"Cocktails at Seven"

1. & 2. David Meister 3. Aidan Mattox 4. Theia 5. Chetta B 6. Marc & James by Badgley Mischka 7. Carmen Marc Valvo 8. Lotusgrace 9. Chetta B 10. Tadashi Shoji 11. David Meister 12. BCBG Max Azria 13. Theia 14. Teri Jon 15. Nicole Miller 16. Carmen Marc Valvo 17. Phoebe Couture by Kay Unger 18. Kay Unger 19. David Meister 20. Theia 21. Sue Wong 22. Aidan Mattox 23. Teri Jon 24. Marc Bouwer Glamit! 25. Sue Wong 26. Lotusgrace 27. BCBG Max Azria 28. Roberto Cavalli 29. Sue Wong 30. Versace 31. Blumarine 32. Camilla Skovgaard 33. Max Kibardin 34. - 36. Jimmy Choo 37. Fendi 38. & 39. Valentino 40. Oscar de la Renta 41. Fendi 42. Jerome Rousseau 43. Maison Martin Margiela 44. Prada 45. & 46. Christian Louboutin 47. Emilio Pucci 48. Judith Leiber

(saks.com)

Today's cocktail dress has evolved into a "magical" thing of beauty. Not to take anything away from the, "legendary" little black dress, but today's offerings are so vast that one is hard pressed to choose just one. Before making the final purchase, if you're like me, you want to check ALL of the stores for fear of missing out that perfect little number.

Versatility is key, as I personally prefer a dress that can be worn with a variety of shoe styles as well as colors. When in search of "that shoe," a metallic gold or silver will usually fit the bill. Of course black is a must, but I also love to add a colorful, "entrance-making" shoe or bag. The bottom line is, it's all about the mixing and the matching and personal preference.