Women’s Evening And Party Dresses – Save or Splurge?

What ever style of dress you want to wear, there is almost always a great designer option and a more affordable option to choose from. Which you choose will probably depend on your budget and how much wear you will get from the dress. If it is a great style that you are likely to wear for many years to come it may well be worth investing in a beautiful designer piece. If you are looking for something for a one off occasion you can save yourself money by opting for the more cost effective option.

Here are some great save or splurge options for some of the seasons key evening or party dresses. Will you choose to spend or save or splurge?

The Bodycon Dress

Asymmetric Tri Colour dress by Herve Leger

When it comes to the designer body-con dress, Herve Leger designer Max Azria virtually invented it. The designer version of this dress is well worth the investment if you don’t have a really streamlined body shape. The a listers and  fashion editors all covet the Herve Leger ‘bandage’ dress and stars like Kate Winslett are living proof that this look also works on curvy girls.

Lipsy One Shoulder Ruched Dress

This Lipsy one shoulder ruched dress as a slightly more forgiving shorter length as the Herve Leger bandage dress. It is perhaps not quite as dramatic but it is significantly less expensive with the same assymetric shape and still a great party dress that is bound to earn you compliments.

The Disco Tunic Mini

Halston Heritage Disco Tunic Mini

Halston Heritage is the label to be seen in at the moment with Sarah Jessica Parker as creative Director it has huge style credentials. The Halston range features shapes from the archives redesigned for todays modern lady. The collection definitely has a feeling of disco about it and is perfect for dancing the night away.

Fearne Cotton Floral Print Tunic at Very

This great seventies inspired dress from the Fearne Cotton collection at Very has a similar shape to the Halston Heritage dress and a great floral pattern giving it versatility to be worn as a day dress or party dress. Team with a great pair of tights and some heels for an evening on the town with friends.

The Maxi Dress With Sparkle

Asymmetric Embellished Shoulder Maxi Dress by Project D by Dannii and Tabitha

This glamorous one shouldered dress is one of the must have party dresses of the season. Designer by Australian singer Dannii Minogue who clearly knows a few things about dressing for the red carpet and and her designer friend Tabitha Somerset Webb. This dress has an elegant shape and just the right amount of sparkle to look amazingly stylish at any party or evening event in the season ahead.

Maxi Dress With Diamate Detail By Goddiva

For a fraction of the price this diamante detail maxi dress by Goddiva is a fraction of the price of the Project D version. It has a similar shape that clings around the body and elegantly flares out at the hem.

Special Occasions and Coast Dresses For The Summer

The summer seems to be packed with all sorts of special occasions from weddings to days at the races, graduations to garden parties, all of which call for gorgeous special occasion dresses which will make you look beautiful.  A special occasion in the in the summer is the easiest to choose a great outfit for. A beautiful summer dress, a pair of gorgeous shoes with a few carefully chosen accessories and you are good to go. For  a more formal summer event you can also add your choice of a chic and elegant hat or trendy fascinator.

As special occasions are often quite formal in nature, they will often call for a great dress that is also quite respectable, so nothing too short, low cut or revealing. Instead look for dresses in luxurious fabrics  that skim rather than cling. But that does not mean that you cannot have fun with your occasion dress in great prints, bright colours and with some amazing accessories. If your special occasion lasts into the evening, you will probably also want to consider some sort of cover up that keeps you warm but also compliments your beautiful dress. Pashminas, wraps, shrugs and boleros all look great with occasion dresses as they don’t interfere with the line of the dress. Take your pick from glossy and glamorous accessories, interesting  multi colour pieces or just a simple pendant necklace to compliment your dress perfectly.

Coast dresses are always great for a special occasion with just the right amount of on trend style and flattering looks. This summer they have a great variety of occasion dresses including bright and colourful prints, bright whites and bold primary colours.

This ditsy floral print dress is so eye catching it almost hurts. It would look amazing with some coloured accessories and a great pair of pink shoes.

Take your pick from beautiful turquoise, pink or white accessories to go with this fresh and bright Zita dress, perfect for keeping cool in a hot summer day. It would also work really well for evenings out whilst on holiday.

This Prunelle pleat dress is not only unusual, it is also very gorgeous. White is definitely one of the key colour trends for the season and also looks amazing with a sun tan.

This colour blocked maxi dressis the perfect way to wear the summers hottest trend for maximum impact. It can be worn two ways. Either strapless or with the detachable sash as a halterneck. Perfect for a formal barbecue on a red hot summers day.

This Nadia bandeau dress will take you from the daytime to evening at you special occasion with no need to get changed. The bold and bright spots make it great for those who like to be the centre of attention.

This blue Ginny dress is an incredibly flattering style for anyone. The bright blue colour looks amazing with blond hair. It also has great detailing around the neckline and waist which will help to define the waist and draw you in.

White and Green Distsy Tunic Dress

This Gorgeous little green and white ditsy tunic dress  is a great little addition to your new wardrobe available for only £30 at Dorothy Perkins.
Bang up to date with the current trends of floral prints, but not too bright, the pattern is off set by a dark background, so it’s ideal for Late Winter early Spring.

Works well as an office outfit or an evening dress with a  black tights, boots and woolen jacket

The Tunic style dress It’s made of 100% cotton and machine washable

See more Dorothy Perkins Green and White Ditsy Tunic Dress