I know it’s only January, and students have yet to attend their winter formals or balls, but for some reason, I am beginning to feel my temperature rising. Hallucinations of the perfect dress, and sweating from the thought of how many hours it’ll take me to find it, could it be that I’m getting a fever? Oh yes. Prom fever is already creeping up on us, so put away your thermometers and get shopping.
Honestly, I’m not always a fan of prom-wear. I feel like it’s often taken a little to the extreme. Don’t get me wrong, I love both color and print, but (yes, there’s a but) I don’t think that formal attire needs to be so in-your-face, especially for prom. Head-to-toe pink zebra print should probably never be worn out in public. (Exception: PJ day at school and that happens to be what you have, in which case, it sounds super cute!) But instead of telling you what not to wear, I’ll give you some things to consider thinking about when looking for your perfect prom dress:
Keep it simple.
Like I said before, there are definitely some crazy prom dresses out there, but I find that the best dressed people generally aren’t wearing anything too over the top. But there’s a difference between being simple and being boring. School social outings are a great time to show off your personal style, so you should take advantage of the opportunity. Try to go for a simple silhouette that flatters your figure in a bold color that makes you feel confident. If you really want print, try a print in a more subdued color so that you can show off your personality without looking chaotic.
Color is everything.
The right color can definitely make or break a dress. Prom is a great event for bold colors: reds, blues, golds etc. The color should do two things: compliment your skin tone, and make you feel crazy confident. As far as complimenting your skin color goes, make sure the dress doesn’t wash you out or do other weird things to your complexion (for example, there’s this shade of coral-y pink that I really like, but every time I try it on, I look all grossly pink and blotchy, so I’ve learned to stay away.) As far as the color confidence goes, that’s up for you to determine. If you need a hint try your favorite color, or something that brings out your eyes, or whatever your favorite feature about yourself is.
Celebrate yourself.
Speaking of your favorite features, your dress should definitely be sure to accentuate them. Maybe you like the color of your eyes, your newly toned arms that you spent hours at the gym earning, or your tiny waist. Whatever it is, make sure your dress compliments it, either with color or shape. If you’re feeling confident in your dress, then you’ll definitely have a better time, and people will notice.
Little annoyances, may not be so little.
The excitement of shopping for a prom dress could overwhelm anyone, but it’s good to be very aware while you’re picking out a dress.
When you try on a strapless gown you could be swept up in the excitement of it all, but pay attention to whether it stays up just fine, or if you keep fidgeting to pull it up. Or if there are sequins on your dress that itch, or tulle. Even if the elastic is too tight, or if an oddly-stitched seam is bothering you. Though you may not care too much at first, these things could be quite an annoyance on prom night.
When it comes down to it, you should remember the dancing, your friends, and what a great time you had, not that your dress ended up being a little bit too sheer when the light shone on it.
Go with your gut.
This applies to life as well as fashion. If you like it and feel good in it, then it really doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks.
Help out if you can.
If you have new or gently-used dresses, help out 2013 Operation Prom Dress, a prom dress drive that helps provide dresses to young women who may not be able to afford a dress for prom. For drop-off locations, or if you have any questions, you can contact: noelle.vergara@sanjoseca.gov (Or review the list of drop-off locations on the image attached to this blog post.)
Have fun shopping and have an even better time at Prom everyone!
