materials such as lame, along with lace and embroidery, lend any outfit something out of the ordinary. A thigh split or a deep neckline can bring out your femininity and add elegance.

Remember that evening gowns usually call for the right accessories - long gloves, striking jewellery or an evening clutch will finish an outfit like this

For a wedding or another family celebration, pastel colours or delicate prints are a good place to start. Dresses like these should be elegant without taking anything away from the bride. A midi or maxi length works well, and lace finishes add a romantic note - who knows, this time you might catch the bouquet? Soft shades of pink, light blue or mint also suit weddings well and give
an outfit a certain lightness. Avoid white and very pale beiges, though, which belong to the bride.

For family celebrations such as christenings or communions, dresses should be more muted. Elegant midi dresses in pastel shades or with fine floral prints are ideal here.

Matching a dress to your figure is the key to a balanced outfit. Every body shape asks for a different approach:

Pear shape: go for dresses with a flared skirt, which balance narrower shoulders against wider hips. Apple shape: dresses with an empire waist and a loose skirt skim neatly over the stomach. Hourglass shape: women with this figure can happily draw attention to the waist, choosing fitted cuts with a belt. Column shape: dresses with frills, gathers or detailing around the hips and bust add curve.

For a pear shape, dresses with decorative or puff sleeves also work well, widening the shoulders visually for more balanced proportions. Women with an apple shape can confidently choose wrap styles, which lengthen the figure and bring out the bust.

For a column shape, dresses with a peplum or gathers around the hips are ideal, adding volume where it is wanted. Cuts like these bring out feminine curves while creating the impression of a more
defined waist.

The right dress can work wonders. To make the most of long legs, choose a dress with a split; if your shoulders are broad, go for styles with
longer sleeves or a wrap cut, which slims the figure visually. V-neck dresses are a good choice for anyone wanting to slim the upper body, the shoulders above all. A dress with a defined waist, meanwhile, draws attention to it and gives the figure hourglass proportions.

If your aim is to lengthen the figure visually, look at maxi lengths, ideally in vertical stripes or with a long split, which give an outfit lightness and make the legs look longer.

Accessories are part of every outfit for a special occasion. Fine jewellery brings out the elegance of a dress, while a clutch bag is the practical and stylish choice. Keep accessories muted if the dress is richly decorated, and the other way round - a plain dress can take bolder pieces; the point is not to overdo it in either direction. With a heavily decorated dress, minimal jewellery works best - a fine necklace, small earrings and an elegant bracelet are enough to finish the look. If you are wearing a plain dress, you can happily go for larger,
bolder accessories - earrings with stones, say, or chunky bangles.

The coming seasons will be led by dresses with pronounced details: asymmetric cuts, shining fabrics and deep necklines. Gowns with decorative sleeves are appearing more often too, adding presence, shine and a modern edge to an outfit. Metallic accents,
in shining fabrics and in metal trims alike, will run through many designers' collections. Dresses in shades of silver, gold or copper are for anyone who likes to catch the eye. Dresses with long, flared sleeves, often nodding to the 1970s, will be popular as well.

The catwalks are an endless source of ideas for special occasions. This season designers are going for bold, metallic colours and sheer fabrics. Looks from the shows make a good starting point for a creation of your own. Inspiration for special occasions also comes from the haute couture shows, where gowns are genuine works of art. Embroidery, beaded applique and frills all find their way into more accessible collections too, giving every woman the chance to feel as though she has stepped off the runway.