How To Dress Your Best At a Military Ball

Each year, many spouses, fiances, and girlfriends get anxious for one very special event: The Military Ball. It’s a very exciting and proud moment to be in attendance, and it’s a rare, once-a-year occasion where we can celebrate their accomplishments with everyone present. From what to wear to how to act, the military ball sets a high standard for couples to be on their best behavior in front of their loved one’s coworkers and bosses. But one way to ensure that the night will start off great is by picking the right dress.

This event is meant to be a time for bonding between soldiers and military families. It’s meant to celebrate the military itself, and the many ways that it has brought us all together through sacrifice and honor. Keep the bigger picture in mind as you all get ready for your own military ball.

When choosing a dress for the event, it’s important to consider a few key things.  The ball usually starts around 5 or 6, and can go late into the night depending on who gets together afterwards.  Don’t choose a gown that you’re uncomfortable wearing for more than 5+ hours. Consider this again when choosing the heels or flats that you want to wear. Also, keep in mind who is going to be there: coworkers and bosses of your date. With that in mind, make sure you choose a dress that is appropriate, meaning nothing too short or too low cut.

Some may see this as an unfair restriction, but you’re not only representing yourself and your date, you’re representing the military itself.  It’s important that you show others the respect you have for this event, and for yourself.  That being said, here are some gown ideas that set somewhat of a guideline for what to wear to a military ball!

The simple-ness of this piece would look very elegant, while allowing you to accessorize freely. It has a nice flattering shape with the heart neckline, leaving plenty of room for jewelry! And you don’t have to worry about adjusting anything throughout the night, which is often the downside to any fancy strapless gown.

My favorite aspect of this gown is that the fabric flows nicely from the bodice down, making it comfortable and worry free for all body shapes. You can accesorize by hiding some more comfortable heels under the long fabric (if needed), and add a cute clutch for all of your belongings. And the deep red will make you stand out from the rest, and compliment your dates uniform beautifully, no matter what branch!

This dress offers a little bit of everything that I love: open back, sparkly bodice, and a beautiful neckline. The open back offers some exposure while not being too low cut or inappropriate, and the high neckline makes it more of a gown than a dress. Plus, the sparkly jewels really add a lot to the charcoal fabric, making it one of my favorite finds.

Many women end up searching for a military ball gown for weeks, and settle for shapeless gowns that they don’t feel confident in. Don’t get me wrong, big flowing dresses are great, but there’s a lot of ways to keep the sexy in your military ball gown without going over the edge. Add a pop of color to this one with a pretty clutch, or a shawl for later in the evening.

Very similar to the previous choice, this gown offers a strapless look and comes in a white color, depending on what you prefer. The embroidered jewels are limited to the bodice itself, making it more tasteful and simple, but elegant at the same time. The symmetry of the embroidery also adds a different affect from the previous gown. Gowns that are covered head to toe in this type of embroidery often look too busy and limit you entirely with jewelry choices. With this gown, you could still wear a simple necklace and it wouldn’t be too much.

I think to get the best look with this gown, I would wear my hair in a low and loose bun, with curled strands framing the face. This will allow the beautiful shape and detail to be appreciated without my hair flying all over the place. Strapless gowns are extremely versatile, so I think this dress would leave room for a lot of personal touch.

This light blue gown offers a mixture of the previous choices, with a light, comfortable material. The open back and half-way slit allows for a more sexy style, which is balanced by the wide neckline. The fitted look of the dress allows for a classy and timeless appeal.

I would go extremely light on the jewelry with this one, and explore different half-up hairstyles. If you want to simplify the amount of pieces in your outfit, this gown definitely does the trick. Pair it with some silver heels and you’re good to go!

Are you attending a Military Ball this/next year? What advice would you have for a milso attending their first ball?