Gothic Evening & Party Dresses

Gothic evening and party dresses for the nights that matter: Christmas parties, black tie dinners, New Year's Eve, the theatre and every occasion where you want to dress up without dressing like everyone else. Velvet, lace, satin and dramatic silhouettes, chosen for alternative dressers who still want to look properly formal.

Choosing a gothic occasion dress

Start with the dress code. For black tie or a formal evening, a floor-length gown or maxi is the safest choice, and velvet or heavy lace reads as formal straight away. For a cocktail party or Christmas do, a midi or knee-length dress with lace sleeves or a corset-style bodice gives you drama without trailing a hem across the dance floor.

If you're not sure, go black. A well-cut black dress in a good fabric works at almost any occasion (except maybe normal people weddings), and it lets your jewellery, hair and makeup do the rest.

Fabrics for evening

Velvet is the winter favourite, and you'll find our full range in black velvet dresses. Lace brings a Victorian feel and works all year round. For something sheerer and more modern, layered mesh looks striking over a slip, and our gothic mesh clothing has plenty of pieces to build a look around.

Sizing

Many of our evening dresses come from Dark in Love and Punk Rave, which use combined sizing. We've mapped them to UK sizes as closely as we can, but please check the garment size chart in the product images before ordering. Punk Rave in particular tends to come up a little small. For more options in larger sizes, see our plus size gothic clothing. If the fit isn't right, exchanges are free.

Finishing the look

Add a statement piece from Alchemy Gothic or our necklaces and chokers, a pair of gothic shoes and some good tights. For winter events, bring a shawl or coat you'll be happy to be photographed in.

Other occasions

Dressing for a school prom? See our gothic prom dresses and accessories. Going to a wedding? Our guide to what to wear to a gothic wedding has plenty of ideas. Or browse the full gothic dresses collection.