long dresses by designers Damaris | Black Evening Dress | Designer Gown This gown features a simple silhouette Designer Evening Gowns | Luxury

There is no secret to the industry

1940s dinner dresses and gowns were simple but shiny and did tend to be more on the casual side than anything in the decades before or after

Even stiff professions like banking and law are ditching the canvassing and padding in favour of something much softer, says Sims

There are some places that photograph better in the winter, or when its raining, or when its nighttime, or with couples who are wearing casual clothing, etc

As I got older, I would be my own representation of who I wanted to be and where I wanted to go, so I would dress the partand that was the driving force behind my career as a stylist

Keeping a modest cocktail dress current and elegant A common worry with modest dressing is that coverage will read as plain or dated, but a modest cocktail dress can be just as current and elegant as any other, since the coverage is built into a beautiful, modern design