Bae evening dresses and cocktail dresses for every occasion

Which evening dress suits which occasion

Start with the event, not the hanger. A wedding where you are a guest calls for something romantic but not bridal: a powder-pink midi with a feathered belt bow or an A-line maxi with a camellia brooch looks festive in photographs and carries you from the ceremony to dinner and onto the dance floor. Leave the white models to the bride.

A gala, a black-tie dinner or an awards night is where the maxi lengths shine. A strapless mermaid maxi follows the figure to the knee and then flares out; a cone maxi falls in one long, vertical line; a boat-neck maxi frames the shoulders and collarbones. Each of them gives you an entrance.

For a graduation ball or a birthday you want to dance through, choose a mini or a midi with a bow — light, playful and easy to wear for hours. And for a Christmas or company party the classic answer still works: a black pencil midi or a strapless red mini, sharp enough for the evening and simple to accessorise.

Mini, midi or maxi: length and dress code

Length is the quickest way to read a dress code. Cocktail dresses — minis and midis — belong to receptions, parties and early-evening events. Evening dresses in maxi length suit black tie, galas and late ceremonies, where the invitation expects a long, floor-grazing line.

If the invitation says nothing, a midi is the safest choice: dressy enough for a formal dinner, relaxed enough for a party. Bae's collection covers all three lengths, so you can match the dress to the dress code rather than the other way round.

Think about shoes before you decide. When you try on a maxi, wear the heels you plan to wear on the night, so you can judge where the hem falls. A mini or a midi is more forgiving and works with sandals, block heels or slim stilettos.

The colours of the collection: from deep burgundy to frozen blue

Bae works with a short, confident palette. Deep burgundy is the colour of autumn and winter evenings — rich, warm and flattering in candlelight. Powder pink is soft and romantic, a natural fit for spring weddings and garden parties. Frozen blue is a cool, icy pastel that looks fresh in daylight and glows at night.

Apricot pink is warmer and sunnier, a good pick for summer celebrations. Black and red need no introduction: black is the dress you will wear again and again, red is the one people remember. There is also a long white model in the evening line — keep it for your own engagement party or an event with a white dress code.

Bows, brooches and feathers: details that do the talking

The signature of the collection is in the details. Several dresses come with a bow you notice from across the room: a rose cape bow on a strapless mini or a pencil midi, a big bow on a square-neckline or strapless mini, a side bow on a pencil maxi, or a small bow at a square neckline.

Others rely on a single statement piece: a camellia brooch on a mermaid or A-line maxi, a camellia brooch with a tulle skirt on a V-neck mini, an oversized flower on an A-line midi, a diamanté belt on a boat-neck mini, or a belt bow trimmed with feathers. A draped tulle top adds softness and volume above a sleek cone skirt, a high-neck tulle top turns a powder-pink midi into something unexpected, and one red mini is made entirely of sculpted rosettes.

Because the detail carries the look, you can keep everything else quiet: small earrings, a slim clutch, hair swept back if the neckline is strapless or boat-neck. The dress does the rest.

How to order from Bae

Bae sells through its own online shop, which is in English with prices in euros. Tap a dress on this page and you land in the seller's collection; find the model by its name — Glory, Kira, Salvia and so on — and open its page.

There you choose your size using the size chart on the model's page, add the dress to your basket and go to checkout. Payment is made online on the seller's website when you place the order; cash on delivery is not available. Before you pay, check the delivery option, the final total and whether the dress is in stock or on pre-order.

Delivery and returns

Under the seller's terms, delivery within Europe takes 2–5 working days, and international delivery outside Europe takes 1–2 weeks. Delivery is free on orders from €400; below that, a charge of €20 per order applies. Customs charges, if any, depend on your country — check at checkout.

Returns are accepted within 28 days of delivery for full-price items that are new, unworn, with tags attached and in their original packaging. Return postage is paid by the customer, and the refund arrives within 10–14 working days after the returned item reaches the seller's warehouse.

When to order: leave time before the big night

Order as soon as you know the date. Some models are sold on pre-order — the seller shows this on the model's page — so compare the expected dispatch time with your event before you pay.

Then build in a buffer: the delivery time for your zone, a few days to try the dress on with your shoes, and the time a parcel needs to travel back if you want a different size. Three to four weeks before a European event is a comfortable window; with international delivery, allow more.