What is a cupcake dress?

A cupcake dress is a very glamorous 1950s gown which had a tiny waist and a large voluminous skirt resembling a ballerina’s tutu. The skirt was usually made from tulle and often decorated with beading and trim. Think of a big frothy wedding dress or those Barbie cakes you get at children’s parties where you stick half a Barbie doll into a fantastically decorated cake… Now they’re usually worn as prom dresses or wedding dresses.

Vintage cupcake dresses

Modern cupcake dresses

I have to be honest and say that I had trouble finding some modern cupcake dresses which I really liked (unlike the vintage variety which I think are gorgeous). Some of them were so prom dressy and saccharine sweet that they made me sick up into my mouth a little. Sorry, just felt I had to share that. Here’s  my pick of the bunch: What do you think?