The Major Differences Between a Dress and a Gown

in Fashion

Most of the time, people use the terms ‘dress’ or ‘gown’ to describe an item of women’s clothing; the terms can easily be interchanged, although a gown would typically be a glamorous garment, reserved for special occasions like weddings and birthday parties. We’re all familiar with the term ‘ball gown’ and this term normally refers to a formal long dress, rather than a short one.

The Definition of the Word Dress

A dress is a very broad term that refers to an item of women’s clothing, which could be a short garment or a long one and, of course, a dress differs greatly from a skirt, as it includes the top half as well. To simplify matters, a dress can be a dress or gown and a gown can only be a gown.

The Definition of the Word Gown

As mentioned earlier, a gown is usually a long garment that is worn to a formal event like a charity ball or a high-class wedding.

Evening Gown

An evening gown is something to wear to a formal evening event, and this garment could be a cocktail dress or a floor-length number. Most women own at least one evening gown to wear on formal occasions. Nowadays, you can easily buy elegant pieces such as emerald green prom dresses online. By just visiting your favorite dress boutique’s website, you can have a lovely gown that can be worn on many occasions.

Ball Gown

We all know that a ball gown is a full-length garment that is worn to a formal evening event, such as a dance or charity ball. Ballroom dancing is popular today, and many balls are organized specifically for the participants to dance in a formal manner. Many people like to attend such events and every woman should own at least one formal ball gown.

Girl with red hair in a green dress leaning against a wall

Can A Short Dress Be Called a Gown?

Technically speaking, a short dress cannot be labelled as a gown, although some people would call any formal dress a gown, which might not be correct, yet that makes little difference. Long dresses are more likely to be referred to as gowns, especially a dress that is layered and has sequins.

Long Sleeves

Although not technically correct, a long-sleeve dress is often referred to as a gown, and let’s face it, most long-sleeve dresses are worn on formal occasions. If you are looking for the best deal on a designer dress for this year’s prom dance, search online for designer dress boutiques and you can browse the many designer creations from top names like Jovani, Mori Lee, and Sherri Hill. You can search by style, price, designer, and color, which helps you to find the dresses that are within your interest area.

To conclude, the terms ‘dress’ and ‘gown’ are intermixed and while a dress can also be a gown, a gown should be a formal long garment, possibly with long sleeves.

Sourcing a Prom Dress/Gown

Whether you prefer a dress or a gown, the best place to source a prom dress is at an online designer dress boutique. Here you will find some of the best dress designer creations, and as an online boutique does not have a plush retail outlet, prices are very reasonable. Mom and dad will surely treat you to a designer gown if you are attending the prom, as they would want their daughter to look her absolute best. It is worth remembering that a prom dress can be worn to many other events, so it isn’t like a wedding dress, which is only worn a single time.


Image Credits: Lê Minh, Lê Minh

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