40s cocktail dress Lilacs & Lace: 1940s in Blue The 1940s is the epitome of style and grace 1940s cocktail dress by Herbert

The dress pictured in this post is from Walmart and is 97% cotton- one of the best materials to wear in the scorching months

If youre worried about your stomach being emphasized, try a darker shade mini-skirt like the above outfit

It's the quintessential piece for romantic evenings or elegant day events

When the weather does warm up, you can wear it on its own with or without a belt for an easy-breezy outfit

And hoorah for birthdays

The broader principles of coordinating accessories with any dress are covered in this guide on matching jewelry metals with dresses, which helps you style either dress to its best effect