text: what is a ballgown, and where do you wear one?   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).    white tie events are more formal than black tie events (regular tuxedo.   many proms are black tie events.  a white tie event would be more like a gala event like going to the oscars, or something like that.