Oscar de la Renta Dresses: Day, Cocktail and Gown Guide

Oscar de la Renta dresses fall into three families: printed cotton day dresses mostly from about $3,900 to $6,500, cocktail dresses in faille, guipure and embroidery from about $5,800 to $31,930, and evening gowns from $6,310 to $48,700. They are cut in US sizes that run true, and on Coveti a UK size is the US size plus four.

What kinds of dresses does Oscar de la Renta make?

The house was founded in New York in 1965 and is still best known for eveningwear and garden florals. Look through the current Oscar de la Renta edit on Coveti, though, and most of the dresses are made for daylight. They split cleanly into day dresses, cocktail dresses, gowns and caftans, and each family has its own fabrics, its own price band and its own occasions.

What links them is the print. Hibiscus, palm leaves, maple leaves, the mixed botanical and the Dominican landscape all run across several shapes, so you can often find the same print as a poplin day dress, a faille cocktail dress and a chiffon gown.

What are Oscar de la Renta day dresses like?

Mostly stretch cotton poplin, printed, belted at the waist and long. Many are lined in cotton voile and made in Italy. They are the entry point to the label and the dresses you will wear most often.

The new Resort 2027 season is built on irises. The Sleeveless Painted Iris Poplin Day Dress ($4,990) is the simplest: round neck, bare arms, a self belt and an A line skirt to mid calf. The Short Sleeve Iris Flowers Poplin Day Dress ($6,470) goes to the ankle and covers the shoulders. We cover the whole season in our Oscar de la Renta Resort 2027 edit.

From earlier seasons, the Palm Leaves Cotton Poplin Dress ($4,790) and the Hibiscus Cotton Poplin Wrap Dress ($5,990) carry the tropical prints the house returns to again and again. If you prefer wool, the Stitch-Detailed Wool-Blend Pencil Dress ($3,859) is the lowest priced dress in the edit at the time of writing, and it suits an office far better than a garden.

What does an Oscar de la Renta cocktail dress look like?

Shorter than a gown, usually below the knee, and built from fabrics with body. Faille is the house favourite because it holds a full skirt without petticoats. The Sleeveless Abstract Garden Faille Cocktail Dress ($8,270) prints broad strokes of violet, yellow and green on a dark ground and is lined in silk.

Embroidery takes the price up. The Crystal Floral Embroidered Cocktail Dress ($8,470) adds crystal flowers. The Foxglove Guipure Cocktail Dress ($11,564) uses guipure lace, a heavy lace with no net ground, so the flowers stand out from the skin. Further up, the Pearl Fringe Cocktail Dress ($24,728) moves with every step, and the silver Intarsia Leaves Cutout Embroidered Cocktail Dress ($31,930) is the most expensive cocktail dress in the edit. For something plainer, the Sleeveless Sequin Tweed Cocktail Dress ($5,830) is navy wool tweed with tiny sequins woven through.

How much are Oscar de la Renta gowns?

On Coveti they start at $6,310 for the Dominican Landscape Jersey Gown and run to $48,700. Faille gowns like the Strapless Faille Gown ($12,350) sit in the middle. Printed silk chiffon, such as the Resort 2027 Sleeveless Abstract Landscape Chiffon Gown ($21,320), costs more. Hand embroidery costs most: the Beaded Mixed Botanical Embroidered Halter Gown ($48,700) is covered in beaded flowers over tulle. Our Oscar de la Renta gowns guide goes through the evening side in detail.

Which Oscar de la Renta floral dress should you choose?

The flower dress is the house signature, and the choice comes down to scale. Small, scattered prints like Painted Iris and the mixed botanical read almost as a texture and work for daytime. Large prints that bank at the hem, like the Large Iris Degrade, are bolder and better for an event. The Mixed Botanical Cotton Poplin Dress ($5,990) is a good middle ground.

Then there is embroidery, where the flowers are stitched rather than printed. The Porcelain Flower Embroidered Cap Sleeve Gown ($12,350) is the most formal take on the idea. Printed florals are lighter, easier to pack and far less costly than embroidered ones.

Is there an Oscar de la Renta white dress?

There is no plain white dress in the edit at the time of writing, but several have a white ground. The Sleeveless Large Iris Degrade Printed Lace Day Dress ($9,390) is white lace printed with large irises that thin out toward the bodice. The Sleeveless Large Watercolor Iris Faille Gown ($11,510) puts purple watercolour irises on white faille. For an ivory knit, the Ottoman Knit Dress ($5,990) is shot with a fine sparkle yarn and flares to mid calf.

A word of caution on weddings: all three read as white from across a room. They suit a bridal shower, a rehearsal dinner and a summer party better than someone else’s wedding day.

Is there an Oscar de la Renta gold dress?

Not a solid gold one in the current edit. Gold appears in the beadwork instead. The Beaded Mixed Botanical Embroidered Cocktail Dress ($23,560) is a halter mini covered in beaded flowers of rose, gold and burgundy, and the halter gown above uses rose, gold and red beads. The house’s metallic pieces this season lean silver, such as the Crystal Leaves Embroidered Gown ($40,330). We would rather tell you that than send you looking for a gold dress the brand did not make.

How do Oscar de la Renta dresses fit?

The brand cuts ready-to-wear in US sizes 00 to 16 and says the fit runs true to size. Coveti lists UK sizes. Caftans and knit dresses use letters from XS to XL.

Most poplin dresses carry 2 to 3 percent elastane, which softens the fitted bodices. Faille has no give, so if you sit between sizes in a faille cocktail dress, size by your widest measurement. Measure against the Oscar de la Renta size guide before you order, and check hem lengths on the long day dresses.

What fabrics are Oscar de la Renta dresses made from?

Stretch cotton poplin for day, often with a cotton voile lining. Cotton poplin sateen when the house wants a little sheen. Faille, a ribbed fabric with structure, for cocktail dresses and some gowns. Silk chiffon and silk georgette for gowns and caftans that move. Guipure lace and embroidered tulle for the most formal pieces. Wool and tweed appear in the autumn dresses, and jersey turns up where packing matters.

What are the Oscar de la Renta dress price bands?

Coveti prices in USD at the time of writing.

Our Oscar de la Renta price guide covers bags, knitwear and separates too.

Can you find an Oscar de la Renta dress sale?

Not on Coveti. We list Oscar de la Renta at full price, and we cannot promise a markdown on any dress. If price is the deciding factor, the better route is the price band: a printed poplin day dress gives you the house’s prints and cut for well under the cost of an embroidered piece. If you like the look but want a wider range of prices, our list of brands like Oscar de la Renta includes houses such as Carolina Herrera and Zimmermann.

Where should you wear each type of Oscar de la Renta dress?

Day dresses suit lunches, garden parties, christenings and daytime weddings. A cocktail dress covers evening weddings, dinners and anything with “cocktail attire” on the card. Gowns are for black tie and galas. The caftans sit between the two: as formal as a gown in the room, as easy as a day dress to wear. For guest dressing specifically, see our Oscar de la Renta wedding guest dresses. To read about the man behind the label, start with who Oscar de la Renta was. You can compare across labels in designer dresses and the dress edit.

Oscar de la Renta dresses: frequently asked questions

How much is an Oscar de la Renta dress?

On Coveti at the time of writing, day dresses start at $3,859, cocktail dresses run from about $5,800 to $31,930, and evening gowns run from $6,310 to $48,700.

Do Oscar de la Renta dresses run small?

The brand says its fit runs true to size. Coveti lists UK sizes, which are the US size plus four, so a US 4 is a UK 8. Faille has no stretch, so size by your widest measurement in faille pieces.

Is there an Oscar de la Renta dress sale on Coveti?

No. Coveti lists Oscar de la Renta at full price and does not promise markdowns. Printed poplin day dresses under $5,000 are the most affordable way into the label.

What is the best Oscar de la Renta floral dress?

For day, a printed poplin dress such as the Sleeveless Painted Iris Poplin Day Dress at $4,990. For an event, the Sleeveless Large Iris Degrade Printed Lace Day Dress at $9,390 has more presence.

Does Oscar de la Renta make a white dress?

Not a plain one at the time of writing. The Large Iris Degrade lace dress and the Large Watercolor Iris faille gown both have a white ground, and the Ottoman Knit Dress is ivory.

Does Oscar de la Renta make a gold dress?

Not a solid gold one in the current edit. Gold appears in beadwork on the Beaded Mixed Botanical Embroidered Cocktail Dress and Halter Gown, and the metallic gowns this season lean silver.