Every dress code on an invitation is a short instruction about four things: hem length, fabric, shoes and bag. Black tie asks for a floor-length hem and a fabric with weight; cocktail lets the hem rise to the knee or midi.
Pick a code in the decoder below and watch the hem move, then see what to wear with it.
Affiliate links, marked sponsored. Pieces in the same spirit as the look, not the exact items worn. Prices checked 3 Oct; every shop is on each product page.
A satin midi with a clean line, the length that suits cocktail and semi-formal evenings. Chocolate brown, so it reads as dressed up rather than daytime.
Satin · Midi length · Chocolate brown
A pleated maxi in a satin and chiffon mix, in peach. The long hem gets close to black tie optional without the weight of a gown.
Satin and chiffon mix · Pleated · Maxi length
A floor-length satin dress in blue, the fabric and hem that black tie asks for. One clean line, so shoes and jewellery can stay simple.
Satin · Maxi length · Blue
