When you reach your late twenties or early thirties, nights out have moved on from binge drinking and dancing all night in clubs. You are likely to now go out for dinners in restaurants with your friends, go to a wine or cocktail bar or even go the theatre. For all these types of evening activities, you will need to dress up in sophisticated evening wear. In this guide, we take a look at what the current evening wear trends are for 2012.
The Not So Little Black Dress
The staple of most women’s evening wardrobes is the little black dress due to its timeless style. However the little black dress has had a revamp for 2012 and is now slightly longer in length and more elegantly cut.
The black dress of 2012.
The latest trend in black dresses is for a soft fabric such as jersey which will create a fluid look as you move. The fabric will subtly sling to the contours of your body but will still flatter your shape. The skirt will generally have a slight ‘A’ line shape to create subtle folds of fabric or have a pencil style and will end on the knee for a feminine yet discreet look. When it comes to sleeves, cap sleeves is the look for 2012 and slight frills help to create a soft look. Necklines are not so important so choose the design based on your body shape – plunging V necks will help to accentuate a larger bust whilst high round necks can draw attention away from smaller busts.
Black and White Styles
When it comes to evening wear, you need to choose a subtle colour scheme that shouts sophistication. The perfect way of achieving this for 2012 is to select a monotone colour scheme with the most popular being black and white. You can opt for a plain dress in either black or white with subtle colour accents such as bows or trim. Alternatively you can choose a lightly patterned dress but avoid the heavy prints seen in summer 2011 as these will date your outfit. Stripes, both vertical and horizontal play a big part in the 2012 fashion stakes and are reminiscent of pinstriped office suits so ooze sophisticated glamour. As with the not so little black dress, look for wide straps or cap sleeves and a skirt that falls to the knee.
Nude Styles
No, we’re not talking naked here – nude is one of the key colour trends for 2012. The shade varies slightly between designers but is generally a very pale pink or peach shade resembling un-tanned skin. Nude dresses need to be very feminine with soft lines and frills or ruffles to make them work. Team with pastel shades of blue or lilac to add a splash of colour if desired but certainly avoid wearing with black at all costs as the contrast will actually wash out the dress.
Nude dresses give a soft feminine look.
Accessories
To complete the sophisticated evening look, you need to keep accessories small and understated. A simple clutch bag in a metallic shade is enough to carry off the black dress whilst a plain white bag creates a chic look teamed with a black and white outfit. Nude dresses can work well with a lilac clutch and delicate silver-toned diamante jewellery.
Conclusion
So next time you’re online looking for a new evening look, bear these tips in mind to create the perfect outfit for 2012 and beyond. If you need inspiration and a place to buy sophisticated dresses from look no further than the Forever Unique Dresses range from My Violet Hill.
Image Credits: My Violet Hill 1 & My Violet Hill 2.
