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In This Guide

Jump to the section that interests you most, or read from start to finish for our complete review.

FINDING THE RIGHT DRESS

04. Brands We Like

05. Before You Buy

01. Dressing for the Night

A lifestyle night gives you more freedom to dress up than most ordinary evenings out. Dresses can be shorter, cuts can be more revealing and a little sparkle or drama rarely feels out of place.

But the right outfit still depends on where you're going. Dinner at a resort, drinks before a club and a full night at a swinging venue can all call for something slightly different. If you're planning outfits for a full trip rather than one night, our Style hub brings eveningwear, lingerie and swimwear together in one place.

We look for clothes that feel sexy and confident without tipping into fancy dress. The best pieces are the ones you genuinely enjoy wearing and that still feel right several hours into the evening.

And making an effort matters. Most swinging venues aren't fashion shows, but people notice when you've dressed for the occasion. It's part of the atmosphere, and often part of the attraction.

A note for the men: this page focuses primarily on women's party and eveningwear. That's simply where there's far more choice - and where getting dressed for a lifestyle night tends to get more interesting. We haven't forgotten about you, but men's clothing is a rather different conversation.

MTYT Tip

If you're deciding between something you would wear on an ordinary Saturday night and something a little more daring, this is usually the occasion for the second one.

02. What Works for a Lifestyle Night

There isn't one particular look you need to aim for. Swingers clubs and parties range from relaxed and glamorous to places where dressing up is very much part of the night.

Dresses That Feel a Little Sexier

A lifestyle night is one of the few places where going more revealing than you normally would reads as making an effort rather than trying too hard. Something that might feel slightly much for a regular night out usually sits right at home here.

That doesn't mean showing as much skin as possible. A great dress can be relatively simple and still feel sexy because of the cut, fabric or way it fits.

A Little Drama Works

If you're not ready to commit to a full statement dress, drama doesn't have to come from the fabric alone. A simpler dress with striking jewellery, heels or a bold lip can hit the same note without needing to go all-in on sequins or sheer panels. Clothes that might feel slightly too much for dinner at your local restaurant can feel completely natural once you're inside a club.

Think About the Whole Evening

You'll probably spend several hours in what you're wearing. You may be sitting for dinner, standing at a bar, dancing and moving between different areas of a venue.

If a dress needs constant adjusting or shoes become unbearable after twenty minutes, you'll stop enjoying wearing them surprisingly quickly.

Don't Forget What Comes Later

At some clubs, your evening outfit is only the first part of the night. You may eventually change into lingerie, underwear or whatever is appropriate for the venue, often in a shared changing area rather than anywhere private.

Whatever you're wearing to get there, think about how quickly it comes off and folds down small. A dress with a complicated zip or a dozen tiny buttons is far more hassle than it's worth once you're doing it standing up in a busy changing room.

MTYT Tip

Try the complete outfit at home, including the shoes. Sit down, walk around and bend over in it. You'll discover very quickly whether that fantastic dress is actually going to survive an entire night. Men... be grateful that your outfits are much easier to manage!

03. Different Dresses for Different Nights

A Swingers Club

For a normal club night, a sexy going-out dress is usually the easiest choice. Bodycon, mini and fitted midi dresses all work well, as do cut-outs, low backs and sheer details.

The practical consideration is that you may eventually change into lingerie or underwear, so something easy to take off, fold and fit into a small locker has an advantage.

Dinner, Then a Party

At resorts and on cruises, you may be dressed for several hours before the party really starts.

A midi or maxi dress with a low back, slit, cut-outs or a more dramatic neckline can work particularly well because it still feels right over dinner but doesn't look conservative once the evening gets going.

A Big Party Night

This is where you can push things further. Sequins, metallics, very fitted dresses, dramatic cut-outs, sheer fabrics and shorter lengths can all work without feeling excessive.

If you've ever bought a dress and thought “I love it, but where would I actually wear it?”, a big swingers party may be the answer.

Theme Nights

Before buying anything, check how seriously guests actually interpret the theme.

Some nights only need a colour or a small detail. Others are much more elaborate. A black dress can cover an extraordinary number of themes with different shoes, jewellery, stockings or accessories, which is particularly useful when you're travelling.

MTYT Tip

If you're packing for several nights, don't plan seven completely different outfits. A few good dresses plus different shoes and accessories take up far less luggage space and usually give you more options.

04. Brands We Like

There are hundreds of places selling party dresses online, but a lot of them start to look remarkably similar.

These are the brands we keep coming back to. They each do something slightly different, from beautifully fitted dresses that work for dinner through to the sort of statement piece you might save for a big party night.

Best for: Sexy, trend-led outfits without going too formal

White Fox Boutique is strong on fitted minis, bodycon dresses, cut-outs and going-out pieces that feel young and confident without looking like traditional eveningwear.

A good place to look when you want something fun for a club night, party or holiday evening and would rather be a little daring than dressed up.

Best for: When you want to make an entrance

Miss Circle tends to push things a little further. Expect figure-hugging shapes, corsetry, dramatic necklines, sheer panels and dresses designed to get noticed.

It's a particularly good place to look for a big party, special event or one of those nights when understated really isn't the objective.

Best for: Sexy dresses that still feel polished

MESHKI has a huge choice of fitted dresses, minis, midis and occasion pieces, with plenty of cut-outs, low backs, sheer fabrics and interesting details.

We particularly like it for dresses that can take you from dinner into a party without looking too much for the first half of the evening.

Best for: Figure-hugging dresses with plenty of impact

Oh Polly does body-conscious eveningwear particularly well, with sculpted shapes, dramatic necklines, cut-outs and plenty of shorter styles designed for nights out.

We like it when you want a dress that feels sexy and polished at the same time - particularly useful for parties where understated isn't really the point.

Best for: Edgier partywear that doesn't take itself too seriously

Nasty Gal mixes dresses and going-out pieces with a slightly more rebellious feel. Expect minis, sheer details, metallics and statement pieces alongside more relaxed options.

It's particularly useful when you want something sexy without looking overly polished or formal, and the wider range makes it good for experimenting with a different look.

Best for: Beautifully fitted, feminine dresses

House of CB is one of our favourite places to look for going-out dresses. The brand is particularly good at corseted shapes and dresses designed around the body rather than simply being tight.

Some pieces are quite revealing, others much less so, which makes it a useful place to look whether you want something obviously sexy or just a really good dress.

Best for: Lots of choice at a more accessible price

Club L covers everything from relatively simple evening dresses to much more dramatic party pieces, with plenty of minis, fitted midis and floor-length options.

It's worth looking at when you want something for a particular night or theme without necessarily spending at the luxury end of the market.

05. Before You Buy

A dress can look incredible online and still be completely wrong for a long night out. Before ordering, there are a few things worth checking beyond how it looks on the model.

Check the Fabric

Stretch makes a big difference with fitted dresses. A rigid fabric may look amazing standing up but become uncomfortable after several hours of sitting, drinking, dancing and moving around.

Check the fabric composition and reviews rather than relying on the photographs alone.

Think About Underwear

Low backs, plunging necklines, sheer panels and cut-outs can make an ordinary bra difficult or impossible to wear.

Look at the dress from every angle before buying and decide what you'll wear underneath it. Sometimes the answer is nothing, but it's better to know that before the dress arrives.

Try More Than Standing in Front of the Mirror

Sit down. Walk upstairs. Bend over. Dance around a little.

Very short and very fitted dresses can move considerably once you start walking, and something that needs adjusting every few minutes quickly becomes annoying.

Check Returns, Delivery & Import Costs

This matters particularly when buying from international brands.

Check where the order is being shipped from, how returns work and whether taxes or import charges are included. Returning two sizes internationally can quickly turn an otherwise good purchase into an expensive nuisance.

Will You Wear It Again?

We'd rather spend more on a dress we love and will wear repeatedly than buy something cheap for one particular party.

The best lifestyle clothes aren't really lifestyle clothes at all. They're simply great clothes that happen to work particularly well for the lifestyle.

MTYT Tip

When a dress arrives, try it on with the actual shoes and underwear you plan to wear. If you're already adjusting it constantly at home, you definitely won't enjoy doing it all night.

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