*Dress for the theme suggestion: Come dressed in your favorite 1964 era inspired cocktail party fashion, a similar Barbie® or Ken® fashion or a celebrity from the era.

A cocktail party was a chance to dress up for the occasion even more than usual, which is something of a feat when one considers how gorgeously groomed men and women of the era looked on an average day! 

Dramatically molded in gorgeous crisp silk faille, iridescent chromespun taffeta or richly-colored acetate (with changeable two-tone effect), the cocktail dress emphasized the hourglass figure so popular at the time! The bodice often featured deep V-neck open backlines and cummerbund waist detail with train. Dresses are studded and trimmed with sequins and rhinestones, which give the impression of a starry night sky.

Formality isn’t gone, but gentlemen faced fewer rules governing how to dress for certain formal occasions. Summer white jackets and black or midnight blue tuxedos are still required for after-six special occasions. However, formal matching vests and butterfly bow-ties are traded for cummerbunds and a new, narrower “batwing” bow-tie, which increases the comfort level of this new semi-formal look. The result is an effortless, easy-going style.