Five Prom Trends of 2011 in Cupertino

High school proms can be a night of romance or a dressed-up group hangout; Any way you look at it, a girl wants to look her best, and it starts with the dress. It’s good to know that though Cupertino is better known for high-tech than high fashion, there are places in the city where teens can get this year's prom trends as depicted in Teen Vogue.

Here are five of the latest trends and where in Cupertino they can be found:

1. Ballerina Style: The Oscar-winning movie Black Swan has made an impact on this year's spring fashions and prom fashions, according to Teen Vogue.

Many of this season's ballet-inspired dresses have a strapless black bodice and a white tulle skirt, as seen at in Cupertino.

A variation that stands out with a red satin bow in the front center of the belt is on display at , 19638 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 200.

2. 3D Florals: Teen Vogue calls three-dimensional flowers and petal-like ruffles on dresses a "prom runway trend" spotted on name brands from Mulberry to Jason Wu this spring.

Actually, this trend already appeared in 2009 on a Moonlight number. The then-fashion-forward, now-in-style fuchsia dress with large white-trimmed rosettes covering its short skirt is still available at New Things West.

Even more dramatic are huge ivory rosettes all over the below-the-knees skirt of a sweetheart-neckline dress in the same color at New Things West. This is a bridal design but can work romantically for prom, too, if you don't mind paying $600.

While 3D florals make full skirts look fabulously fuller, pear-shaped girls may want to avoid letting the full skirt add bulk to a curve-hugging pencil skirt. Also, never pick a dress with 3D florals around the waist! One safe bet is a short red dress at Macy's, with rosettes only around its bottom edge.

3. Candy Colors: Spring is a perfect time for not only flowers but also their vibrant hues, the so-called "candy colors," listed as one of the top four fashion trends for prom 2011 in Teen Vogue.

Currently, candy colors dominate the prom dress section of JCPenney at . You can find blueberry, lemon, mint, strawberry, and grape there.

In case you are looking for bubblegum pink, there is a size-5 dress in that springy color at Alterations Xpress, a tailor shop and boutique at Vallco Mall, near JCPenney.

4. Dreamy Neutrals: Remember the ethereal looks of Halle Berry and Mandy Moore at this year's Academy Awards ceremony? They also set one of the top four prom 2011 trends named by Teen Vogue.

Airy chiffon in nude or beige is tricky to pull off (you can't have an extra inch of fat when the tint accentuates your flesh), and a little hard to find in Cupertino. But there is a slinky one at Alterations Xpress, and a puffy one at New Things West.

5. Shimmering Metallics: Glitzy dresses, which usually come out in the holiday season, also appear on Teen Vogue's list of the top four prom trends this spring.

There are quite a number of gold and silver dresses at New Things West that can make you shine at the prom, and perhaps again six months later at a holiday party.