The holidays are a wonderful time of year to gather with family and friends, create new holiday traditions, and create lasting memories. Amidst the cooking, baking, hosting, and decorating, it can be easy to forget that the holidays provide ample opportunities to dress up and incorporate the latest fashion trends. Whether you are attending a black-tie holiday party at work or are simply hosting a potluck dinner in your own home, incorporating one of this year’s Christmas Cocktail Dresses Under 100 trends will have you looking and feeling fabulous all season.

Gowns grew ever more elaborate as the centuries rolled on. The sack-back gown, for example, would make most modern wedding gowns look like sundresses. It was made of luxurious fabrics arranged in box pleats that fell to floor with a modest train. The dress was so heavy it had a square hoop to give it shape. As you may have guessed, only members of the bon mot could afford these formal gowns.

Lace dresses have also made a grand return for Christmas. White lace has made a surprising comeback this holiday season. Dainty, supremely feminine, and lady-like, a lace dress is the epitome of timelessness. Contradictory to fitted lace sheath dresses of yesteryear, today’s lace dresses often feature a fitted bodice, ballet neckline, and a full blouson hem or A-line shape. These beautiful gowns can easily be paired with chandelier earrings, stiletto heels, and a classic pearl necklace; the look is extravagant and elegant.

Over time, dressmakers used less and material and women started showing more skin. By the end of the 19th century, the most fashionable gowns were sleeved numbers with dcollet necklines. Strapless dresses came around a bit later as simplicity began to sell. Women wanted fun, flirty dresses that were actually comfortable.When an 18th century woman received an invitation to dine with a monarch at his Court, it was fairly obvious what she would wear. But things aren’t always that easy these days. A woman must now match her dress to a given social event, and there are many of them, each with its own dress code.

The modern evening gown is available in any silhouette and is generally worn to only the most formal events, such as an opera, a wedding, or a formal dinner. Of course, the evening gown is not the only type of party dress. As dress codes have been relaxed in recent years, more and more gowns have been accepted as formalwear. It really does depend on the occasion.

draw the eye at any party, but are particularly Evening Dresses 2011