In the past, people looked at weather and related it to something in their lives. For instance, cloud types are often described by their shapes in the sky. The mareâs tails are wispy cirrus clouds while the mackerel scales are small clumpy altocumulus clouds resembling fish scales in the sky. In the days of large sailing ships, this meant a storm would be approaching soon and the sails should be lowered to protect from the accompanying high winds.
For me, the best way to remember the difference is that a shift dress actually shifts - with the bottom having a wider skirt than the top; meanwhile, a sheath dress is narrower, with pretty much identical measurements at the bust and the knees. Here is a visual tool to help illustrate the difference:
For women, the rule of thumb should be a floor-length dress or a very formal cocktail dress (think A-line, metallic, or rich embellishments). Again, this doesn't have to be a trumpet or ball gown, but it should be very dressy (sheaths are always a great go-to!).