text: A ball gown is a floor length dress usually made of silk, satin or some other material of that sort.  It is the female equivalent of "white tie" (white tie being a man's white tuxedo usually with tails).  \n\nWhite tie events are more formal than black tie events (regular tuxedo. \n\nMany proms are black tie events.\n\nA white tie event would be more like a gala event like going to the Oscars, or something like that.