Short Sleeve Evening Gowns: Jenny Packham, Erdem and More

A short sleeve evening gown is a floor length gown with a sleeve that ends above the elbow, covering the shoulder without the warmth of a long sleeve. Jenny Packham has six in its newest drop, from the Maroc Dress in Ink to the Dark Star Dress in Liquorice, all at Coveti. This edit adds Erdem, Oscar de la Renta and Needle and Thread. For longer sleeves see Jenny Packham long sleeve dresses.

Key facts

• Search demand: “short sleeve evening gown” 1,000 a month worldwide
• Short sleeve gowns in this edit: 11
• Price range at Coveti: $1,440 to $18,520
• The Jenny Packham styles here are crepe (92% polyester, 8% polyurethane), the rest embellished; all fit true to size
• Jenny Packham is the London eveningwear house the designer founded in 1988. It is known for hand applied beading on fluid grounds, and the Princess of Wales has worn at least eight of its dresses.

The Jenny Packham short sleeve gowns

1. Jenny Packham Maroc Dress in Ink, $6,350

A high neckline set with crystal, structured shoulders and short sleeves trimmed in crystal, with scattered geometric embellishment over navy.

2. Jenny Packham Constantine Dress in Saltwater, $5,590

A round neckline set with jewel like embellishment and structured short sleeves on a pale blue crepe.

3. Jenny Packham Dark Star Dress in Liquorice, $5,700

A softly squared neckline and sculpted short sleeves, both embellished, on a plain black gown.

4. Jenny Packham Dark Star Dress in Rosewater, $5,700

The same gown in Rosewater, a soft pink.

5. Jenny Packham Flash Dress in Liquorice, $6,870

Embellished from neck to hem, with crystal at the shoulders and a column line.

6. Jenny Packham Eugenie Dress in Flame Red, $7,160

All over embellishment with fringe from the shoulders, in Flame Red.

Short sleeve gowns from other houses

7. Oscar de la Renta Crystal Grid Floral Embroidered Short Sleeve Gown, $18,520

Oscar de la Renta’s crystal grid floral embroidered gown.

8. Erdem Lace Short Sleeve Gown, $8,440

Erdem’s lace short sleeve gown.

9. Erdem Floral Duchess Short Sleeve Gown, $5,140

Erdem’s floral duchess gown.

10. Rebecca Vallance Nottingham Short Sleeve Gown, $1,860

Rebecca Vallance’s Nottingham gown.

11. Needle and Thread Freya Georgette Short Sleeve Gown in Chalk, $1,440

Needle and Thread’s Freya georgette gown in chalk.

Fact matrix

Every cell comes from the Jenny Packham product page. Where the house does not publish a fact, the cell says “Not published by the house”.

Why choose a short sleeve

A short sleeve covers the shoulder and upper arm, which suits a church service, a formal dinner and a mother of the bride. It is cooler than a long sleeve, so it works in summer and in warm rooms. A structured short sleeve, like Jenny Packham’s, sharpens the shoulder line. Keep jewellery at the ear; the wrist is bare, so a cuff also works.

Around the world

United Kingdom. Short sleeves are a common mother of the bride choice in the UK, smart for the church and comfortable for the dancing.

United States. In the US short sleeve gowns suit black tie galas in warm weather.

The Gulf. In the Gulf, a short sleeve with a jacket over it is a usual approach for formal evenings.

Europe. In Europe a short sleeve gown is a classic choice for opera nights and summer balls.

Frequently asked questions

Are short sleeve gowns formal?

Yes, when they are floor length and in a formal fabric.

Which Jenny Packham gowns have short sleeves?

Maroc, Constantine, Dark Star, Flash and Eugenie in Autumn Winter 2026.

Is a short sleeve gown good for a mother of the bride?

Yes. It covers the shoulder and stays comfortable all day.

What jewellery goes with a short sleeve gown?

Earrings, and a cuff, since the wrist is bare. With a jewelled neckline, skip the necklace.

How does Jenny Packham sizing work?

Gowns are made in UK 6 to UK 20, and a UK 10 is a US 6 and an EU 38. Most styles fit true to size; the strapless Zane and Euphoria fit small, and the product page says so. See the Jenny Packham size guide for the full chart.

See also Jenny Packham blue dresses and evening jackets.

More Jenny Packham guides

Read who Jenny Packham is, then Jenny Packham red dresses, Jenny Packham pink dresses, Jenny Packham blue dresses, Jenny Packham gold dresses, Jenny Packham long sleeve dresses, Jenny Packham black dresses, Jenny Packham cape dresses, how much Jenny Packham dresses cost and the Jenny Packham size guide. Shop the full edit at Jenny Packham at Coveti.

Sources and method

Jenny Packham product facts (cut, sleeve, fabric, fit) come from the product pages on jennypackham.com, read on 6 November 2026. Prices are the Coveti prices in US dollars on 6 November 2026, and every piece listed was in stock at Coveti that day. Search demand figures are 12 month worldwide averages from Google Ads keyword data (DataForSEO), pulled the same day. Written by Coveti Editorial.