Semi-Formal Fashion Guide
By Kayla Renard
November 13, 2022
Image Credit: Eve LaForte
With the semester coming to an end, the members of UMD’s Greek life community are beginning to think about their upcoming semi-formals. While parts of semi-formal, like finding a date, can be stressful, figuring out what you’re wearing should be the fun part.
If you’ve just joined Greek life, or are attending a semi-formal with a friend, you might be confused about what to wear. Thankfully, there are tons of options out there.
Sophomore journalism major Anika Rudman explained that the attire for semi-formal is not quite as fancy as you may think. Though she hasn’t decided on an outfit yet, she is leaning towards a simple mini-dress.
“I'm not 100% sure yet, but I think since it's getting colder outside, maybe, I'll do a long sleeve dress with boots, or I’ll do just a regular going-out dress with sneakers.” Said Rudman.
Long-sleeved dresses are a great route to take, especially as fall semester semi-formals tend to occur in late November and early December. They’re an easy way to brave the cold, plus a fashionable sleeve is a simple way to make yourself stand out.
A (semi) long list of long-sleeved dresses:
Dyer Sheer Sleeve Mini Dress
$75.00
Celia Square Neck Ruffle Dress
$60.00
Moonrise Off-Shoulder Crossover Neckline Long Sleeve Ruched Dress
$75.99
MASCOMODA Women Elegant Square Neck Lantern Long Sleeve Mini Ruched Bodycon Dress Stretch Mesh Slim Party Cocktail Dress
$35.99
Carmen Velvet Bell Sleeve Dress
$60.00
Marie Dress
$46.99
Another trend we’ll see in semi-formal dresses this year is bright colors.
Boutique owner, designer, and fashion merchandiser Monique Abergel is a fan of classic black and white dresses. Still, regarding upcoming trends in colors, she leaned towards pink and emerald green as the way to go.
“There's also Pink, hot pink, all shades of pink…And, of course, emerald green. Those are really popular this season,” said Abergel.
This seems to be the trend on campus as well. Senior marketing major Sami Porter is attending her last semi-formal this semester, and though she tends to lean toward black, she’s been on the lookout for a pink dress to wear this year.
“I usually wear black, but I really want to wear pink,” Porter said.
Bright colors are an amazing way to make your semi-formal dress noticeable. If you like color, but don’t love the idea of bright pink, a darker shade like emerald green is a great way to incorporate color into your look.
A pop of pink
Serving Sass Crepe Mini Dress
$32.90
All Bets Off Mini Dress Hot Pink
$59.99
Green, green dresses
Julia Knitted Dress
$46.99
Elyse Strapless Mini Dress
$59.00
Of course, there are so many other colors to try on. Red is always in style, as is the classic black. According to Abergel, one shade we should look out for this year is winter white.
“This season, a lot of whites, but winter white, as I like to call it, there's a lot of winter white.”
This shade is super bright, and white is a clean look that will be sure to stand out at your semi-formal. It’s good to be cautious, though. Getting dirty is not an option in this particular shade.
Bright and white
Shine Like You Sequin Bodycon Mini Dress
$39.00
Nolan Mini Dress
$65.00
If these looks aren’t for you, there are still a ton of options you can choose from. Some great websites to start searching for semi-formal dresses are Princess Polly, Revolve, Windsor, Lucy in the Sky, and, of course, Amazon. Happy shopping!
Remember, going to a semi-formal is about having fun. Whatever you wear to your upcoming semi-formal, make sure it’s something that makes you feel great so that you can have an amazing night.
If you’ve just joined Greek life, or are attending a semi-formal with a friend, you might be confused about what to wear. Thankfully, there are tons of options out there.
Sophomore journalism major Anika Rudman explained that the attire for semi-formal is not quite as fancy as you may think. Though she hasn’t decided on an outfit yet, she is leaning towards a simple mini-dress.
“I'm not 100% sure yet, but I think since it's getting colder outside, maybe, I'll do a long sleeve dress with boots, or I’ll do just a regular going-out dress with sneakers.” Said Rudman.
Long-sleeved dresses are a great route to take, especially as fall semester semi-formals tend to occur in late November and early December. They’re an easy way to brave the cold, plus a fashionable sleeve is a simple way to make yourself stand out.
A (semi) long list of long-sleeved dresses:
Dyer Sheer Sleeve Mini Dress
$75.00
Celia Square Neck Ruffle Dress
$60.00
Moonrise Off-Shoulder Crossover Neckline Long Sleeve Ruched Dress
$75.99
MASCOMODA Women Elegant Square Neck Lantern Long Sleeve Mini Ruched Bodycon Dress Stretch Mesh Slim Party Cocktail Dress
$35.99
Carmen Velvet Bell Sleeve Dress
$60.00
Marie Dress
$46.99
Another trend we’ll see in semi-formal dresses this year is bright colors.
Boutique owner, designer, and fashion merchandiser Monique Abergel is a fan of classic black and white dresses. Still, regarding upcoming trends in colors, she leaned towards pink and emerald green as the way to go.
“There's also Pink, hot pink, all shades of pink…And, of course, emerald green. Those are really popular this season,” said Abergel.
This seems to be the trend on campus as well. Senior marketing major Sami Porter is attending her last semi-formal this semester, and though she tends to lean toward black, she’s been on the lookout for a pink dress to wear this year.
“I usually wear black, but I really want to wear pink,” Porter said.
Bright colors are an amazing way to make your semi-formal dress noticeable. If you like color, but don’t love the idea of bright pink, a darker shade like emerald green is a great way to incorporate color into your look.
A pop of pink
Serving Sass Crepe Mini Dress
$32.90
All Bets Off Mini Dress Hot Pink
$59.99
Green, green dresses
Julia Knitted Dress
$46.99
Elyse Strapless Mini Dress
$59.00
Of course, there are so many other colors to try on. Red is always in style, as is the classic black. According to Abergel, one shade we should look out for this year is winter white.
“This season, a lot of whites, but winter white, as I like to call it, there's a lot of winter white.”
This shade is super bright, and white is a clean look that will be sure to stand out at your semi-formal. It’s good to be cautious, though. Getting dirty is not an option in this particular shade.
Bright and white
Shine Like You Sequin Bodycon Mini Dress
$39.00
Nolan Mini Dress
$65.00
If these looks aren’t for you, there are still a ton of options you can choose from. Some great websites to start searching for semi-formal dresses are Princess Polly, Revolve, Windsor, Lucy in the Sky, and, of course, Amazon. Happy shopping!
Remember, going to a semi-formal is about having fun. Whatever you wear to your upcoming semi-formal, make sure it’s something that makes you feel great so that you can have an amazing night.