ドレスアップ

ドレスアップ is a loanword from English "dress up," used both as a noun and as a する verb in Japanese. It refers specifically to dressing in more formal or glamorous clothing — not to costumes (for which 仮装(かそう) or コスプレ are used).

Common collocations

• ドレスアップする: to dress up (suru verb)
• ドレスアップして出(で)かける: to go out dressed up
• 少(すこ)しドレスアップする: to dress up a little
• ドレスアップした姿(すがた): appearance / look when dressed up
• ドレスアップする機会(きかい): an occasion to dress up

Scope notes

• ドレスアップ in Japanese refers to elegant or formal attire — evening dresses, suits, etc. It does NOT cover the English sense of "dressing up" as in wearing a costume; for that, use 仮装(かそう) or コスプレ.
• Used about both men and women, but it's more often used describing women's outfits.

Related words

• 正装(せいそう): formal attire (more strictly defined)
• 着飾(きかざ)る: to dress up, to put on finery (native verb, slightly more literary)
• カジュアル: casual
• ドレスダウン: dressing down (the opposite — using a slightly less formal outfit than the occasion would suggest)

Verb usage

As a する verb: ドレスアップする / ドレスアップして / ドレスアップした.
The transitivity is implicitly intransitive (the subject is the person dressing up): 彼女(かのじょ)はドレスアップした (She dressed up).