26 Fall Cocktail Dresses That Scream Best Dressed

Elsa Hosk wearing a black dress
(Image credit: @hoskelsa)

Though we are still steeped in summer, the new arrivals on the market are just one signal that fall is soon approaching. Designers are dropping the latest from their fall 2024 collections, and we are seeing the evidence of the upcoming trends that will be big, as well as the specific shopping items that have hit the carts of fashion insiders and are destined to land at the top of the sellout list.

While there are plenty of categories to explore for fall, including everything from great boots to jackets, cocktail dresses are another essential that comes into play for a season filled with events. Dress codes on invites often call out cocktail dresses specifically, and there are some beautiful versions just in for fall. Tory Burch has perfected minimalist sequins, Theory has modern takes on sheer organza, while Helsa has a new-in elegant silhouette that is destined to be one of the key dresses of the season. Ahead, shop the best cocktail dresses for fall.

This post was published at an earlier date and has been updated.

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Associate Director, Special Projects

Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury content and wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, MyTheresa, and Luisa Via Roma, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on assistant styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.