There are certain essentials that every woman needs to have in her wardrobe. A crisp white blouse that matches everything, a great pair of jeans that fits perfectly, and an alluring outfit that flatters the figure are just a few of the things women can't do without. In addition, every woman ought to have a few cocktail dresses in her closet for those extra-special occasions when she absolutely must look her best.

Not all special occasions are created equal, so it stands to reason that not all cocktail dresses are going to be the same either. For example, occasions such as fundraisers or galas would require rather conservative formal attire, which means that full-length, elegant cocktail dresses would be in order. Other special occasions, such as a night out on the town or prom, aren't as formal and would allow for sexy cocktail dresses with more daring cuts. Because of all the different kinds of events that are bound to come up, most women prefer to have several nice gowns at their disposal.

I was recently shopping for new cocktail dresses at some of the bigger department stores, but that was a mistake. First, department stores don't carry a very large selection of those items unless it's prom season. So I had a very limited variety of styles in my size that I could choose from, and I didn't really like any of the gowns I saw anyway. Second, the prices that the department stores charged were unreal. Even if I found the perfect dress in my size, I probably wouldn't have been able to afford it anyway.

A few friends of mine had recently purchased cocktail dresses online, so that option was in the back of my mind. Initially I was a bit wary of buying a dress from the Internet because I obviously wouldn't be able to try it on first. Clothes from different manufacturers fit me differently, so I was worried that I would make a mistake in my order and would have to go through the hassle of trying to return the dress. But I was in a bind, so I decided to just go for it and shop for cocktail dresses online.

I soon found that I had nothing to worry about. The websites that I checked out had very thorough sizing charts for their cocktail dresses and gave specific instructions on how to take my measurements. In addition, the prices were a lot lower than the department stores, just as I had hoped. As a result, I was able to buy two cocktail dresses for less than I would have paid for only one dress at a big-name department store.

My new cocktail dresses fit perfectly, and I'll have a chance to wear one of them a couple of weeks from now when I attend an art gallery opening with some friends. Having the right clothes makes it possible to attend all these fun events, so I'm glad I have these cocktail dresses in my closet.