My dear readers, what is it that we all love about summer, besides the fact that we don't work for a few weeks? It’s a season full of events: weddings, parties, graduations… are all occasions where you can experiment with your style and use the perfect dresses for you. It is for this reason that today we talk about "cocktail dresses", one of the most popular dress codes.

The idea of the cocktail dress first originated in a 1927 issue of Vogue, that defined this style as a "short dress that is suitable for formal occasions", as the fashion evolved over time, the definition of cocktail dress is now a little more forgiving. The types of dress you can use may vary in shape and length, but jumpsuits and blazers are also qualified for the occasion. For now, let’s say that cocktail dresses are halfway between daytime looks and evening looks.

The StyleSearch team has selected four types of cocktail dresses that you can use this summer, with a final extra tip about the most fashionable colors of spring-summer 2022. I bet after reading this blog we will have helped someone to solve the terrible question "What should I wear?"

The classic cocktail dresses

Let's start with the classic cocktail dresses. Usually they are knee-length dresses, which emphasize femininity, without being vulgar. The goal is to look classy and elegant, but not excessive. They are the classic formal dresses, which you will probably wear a couple of times a year, but they are worth it!

We have chosen for you two dresses that represent the classic style: Nina wears an ivory cocktail dress covered with sequins and with long sleeves, loose hair and light makeup, a simple but very elegant look. Ilse opted for a black lace cocktail dress, fitted at the right point, an evergreen.

Spring-summer vibes: floral cocktail dresses

The readers of my blog know that I am crazy for the floral theme, and obviously I could not tell you about it also for the "cocktail dresses" theme. Think about it, what better dress for this season than the colorful and joyful floral one?

This pattern is suitable for any type of social gathering, without ever going out of fashion. Obviously, you would prefer to use a floral dress for events that start in the daylight, otherwise no one will see the colors of your beautiful dress in the dark!

I have chosen two floral dresses for you, one mini and one maxi, very different but trendy. Lauren opted for a one-shoulder mini floral dress, very tight but not excessively low-cut, and she decided to use a clutch and silver heels, I couldn't have done better.

Milly wears a maxi floral dress (my favorites), in light colors and puff sleeves. She added a handbag and heels to match the pastel colors of the dress: if that's not an excellent taste I don't know what it is!

A feminine touch: maxi cocktail dresses

As you may have guessed, I love maxi dresses. In particular, those that are narrower at the waist and have a wider underside, simply because they manage to be both very elegant and comfortable.

Look at the classiness of Olga’s maxi dress. She chose a blue one, which is one of the best colors for the summer as it highlights the tan. Her dress is low-cut but not exaggerated thanks to its simplicity. She added a belt to make everything more glamorous.

Another thing I love about maxi dresses is that they are so elegant that you don't have to wear heels, sometimes a nice sandal is enough and you are good for the evening.

And Maria took me at my word, as she wears a white maxi dress and beige sandals to match the bag, girl I think I'll copy you this summer!

Modern cocktail dresses: the jumpsuits

I know the title says "cocktail dresses", but It’s 2022 and a lot of us women love pants too: get over it guys, "we're the rich men" as Cher once said. So let's talk about how that jumpsuits have become one of the favorite and most used outfits for the "cocktail attire" dress code.

The beauty of jumpsuits is that they make sexy looks without exposing too much. The cut and the fabric count a lot too, and also how you decide to match the accessories.

For example, a jumpsuit which you won’t be able to live without this summer is the satin one: it’s light and comfortable and also very elegant, like the one Danique wears, made with a beautiful pastel pink color and pattern.

When it comes to jumpsuits, the first one you need to have in your closets is the black one: perfect for every season and every occasion, it will give you extra body confidence and a feminine empowerment feeling.

Extra tip: the best colors of spring-summer 2022 cocktail dresses

My last tip today is about colors, the most important thing when it comes to summer clothes.

Obviously, pastel colors are still trending this year, you can't go wrong with them. But if you want to dare more in terms of colors, know that you have chosen the right year: this year is all about neon and bright colors.

Green, orange, yellow, metallic blue, but above all fuchsia and purple, are the colors chosen by the most important fashion maisons for spring-summer 2022 collections.

That's why I chose Esmeralda's look as the perfect cocktail dress look: the fuchsia color, the midi length, the simple and elegant cut, nothing is wrong and fully respects the trends of 2022: we have a winner for today!