A cocktail dress or cocktail gown is a woman's dress worn at cocktail parties, and semi-formal occasions.

The length of cocktail dresses varies depending on fashion and local custom. The length ranges from just above the knee to touching the ankle. When it is about 5 cm (2 inches) above the ankle it is called tea length and when it is almost touching the ankle it is called ballerina length, although ballerina length dresses usually fall into the evening gown category.

At semi-formal occasions, less elaborate, shorter-length cocktail dresses may be worn. Prior to the mid 20th century this type of dress was known as 'late afternoon'. When gentlemen are in business suits, ladies also wear dress suits or "good" afternoon skirt and dresses.

By the 1980s a dress was considered to be cocktail less by where the hem fell, but more by the level of sumptuousness the garment attained.

In the mid-20th century, some couturiers began describing full-skirted cocktail gowns as "dancing costumes". These are suitable for formal dances but not for balls, or other white tie affairs, where ball gowns are worn.

Wedding Guest Style for Her

* Informal Daytime: Short dress or suit (business attire OK for morning weddings)
* Informal Evening: Cocktail dress
* Semi-Formal Daytime: Short dress or suit
* Semi-formal Evening: Cocktail dress
* Formal Daytime: Short dress or suit. Hats and gloves optional.
* Formal Evening or Black-Tie: Long or dressy short cocktail (beading, glam accessories, wrap)
* Ultra-formal or White Tie: Long gown, extra glitz (furs, diamonds, etc.)

Do's and Don'ts for Her

* Don't wear white because it competes with the bride. There are plenty of other colors available.
* Don't wear black or sequins during the daytime.
* Don't worry about wearing the same colors as the bridesmaids or mothers. You can't possibly coordinate with everyone in the wedding party.
* Do wear something feminine and appropriate, out of respect for your hosts. Clubwear, overtly sexy clothing (strapless, see-through, etc) doesn't belong at a wedding. If you have to ask if it's appropriate, it probably isn't.
* Don't wear opera-length gloves (to top of arm) with anything but sleeveless or strapless gowns.
* Do take off gloves to eat or drink.
* Do use good judgment if the invitation doesn't specify the formality of the event. A pastel suit or soft floral dress for daytime or a little black dress for evening (after 6 p.m.) will take you almost anywhere.

Wedding Style for Him

* Informal Daytime: Dress shirt and pants, preferably a sports jacket.
* Informal Evening: Suit
* Semi-Formal Daytime: Suit
* Semi-Formal Evening: Dark suit
* Formal Daytime: Dark suit and tie
* Formal Evening: Tuxedo (if invitation states "black tie") or dark suits if women wear short dresses.
* Ultra-formal Evening or White Tie: White tie, vest and shirt.

Do's and Don'ts for Him

* Don't try to get cute with a tuxedo. A black tux with white shirt and black bow tie is the best way to go. If "Creative Black Tie" or "Texas Formal" or some sort of other vague formal description is used, then going with a tux and black shirt, no tie, might be acceptable. Also, trendier cities like Los Angeles and New York might be more accepting of breaking with tradition.
* Do wear a dark suit, with a tie if the wedding is after 6 PM, and doesn't say "Black Tie."
* Don't wear a tuxedo during the day time, regardless of the formality of the event.
* Do use good judgment if the invitation doesn't specify the formality of the event. A dark suit and conservative tie will take you just about anywhere.

There are very few people who look good in red lipstick, and those people usually juggle for a living. I once met a girl who was able to pull it off, so I let her buy me dinner. Later that night she was making out with my wang, when I realized that all that lipstick was rubbing off. So I evacuated my moan-maker from her face hole, took some silverware for my trouble, and snuck out of her tent.

Red lipstick looks horrible on most women, and all men. The bright crimson hue is an unnatural abomination pushed upon your face by cynical cosmetic industry scientists. I'm sure somewhere in a laboratory, two scientists are high-fiving each other, laughing at all the bullshit new names for shades of red they invent. There have been literally thousands of names for the same color of lipstick over the years, yet there are only about 3 shades of red: red, dark red, light red. Period. And I mean that grammatically, and not menstrually, though the context makes sense now that I think about it. They just make up names as they go along, and you idiots keep buying the same three shades of red over and over again:

Here are some actual names for shades of red lipstick: berry juicy, candied apple, midnight red, love that red, volcanic red, red velvet, red reinvented, cherry desirable, opulent garnet, royal red, etc, etc. You know they're just making shit up when they start using abstract concepts like "love" and "desirable" in the name. Most of the shades are indiscernible from each other, but women insist that there's a difference.
Insecure women with boring faces lap this shit up because they think "hmmm.. what does my face need? Oh, I know! A giant hokey shade of red that isn't even found in nature."