Roundups of dresses for a specific occasion, fit or budget, each with how its list was put together.
Not sure where to start? The Dress Finder asks seven questions and suggests dress shapes, fabrics and colors for them.
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Pearl stud earrings go with every neckline and every dress code, so they're the pair to own first; pearl drops and baroque pearls are the dressier choice for weddings, parties and open necklines. Freshwater cultured pearls are the usual budget-friendly real option, and glass or shell faux pearls look much the same from a few feet away.
Updated Oct 20, 2026 · By Jenisha Jonchhe
Ballet flats go with almost any dress that ends at or below the knee, from a knit midi to a satin slip, and they're the shoe to wear with sheer or colored tights in winter. Choose the material by the occasion: leather for daily wear, satin for evenings and mesh for warm days.
Updated Oct 19, 2026 · By Jenisha Jonchhe
Brown tights look best with dresses in warm, earthy colors (camel, cream, rust, olive, burgundy and brown itself) and with brown or tan boots and flats. Choose dark chocolate opaques for cold days and casual knits, and sheer brown for a lighter, dressier look.
Updated Oct 19, 2026 · By Jenisha Jonchhe
Kitten heels are short, slim heels, usually about one to two inches high, set in from the back of the shoe. They give a dress the polish of a heel without the height, and they look best with midi, knee-length and slip dresses, where a chunky shoe would feel heavy.
Updated Oct 19, 2026 · By Jenisha Jonchhe
To make a claw clip look dressy, twist your hair up neatly, leave a few face-framing pieces, and pick a clip with a matte, pearl, metal or velvet finish rather than shiny plastic. For weddings and holiday parties, a pearl clip or a bow clip reads more polished and still holds your hair off your neck.
Updated Oct 18, 2026 · By Jenisha Jonchhe
Emerald and forest green are the holiday greens: rich enough to look festive and easier to wear than red for many people. Pick velvet if you want warmth and depth, satin for shine at an evening party, and finish with gold jewelry and sheer black tights.
Updated Oct 18, 2026 · By Jenisha Jonchhe
To wear leg warmers with a dress, pull them over tights and let them slouch around the ankle, then add flats, loafers, ankle boots or a low heel. They suit sweater dresses, knit minis and short skirts best, where the extra texture fills the gap between hem and shoe.
Updated Oct 18, 2026 · By Jenisha Jonchhe
Opera gloves are evening gloves that reach past the elbow, usually to the upper arm, worn with a sleeveless or strapless gown. Satin looks the most formal, stretch jersey is the easiest to wear, and leather reads more fashion than ballroom.
Updated Oct 17, 2026 · By Jenisha Jonchhe
A tartan or plaid dress reads festive on its own, so keep everything else simple: black tights, loafers or ankle boots, and a solid coat. Red plaid says Christmas; darker greens, navies and black-watch patterns carry from December parties into winter workdays.
Updated Oct 17, 2026 · By Jenisha Jonchhe
Winter white means warm whites (cream, ivory, oat) in cold-weather fabrics, and a knit or sweater dress in that shade is the easiest way to wear it. Pair it with camel, cognac or chocolate brown, and keep it away from weddings, where white is usually left to the bride.
Updated Oct 17, 2026 · By Jenisha Jonchhe
Burgundy tights work best with neutral dresses (black, gray, camel, navy) and with black or burgundy shoes that continue the line of the leg. Pick sheer burgundy tights for evening and opaque ones for work, school runs and cold days.
Updated Oct 16, 2026 · By Jenisha Jonchhe
Choose plus size tights by the brand's height-and-weight chart, and size up if you sit between two sizes or are tall for the range. Then pick the denier for the outfit: sheer for evening dresses, opaque for work and winter, fleece-lined for real cold.
Updated Oct 16, 2026 · By Jenisha Jonchhe
For finding a dress by what's on your calendar: a wedding, a work event, a black-tie invitation.
A sub-hub of Occasion Dresses for what to wear to someone else's wedding.
For working out what a dress code asks you to wear, from casual to black tie.
