16 Undoubtedly Chic Cocktail Wedding Guest Dresses to Wear This Season
Cocktail attire is one of the most popular wedding guest dress codes—and for good reason. The polished dress code sits perfectly between formal and casual, offering a chance to look elevated without feeling overdone. A proper cocktail dress has historically fallen around the knee, but modern iterations of this wardrobe staple span silhouettes (including longer, mid-length options), fabrics, and lengths that feel more refined and a touch more special than something you might wear on frequent rotation. This leaves plenty of room to choose an outfit that reflects your personal style—which means you get to don a dress you actually want to wear (and will likely wear again).
The Best Cocktail Wedding Guest Dresses
- The Under-$90 Dress: Zara Velvet Fringe Dress, $89.90
- The Minimalist: SNDYS x Revolve Angel Strapless Midi Dress, $94
- The Cape Dress: Aritzia Ten Fan Satin Dress, $178
- The Drop Waist Style: Bec + Bridge Apolline Maxi Dress, $380
- The Cool-Girl Mini: Coperni Flower Dress, $640
- The Comfortable Knit: Ulla Johnson Noelle Midi Dress, $690
- The Head-Turner: Kate Barton Kate Strapless Liquid-Effect Mini, $1,100
- The Asymmetric Maxi: Victoria Beckham Floral Satin Asymmetric Maxi Dress, $1,110
- The Destination Wedding Choice: Temily Summer Bones Signature Stretch-Satin Maxi Dress, $1,200
- The Investment Dress: Jacquemus Castagna Draped Chiffon Minidress, $1,790
Depending on the venue and vibe, there’s an array of cocktail wedding guest dress styles to choose from. Whether a destination wedding, a picturesque mountain town nuptial ceremony, or a chic city soirée is in the books, we’ve selected a range of stunning cocktail dresses you’ll be excited to wear to celebrate your loved ones.
Standouts include a striking red chiffon draped mini, a sumptuous velvet-and-silk number, and an under-$90 midi with a dance floor-ready fringe hem—designs that will neither outshine the couple nor make wedding guest dressing feel like a chore. Ahead, see our favorite cocktail wedding guest dresses to shop for the season.