Frequently Asked Questions

What is glitter made of?

Mostly plastic and metal. Wikipedia's entry on glitter says modern glitter is usually made from aluminum combined with plastic, with PET the common plastic and mica sometimes used instead, all precision cut into small, flat, reflective particles, and it credits the American machinist Henry F. Ruschmann with the first modern plastic glitter. So if you've wondered what is glitter made of when it's on a dress, the answer is the same tiny mirrors set into the fabric. The single-sleeve glitter-bead minis pair glitter with beading on a soft fabric, and the Places To See maxis bring it floor-length.

What is a rhinestone?

A fake diamond with a very real flash. Wikipedia's rhinestone entry describes it as a diamond simulant first made from rock crystal gathered from the river Rhine, which is where the name comes from, and later from glass or acrylic, with crystal rhinestones produced mainly in Austria by Swarovski and used on costumes, apparel and jewelry. So when someone asks what is a rhinestone on a dress, it's a glass or acrylic stand-in for a diamond. The Willow, Poppy and cut-out gold, brown and white sequin minis all use rhinestone-accented sequin fabric.

What are sequins?

Tiny shiny discs with a long history. Wikipedia's sequin entry calls a sequin a small, typically shiny, generally disk-shaped ornament, notes the name comes from the Venetian word zechin for a ducat coin, and explains that sequins are stitched flat so they stay put or stitched at one point so they dangle and move. Paillettes are the very large, flat version. So that's what are sequins and what is a sequin answered in one go: metal once, vinyl plastic now. The Silver Sequin High Slit Puff Sleeve maxi comes with rainbow-silver sequins, and the Emerald Shimmer style adds a comfort lining so they don't sit against your skin.

What should I wear to a Broadway show?

Smart, a little bit fabulous, and warm enough. Broadway Direct's first-timer guide says Broadway has no strict dress code, calls smart casual a safe bet, notes that a bit of flair is appreciated, and says opening nights draw more evening wear even though it isn't required. It also says theaters run cold, so always bring a jacket, and to skip heels that hurt by intermission. That makes what to wear to a broadway show easy: the Starry Night sequin mini with its sheer long sleeves or the Cut Out Letter Sequins mini with shimmering long sleeves for a regular night, and a gown like All Eyes On You for opening night.

What should I wear to a bat mitzvah as a guest?

Modest for the service, festive for the party. Jovani's guest guide says the service calls for covered shoulders, a neckline that isn't low and a hem at or near the knee, with a wrap or jacket as an easy fix, while an evening reception relaxes and makes a cocktail-length dress the sweet spot. It adds there's no color to avoid, as long as you don't match the guest of honor. That settles what to wear to a bat mitzvah or a bar mitzvah: bring a wrap for the ceremony, then let the Emerald Shimmer one-shoulder style take the party, and if the invite says black tie, the long-sleeve, high-neck art-nouveau maxis give a full, modest look.

What do you wear on formal night on a cruise?

A cocktail dress or a gown, depending on the line. Cruise Critic's dress code guide says Royal Caribbean formal nights call for cocktail-length dresses and evening gowns, Princess lists evening gowns, cocktail-length styles or elegant pantsuits, Carnival's elegant nights include cocktail-length dresses, and Cunard's gala evenings are truly formal and often themed. So match your cruise formal night dress to the line: for a gown, the Navy Blue Long Train maxi with hand-beaded gold crystal sequins, and for cocktail length, the Isabella black sequin mini. That covers formal night on a cruise twice over.

What should I wear to a jazz club?

Match the room. Big Apple Jazz's guide says not every jazz club has a strict dress code, that casual clubs suit smart casual, and that upscale clubs encourage elegant dressing such as cocktail-length dresses or chic jumpsuits, with elegant flats or comfortable heels and statement earrings. So the right dress for jazz club nights depends on the venue: the Shine Right sequin plaid mini keeps it relaxed with clear straps, and the purple metallic ruched mini goes upscale with a belted front. Research the club first, and what to wear to a jazz club gets easy.

What should I wear to the ballet?

Elegant, jewel-toned and ready for the interval. Adrianna Papell's ballet guide says there's usually no strict attire but evening shows suit elegant, cocktail-appropriate outfits, recommends jewel tones like emerald, sapphire and ruby, suggests knee-length or floor-length dresses for evening, and adds a faux fur wrap or shawl in winter. For what to wear to a ballet with that brief, the Emerald Shimmer one-shoulder style brings the emerald, the Ruby Rendezvous mini brings the ruby beads, and the emerald feather gown goes floor-length.

What should I wear to the symphony?

Save the shine for after dark. Holly Mulcahy's guide for Inside the Arts suggests a dress for evening concerts, a cocktail-length dress or a full-length gown for galas, and says to keep the sparkles for the evening rather than the matinee, adding that pricier tickets usually mean a dressier crowd. Planning what to wear to a symphony gala? The silver V-neck single-sleeve ball gown has the drama, and for an evening concert, the navy and silver long-sleeve sequin mermaids keep the sparkle covered up.

Sparkly Dresses

Some nights you want to blend in. Tonight isn't one of them. This edit is for anyone hunting a sparkly dress that does more than sequins: glitter-and-bead finishes, beads sewn by hand, rhinestone-accented fabric, metallic foil and star-print tulle, all picked to catch the light the second you walk in.

Browsing sparkly dresses by finish is the fastest way to find yours. Here, every sparkle dress is listed by what makes it shine, so pick glitter for a softer glow, beads for texture, rhinestones for a hard flash or metallic for that liquid look. Want a sparkly outfit sorted in one move? In this edit, each sparkly dress for women is built to be the whole look, so all you add is heels.

Glitter dresses

Glitter first, because it's the easiest shine to wear. In the glitter dress line-up, the single-sleeve glitter-bead minis lead with cut-out detail and an asymmetric one-shoulder neckline, while the dark green version gets billed as a sparkly party showstopper on a soft fabric that won't poke the skin. For a short glitter dress with sleeves, the Cut Out Glitter Slim Fit arrives in black and orange with full-length sleeves, a deep V and back and waist cut-outs.

Going floor-length? For a glitter dress long enough to sweep the floor, start with Places To See: a deep-V halter, a backless criss-cross, a thigh-high front slit plus a sweeping train, with extended-size versions in nude, black and red. Want a glitter long sleeve dress instead? The Cut Out Glitter Slim Fit gives you the sleeves without losing the cut-outs. That's every glitter dress for women in the edit covered, and the full set of glitter dresses runs from mini to maxi.

Beaded and embellished dresses

Beads add weight, texture and a little bit of drama. Top of the beaded dress list sits the Ruby Rendezvous mini, with hand-sewn ruby beads on sleek black fabric, a deep V, an asymmetric hem plus side and back cut-outs, and its description says it was built for a gala or cocktail night, which makes it the beaded cocktail dress of the edit.

Prefer a long beaded dress? The Navy Blue Long Train gown layers hand-beaded gold crystal sequins over soft tulle with a mermaid shape and a sweep train, and its description pitches it as an evening gown for prom, formal events and galas, which makes it the beaded evening dress to beat. The geometric sequin mermaid maxis carry sequin and bead detail in silver, red, purple, copper orange, green and black, so there's a shade for every invite.

Shopping for an embellished dress with more coverage? The black and gold art-nouveau maxis bring long sleeves, a high neckline and allover art-nouveau sequin embellishment finished with a mermaid tail, and the white Long Sleeve Sequins Feather mini pairs a mock neck with sequins and feathers. Those are the embellished dresses for anyone who likes their sparkle with structure.

Rhinestone, metallic and shimmer

Want a hard flash of light? Here, each rhinestone dress uses rhinestone-accented sequin fabric built to catch light from every angle, in a bodycon cut with cut-out detail and spaghetti straps. Pick from the Willow in blue, the Poppy in red with a front high slit, or the gold, brown and white versions, and the red, gold and brown takes on the rhinestone mini dress list cocktail parties and formal occasions among their plans.

Liquid shine more your thing? The go-to metallic dress is the ruched mini in blue, purple or silver, with long sleeves, ruffled shoulders, a deep V, an asymmetric high front slit and a front belt, and the black version swaps in shimmering metallic foil. For a metallic gown, the emerald Metallic Glitter Sequin Puff Sleeve maxi and the red cross-wrap version add puffed shoulders and a high side slit for any formal occasion.

Shopping for a shimmer dress with softer shine? The Emerald Shimmer one-shoulder style adds a side slit, a cinched waist and a comfort lining so the sequins don't sit against your skin, and the Starry Night maxi arrives as a tulle gown covered in shimmering stars. Want a shiny dress that reads sleek? The geometric sequin mermaids are described with a smooth, shiny finish, and Places To See comes in shiny sateen.

Long, short and long sleeve sparkle

Length decides the dress code. For a sparkly long dress, the off-shoulder sequin mermaids in brown, black, navy and red bring long sleeves and a sweep train, and if you're filtering sparkly dresses long and formal, the backless sequin maxis in red, black, navy, gold and white add an open back and a deep V. Want a sparkly gown with a red-carpet silhouette? The Meredith black maxi says exactly that, and All Eyes On You brings gold geometric sequins with a mermaid hem.

Need a sparkly dress with long sleeves for winter? The navy and silver elastic sequin mermaids are cut from soft, stretchy sequin fabric with full-length sleeves and a ruffle hem that flares at the floor. If sparkly dresses long sleeve and short are on your list, the Starry Night sequin mini has sheer sleeves dotted with sparkling accents, and the Cut Out Letter Sequins mini pairs shimmering long sleeves with a soft lining that reduces rubbing. Whichever you pick, each long sparkly dress with sleeves and every sparkle dress long sleeve style here keeps the shine to the cuff.

Going short? In this edit, each short sparkly dress is cut to move: the copper brown strapless mini drapes down the front with a ruched skirt, and the Shine Right sequin plaid mini adds clear straps and a square neck. Want sparkly dresses short with a little edge? The Special Flirt silver sequin mini pairs a front belt with ruffled shoulders and a high slit. Prefer shape over length? As a sparkly corset dress, the Charlotte white gown pairs a corseted front and bra cups with a deep V and a net train, and the Starry Night maxi sculpts with a corset-fitted waist.

Sparkle by color

Color sets the mood before you say a word. As a pink sparkly dress, the backless pink sequin maxi brings a sequin-embellished bodice and a mermaid fit. For a blue sparkly dress, there's the Willow cut-out mini, the blue metallic ruched mini and the light blue sequin mermaid with chevron sequins, and as a navy blue sparkle dress, the Navy Blue Long Train gown leads.

Craving a green sparkly dress? Emerald Shimmer, the dark green glitter-bead mini and the emerald feather gown all qualify. Pick a purple sparkly dress from the purple geometric maxi or the purple metallic ruched mini, and for an orange sparkly dress, the orange glitter-bead mini brings glamour to holiday and cocktail parties.

Where to wear the shine

Black-tie invite? Go long: as a sparkly formal dress, the geometric sequin mermaids are described for any formal event, and so is the green metallic puff-sleeve maxi. For a red carpet dress, Places To See promises red-carpet drama, and the silver V-neck single-sleeve ball gown gives a leg-lengthening, red-carpet silhouette with a high front split.

Cocktail hour? The Isabella black sequin mini is described as a sparkly cocktail dress for family events, black-tie events and cocktail parties. Wedding on the calendar? As a sparkly wedding guest dress, the backless red sequin maxi gets called a standout cocktail or wedding-guest dress in its description, and the navy backless maxi names weddings as a guest too.

December sorted? For a sparkly christmas dress, the wine red open-back maxi is described as your perfect holiday dress, and the black and gold art-nouveau maxis give a full, modest look for Christmas parties. Planning a sparkly new years eve dress? The long sleeve red sequin maxi names New Year's Eve outright, and so does the backless silver fishtail.

Want more shine? All-over sequin lives in sequin dresses, black-tie nights in evening gowns, and short party styles in mini dresses. Finish it with high heels and a handbag.