How to Find Your Perfect Prom Dress
Get excited! Prom is coming! Chances are, as a kid, you thought way more about wearing the sparkly ball gowns of your favorite Disney princesses than you did about brushing those teeth and getting to bed by seven. Well, now is the time to steal the crown in a dream gown. Prom dresses feature all of the luxurious layers of satin, beaded embellishments, and breathtaking open backs of those fairytale dresses. With the right choices, the prom dress of your fantasies can become a reality. The possibilities are endless. Prom dresses can vary by style, length, size, and color. Whether you are planning to wear a short dress for prom or a long prom dress, a mermaid lace dress or a tulle ball gown, choosing your perfect prom dress can be a fun and exciting process. It is important to consider key factors such as your skin tone and hairstyle, as well as the theme of your prom, when narrowing down your prom dress choices. Check out the style tips below for choosing your perfect prom dress.
How Can I Choose My Perfect Prom Dress Color?
Dresses for prom are crafted in every color under the rainbow. The color and style of your prom dress might depend upon a theme, location, or the time of year that prom is held. Remember to choose a dress in a color that complements you and makes you feel good. If you're a redhead, you might select a prom dress in shades of green, blue, and purple, while blonds look great in reds, blues, pastels, and bold colors. Girls with dark hair can usually wear almost any color. Depending upon your skin tone, some pastels, brights, or jewel tones might complement your coloring better than others. Some people's skin tone might get washed out by a vibrant color such as orange, while someone else's skin tone might glow. Neutral colors like ivory, tans, and browns can look beautiful on one skin tone and have the total opposite effect on others. Think outside of the box: dare to be different by trying colors you might not ordinarily wear. Dress in the color that makes you feel pretty.
How Can I Choose My Perfect Prom Dress Style?
When choosing your prom dress style, think about how you want your dress to fit. If you like to dance a lot, you might want to choose an a-line prom dress that gives your legs plenty of room for movement and is styled with straps for support. Not much for the dance floor? Try a mermaid dress or a long sheath dress that fits the form from neckline to hem. For busty body types or petite silhouettes, a prom dress with a corset feature that laces in the back is ideal for added support and style. If a little more support is on your must-have list, try a short halter prom dress or a long prom dress with adjustable straps. Curvy figures can appreciate the look and feel of a dress with an illusion-sweetheart neckline or cold-shoulder neckline. A strapless prom dress with removable straps is a versatile pick. Go without the straps, wear them over the shoulders, cross them in back, or tie them like a halter for added support. Wear a style that makes you feel comfortable and confident.
How Can I Choose a Prom Dress by Theme?
When selecting the perfect prom dress for a theme, the ideas can be endless, so have fun with your choices. If your prom theme is "A Night Under The Stars," or anything to do with starry nights, a dress in midnight blue or black dotted with sequins or rhinestones would be a beautiful choice. Multi-colored print dresses, high-low halter dresses with pleats or ruffled tulle layers, or extravagantly beaded gowns are sure to stand out for a "Mardi Gras" themed prom. Attending a "Great Gatsby" prom or special decades night? Try a sequined shift dress, a dress with fringes, or a satin ball gown. If you have an "Under the Sea" prom night, a mermaid evening dress covered in multi-colored sequins or a beautiful long chiffon gown with shimmering accents and illusion panels will set the tone for your fun evening. Just imagine the fun you can have choosing an elegant floor-length evening gown with a red-carpet-worthy train for an "Old Hollywood" prom, or a tulle ball gown with long sheer sleeves for a prom with a "Phantom of the Opera" theme. Whatever your prom theme, consider wearing special colors or decade-specific stylings to coordinate your prom dress pick.
What Are Current and Classic Prom Dress Trends?
Prom dress trends change with every season as new styles hit the runway and make their way into the social scene, but the classic styles are timeless. If you are wondering which prom dress style comes out on top, there isn't one answer. Prom dresses are very diverse, and each design is unique. You can use this to your advantage by choosing a prom dress that incorporates current and classic prom trends.
Simplicity is a classic prom dress staple. Minimal decoration, floor-length hemlines, and solid colors are timeless elements, offering a blank canvas for you to be the artist. Simple prom dresses tend to elicit an air of elegance with just one fabric choice and subtle, modest details.
Lace is the perfect example of a classic prom trend used in totally contemporary ways. Not only has this soft, feminine fabric withstood the test of time, it's back. A far cry from the traditional neck-to-hem lace looks, lace prom dresses now blend materials and design components for a truly exciting fashion statement. Today, lace adorns sheer mesh bodices, frames attention-grabbing cut outs, and lines daring racerbacks. A two-piece prom dress might have a lace bodice with a satin skirt that offers an intriguing contrast.
Sleeves are just as classic, but rather than extending to the wrist, some current prom dresses get their flair from cute cap sleeves, romantic flutter sleeves, or seriously sultry off-the-shoulder sleeves. Cold-shoulder sleeves highlight the arms with a little extra support and lend a distinct quality that makes a prom dress feel like one-of-a-kind.
Want something totally fresh and captivating? Sequin embellishments, rhinestones, and beads are taking the style world by storm, sparkling the whole way there. These glimmering details not only illuminate parts of the prom dress, but they also diminish the need for jewelry, and are stunning from every angle. Prints are just as relevant for prom dresses, for they put individuality on the forefront. Floral patterns stun in bright shades, for an aggressively gorgeous contrast. Ombre is another on-point use of colors, putting the focus on certain sections of a prom dress with a modern twist.
When it comes to current prom dresses though, it's also important to address the cut. Mermaid prom dresses are a fashion-forward way to exaggerate an hourglass figure, while high-low dresses are a trendy mashup of short and long prom dresses. Open backs and cut outs are highly seductive elements that make any dress seem en vogue.
Current, classic, or somewhere in-between, the best prom dress depends upon the person donning it. Everyone's a little different, and prom dress styles aren't stationary, so the perfect dress might incorporate a range of features. No matter what, choosing a prom dress should be fun, so feel free to get creative exploring all of these trends.
