29 Formal Dresses You Can Get On Amazon That You'll Actually Want To Wear
Formal dresses AKA the only fun part of a formal event, amirite?
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1. A mermaid gown sure to help you feel like the royalty you are. Diamond-encrusted crown sadly not included.
2. A retro-inspired dress guaranteed to become your next ALBD: Amazing Little Black Dress.
Promising review: "I absolutely love this dress. The quality of the material and the 'finish' of the sewing is first-class. I normally wear a size 12/14 in dresses, but instead of buying the large, I bought a medium. This is a knock-out!" —Sweet Chi
Price: $19.99+ / Sizes: S-3X / Available in four colors.
3. A midi dress with lace overlay and a scalloped hemline you can wear to any semi-formal function.
4. A tulle gown that will have people asking you crazy things like, "Did you lose a glass slipper?"
Ya know, because you'll look like Cinderella.
Promising review: "I got this dress for my daughter's prom; she spent the whole night getting compliments. Everyone wanted to take pictures of her dress!" —KRM
Price: $69+ / Sizes: 2-26, plus it can be custom made to your measurements / Available in 26 colors.
5. A halter dress with lace overlay that looks WAY more expensive than it actually is. My wallet is grateful.
Promising review: "This dress is so beautiful! I wore it to my cousin's black tie optional wedding and it was perfect! It was very comfortable and the material was stretchy, so I could move around easily. I got several compliments on how beautiful it was, and I would definitely recommend this to a friend." —Kelly
Price: $17.99+ / Sizes: S-XXL / Available in 14 colors.
6. A slightly sparkly bell sleeve dress known for being a bit devious. It always has a trick or two up its sleeve.
Price: $15.17+ / Sizes: 1X-3X
7. A mermaid-style dress that's slightly less revealing than Ariel's "seashells only" look, but equally as sexy.
Promising review: "I cannot tell you enough how perfect this dress was for an event I went to! I ordered a size up and it fit perfectly. For the price, you cannot go wrong — plus, it came quickly!" —Sara Grigsby
Price: $75.99 / Sizes: 2-16 / Available in eight colors.
8. A silky gown for any thigh that wants to be a 'lil exposed. It wants to take some risks, dammit.
Promising review: "My girlfriend and I absolutely love this gown — it's a sexy, beautiful color and a great fit. We are planning to order this in other colors. If you believe in turning heads and dropping jaws, this is a must for your wardrobe." —Amazon Customer
Price: $19.99+ / Sizes: S-XXL / Available in four colors.
9. A sleeveless lace dress that'll force your former go-to dress into retirement. This will surely rep~lace~ it.
Promising review: "This dress was even better than I hope it would be! It fit perfectly and was SO comfortable, plus the lace is soft and not scratchy at all. I got so many compliments while wearing it. If you're unsure about this dress, just order it!!!" —Emily Lumpkin
Price: $11.95+ / Sizes: S-XL / Available in four colors.
10. A halter dress you should not purchase if you hate attention. This gorgeous number is sure to get you a lot of it.
11. A knee-length bandage dress sure to make your curves say "va va VOOM." Because yes, they can talk.
Promising review: "I love this dress! The material is top quality, nothing about this dress looks cheap, and it's absolutely stunning." —FABULOUS TASHA
Price: $58 / Sizes: XS-L / Available in five colors.
12. A mustard-colored asymmetric dress with a really strong hatred for Ketchup. I have no idea why.
Promising review: "I love this dress! It has a slight stretch, drapes nicely from the waist, and is a beautiful, rich color. Plus, it's soft and comfy!" —Adam Ellis
Price: $78.61+ / Sizes: 0-16
13. A cocktail dress whose namesake symbolizes the best part of any wedding: cocktail hour.
Promising review: "I ordered this dress for my maid of honor and I was very happy with quality of the dress. It fit perfectly to her measurements, the color was great, and the fabric was what I hoped for." —Amazon Customer
Price: $19.99+ / Sizes: 2-28 / Available in 25 other colors.
14. A luxurious gown that'll inspire you to you crash a bunch of fancy occasions. Why? So you can wear this as often as possible.
*starts going to random weddings every weekend, wearing the same dress over and over again*
Promising review: "I wore this dress for a masquerade ball and it exceeded my expectations! I wasn't looking to spend a fortune on a dress, but wanted something eye catching — and this dress was perfect!" —Heidi
Price: $48.99 / Sizes: 2/4-20/22 / Also available in black, gold, navy, green, and silver.
15. A ruffle dress that is not edible. This is not a potato chip. Eat real food at the party. Not this.
16. A strapless number with a corset back, meaning you won't be hoisting up your cleavage every five seconds. Hooray!
Promising review: "My best friend chose this dress for her bridesmaids and maid of honor — we all absolutely love the dress and colors! She chose mint green for the bridesmaids and turquoise for her maid of honor." —Aubrey Schumaker
Price: $39.99 / Sizes: 2—18 / Available in 29 colors.
17. An a-line dress that is the clothing embodiment of the word "elegant." That lace! That subtle sparkle!
Price: $108 / Sizes: 14-24
18. A swing dress with a misleading name. You probably shouldn't go to the park wearing this. Or do! Up to you.
Promising review: "I'm so ecstatic about this dress! It's beautiful and the material is great. I wore it to a holiday party, and it was a hit!" —Mrs. Abrego
Price: $35 / Sizes: S-3X / Available in seven colors.
19. A Grecian-inspired v-neck dress perfect for weddings. Big fat Greek ones, in particular.
Promising review: "This is a beautiful dress! It does run small, so I suggest you order a size up. I love the Grecian style!" —Diann
Price: $39.99+ / Sizes: 4-16 / Available in 14 other colors.
20. A flapper-inspired dress allegedly stolen from Daisy Buchanan's closet. That's just what I heard!
Promising review: "I love this dress! The fit was perfect, plus I've seen similar dresses for over $100, and I got this one for $30. It is gorgeous in person, and I can't wait to wear it." —Amazon Customer
Price: $15.99+ / Sizes: 2-10 / Available in 10 colors.
21. A knee-length cocktail dress perfect for bridal showers! Weddings! Graduation parties! The list goes on and on.
Promising review: "WOW! This dress is perfect. It seriously fits like a glove." —Amazon Customer
Price: $58 / Sizes: XS-L / Available in four colors.
22. A midi wrap dress with an all-over lace design for a yes-this-is-simple-but-also-very-beautiful ensemble.
23. A lace dress for the person who wants their clothing to accurately reflect the color of their soul.
Promising review: "After fruitlessly browsing Rent the Runway for an upcoming black tie wedding, I took a chance and ordered this dress instead. The material feels much more high quality than a $50 dress, and the fabric has some 'heft' to it that moves really nicely when you walk. If you're on the fence about this dress, please go for it — especially for this price, it was a great deal!" —Betsy
Price: $42.95+ / Sizes: S-3X / Available in four colors.
24. A midi bandage dress that absolutely loves karaoke. Favorite song to sing? "Lady in Red," of course.
25. A halter dress you can easily dress up or down. Versatility is your friend, folks.
Promising review: "I bought this dress for my college graduation and it couldn't have been more perfect! I ordered a size up because I have a booty and didn't want it to be super skin tight. I got so many compliments — it was a great purchase and I highly recommend it!" —Elyssa
Price: $11.76+ / Sizes: 4-14 / Available in six colors.
26. A cocktail dress that'll have you saying, "To sparkle or not to sparkle? That does not have to be a question at all."
Why not compromise and have just a little bit of sparkle? Psst, this has removable straps!
Price: $96.60+ / Sizes: 0-14
27. A sequin dress with a gradient design: champagne-inspired color on top, a gorgeous pink hue on the bottom.
Promising review: "This dress is absolutely fabulous! Everyone loved it, and couldn't believe how little I paid for a dress like this!" —Jewel Crafton
Price: $69.99 / Sizes: 4-16
28. A metallic flare dress with POCKETS. What more do you want, people?!
29. A stretchy cocktail dress available with hints of lace or hints of mesh. So many options! Not enough formal events!
Promising review: "This is one of my new favorite dresses! The material is nice and thick without being too heavy, and the quality is very nice: it doesn't feel cheap at all, despite the $20 price tag. Plus, it's very versatile and can easily be dressed up or down. Love it!" —Spudma
Price: $17.99+ / Sizes: XS-3X / Available in 39 colors.
Accessorizing my fancy dress like:
The reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.