Dress code is very important in today’s times. One should always pay great attention to the dress codes whenever you accept any invitation to a party. If the invitation mentions wearing cocktail dresses, it should be understood that this is a semi-formal party that requires you to dress appropriately.  
 
What constitutes a cocktail dress? As far as women are concerned, the cocktail dress should be such that it extends up to the ankle levels if the occasion is too formal. You have the liberty to shorten the length in case it is a semi formal event. However, if it is a girl’s night out, you can very well wear the cocktail dress to end up above the knee level as well.  
 
Normally, cocktail parties start late in the evening and end up late at night. These parties naturally entail consumption of drinks. Hence, it becomes imperative to wear dresses that you are comfortable in. When you wear the longer version of the designer cocktail dresses, ensure that you wear your formal pants inside. Never wear clothes that look suggestive. You could end up embarrassing your boss in front of others. This embarrassment could spill over to the next day and show up at work. Maybe, the boss might have brought his family as well. Wearing a suggestive dress can land him into unnecessary trouble. He may have to end up answering uncomfortable questions. They can boomerang on you the next day you encounter him.
 
However, if it is an all-girls party, you can let your hair down. No one in the world can ask you a damn question. Have the time of your life wearing the cocktail dresses of your choice. These parties allow you to experiment with your hemlines and skirt lines. You cannot do so in the semi-formal cocktail parties. These parties require you to be careful with your dressing style.
 
The color of the dress you wear at a formal cocktail party can differ from that you wear at a normal cocktail party. The formal ones require you to wear darker hues, especially black, dark shades of red, blue, or green. However, the informal parties allow you to wear the brighter colored dresses like the pink and the yellow as well. No one will object under such circumstances.
 
Remember to wear high heeled shoes when you wear the cocktail dresses. No one wears sneakers in combination with these dresses. The color of the dress matters a lot as well. The most formal ones entail wearing the darker hues. You can wear the lighter hues in casual parties. Pay great heed to the invitation cards. They would give you a lot of clues about the kind of dress you can wear.  
 
Wearing the right kind of undergarments is also very important. Never allow the undergarments to show through your clothes. The bra straps especially should be tucked inside the dress. If you wear strapless bras, it should be great.
 
The thumb rule is that you appear as formal as possible during a semi-formal cocktail party.