that impress
PROM TRENDS
FASHION ADVICE
DRESSES THAT IMPRESS
As prom season nears, fashion experts predict this year’s top looks Popular prints Think cheetah, zebra or leopard patterns. Think flowers, feathers or butterflies on long, draped fabric. Or prints that look like they were inspired by artwork. Foster said the bonus is that these dresses look good on girls who are full-figured or “appleshaped” and carry their weight in the middle.
Celebrity style is what’s hot for prom this year One-shouldered dresses By Erinn Hutkin
This look can be found in short, sexy sheaths as well as long ballgowns, said Sinead Kasch, a style expert for David’s Bridal, whose 300 stores nationwide include a prom department. The way to bring the style into 2011 is by picking a dress whose singleshoulder is embellished with floral beading, 3-D ruffles or chain detailing. To show off the dress, Kasch said, consider wearing your hair in a side ponytail or bun.
GateHouse News Service
I
t should come as little surprise to any parent of a teenager that the days of bridesmaid-style prom dresses and dyeable shoes are gone and a new era influenced by celebrity glam has been ushered in.
Hi-low dresses
This year’s prom trends will be based on what the stars wear, said Kait Foster, sales and marketing lead manager at Prombay, a retailer in Wheeling, Ill., with a stock of 5,000 dresses. “Red carpet style is still serving as the No. 1 emulation,” she said. “That’s what they want, (from) dress styles, hairdos, even how they pose.”
It’s a short dress and a long dress in the same gown. The front hem is knee length or higher and curves until the back of the dress is floor-length. Disney star Selena Gomez sported this style at this year’s People’s Choice Awards, which experts expect to add to its popularity.
Princess dresses ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID’S BRIDAL
What if your teen wants to dress too sexy? In the dressing room, Kait Foster sees it all the time. What’s supposed to be a fun mother-daughter experience shopping for prom dresses often dissolves into an argument complete with tears. “Girls usually go shopping first with their friends and come back with mom, who pays,” said Foster. “Girls fall in love with a dress, and Mom thinks it’s too revealing.” Still, there are ways to stop the “too sexy” debate from revealing itself.
Set boundaries
Before shopping, Foster recommends that moms talk with their daughters about what they feel is appropriate for prom. Look at prom magazines or dresses online and let your daughter know which looks you think are too revealing. When it’s time to try on dresses, Foster said, moms should tell the sales clerk about those boundaries so their daughters don’t get handed a dress that crosses the line.
Focus on safety, not morality
Trouble can happen on prom night, no matter what a teen is wearing. If your daughter is going to drink or do drugs, “even the most demure gown won’t stop her from doing those things,” Jennifer Austin Leigh, a relationship coach for parents of teen girls, said. Instead of focusing on the dress, Leigh recommends parents talk about staying safe. Ask your daughter how she’ll safeguard herself if she’s around alcohol, drugs or a drunken driver.
Pick three looks
If your daughter tries on dresses with friends first, suggest she show you her top three picks. Tell her one of those looks should not “be exposed,” said Sara Rogers, trend specialist at Minnesota’s Mall of America. Remember, there might be room for compromise. Tell your daughter she can wear a dress that exposes her legs, for example, as long as her body is covered.
Dress by body type
That means making sure shoulder straps are the right length, not too loose and low on her chest. If your daughter is busty, opt for a sweetheart neckline or a strapless dress, but avoid halter dresses and V-lines. On a recent weekend at Prombay, for instance, Foster said a mom didn’t like her daughter’s dress, but agreed to buy it if it was altered to rest higher on the bust. “It goes back to having it fit properly,” Foster said.
The corset, lace-up or halter-top ball gown with a long, fluffy skirt remains popular, said Rogers. “So many girls grow up with Barbie and the Cinderella story ... they’re just real head-turners,” she said of the gowns. “They just float into the room.”
Cutout dresses These are slimmer dresses that are strapless or have a halter top or straps criss-crossed in the back and slits on the side that expose the waist. Actress January Jones wore a red Versace cutout dress to the Golden Globes to mixed reviews, but Rogers expects many teens to copy the trend at prom. While the look may not be parents’ favorite, “it seems to me ... if something’s exposed, everything else is covered up,” she said.
Purple and fuchsia Both colors are expected to be hot for prom this year. Kasch said, while there’s lots of shades of purple and pink, darker, more vibrant jewel tones are making the move from runway collections of designers such as Michael Kors and Calvin Klein into this year’s ballrooms. “It’s the classic girly color,” Kasch said.
FASHION ADVICE
DRESSES THAT IMPRESS
As prom season nears, fashion experts predict this year’s top looks Popular prints Think cheetah, zebra or leopard patterns. Think flowers, feathers or butterflies on long, draped fabric. Or prints that look like they were inspired by artwork. Foster said the bonus is that these dresses look good on girls who are full-figured or “appleshaped” and carry their weight in the middle.
Celebrity style is what’s hot for prom this year One-shouldered dresses By Erinn Hutkin
This look can be found in short, sexy sheaths as well as long ballgowns, said Sinead Kasch, a style expert for David’s Bridal, whose 300 stores nationwide include a prom department. The way to bring the style into 2011 is by picking a dress whose singleshoulder is embellished with floral beading, 3-D ruffles or chain detailing. To show off the dress, Kasch said, consider wearing your hair in a side ponytail or bun.
GateHouse News Service
I
t should come as little surprise to any parent of a teenager that the days of bridesmaid-style prom dresses and dyeable shoes are gone and a new era influenced by celebrity glam has been ushered in.
Hi-low dresses
This year’s prom trends will be based on what the stars wear, said Kait Foster, sales and marketing lead manager at Prombay, a retailer in Wheeling, Ill., with a stock of 5,000 dresses. “Red carpet style is still serving as the No. 1 emulation,” she said. “That’s what they want, (from) dress styles, hairdos, even how they pose.”
It’s a short dress and a long dress in the same gown. The front hem is knee length or higher and curves until the back of the dress is floor-length. Disney star Selena Gomez sported this style at this year’s People’s Choice Awards, which experts expect to add to its popularity.
Princess dresses ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAVID’S BRIDAL
What if your teen wants to dress too sexy? In the dressing room, Kait Foster sees it all the time. What’s supposed to be a fun mother-daughter experience shopping for prom dresses often dissolves into an argument complete with tears. “Girls usually go shopping first with their friends and come back with mom, who pays,” said Foster. “Girls fall in love with a dress, and Mom thinks it’s too revealing.” Still, there are ways to stop the “too sexy” debate from revealing itself.
Set boundaries
Before shopping, Foster recommends that moms talk with their daughters about what they feel is appropriate for prom. Look at prom magazines or dresses online and let your daughter know which looks you think are too revealing. When it’s time to try on dresses, Foster said, moms should tell the sales clerk about those boundaries so their daughters don’t get handed a dress that crosses the line.
Focus on safety, not morality
Trouble can happen on prom night, no matter what a teen is wearing. If your daughter is going to drink or do drugs, “even the most demure gown won’t stop her from doing those things,” Jennifer Austin Leigh, a relationship coach for parents of teen girls, said. Instead of focusing on the dress, Leigh recommends parents talk about staying safe. Ask your daughter how she’ll safeguard herself if she’s around alcohol, drugs or a drunken driver.
Pick three looks
If your daughter tries on dresses with friends first, suggest she show you her top three picks. Tell her one of those looks should not “be exposed,” said Sara Rogers, trend specialist at Minnesota’s Mall of America. Remember, there might be room for compromise. Tell your daughter she can wear a dress that exposes her legs, for example, as long as her body is covered.
Dress by body type
That means making sure shoulder straps are the right length, not too loose and low on her chest. If your daughter is busty, opt for a sweetheart neckline or a strapless dress, but avoid halter dresses and V-lines. On a recent weekend at Prombay, for instance, Foster said a mom didn’t like her daughter’s dress, but agreed to buy it if it was altered to rest higher on the bust. “It goes back to having it fit properly,” Foster said.
The corset, lace-up or halter-top ball gown with a long, fluffy skirt remains popular, said Rogers. “So many girls grow up with Barbie and the Cinderella story ... they’re just real head-turners,” she said of the gowns. “They just float into the room.”
Cutout dresses These are slimmer dresses that are strapless or have a halter top or straps criss-crossed in the back and slits on the side that expose the waist. Actress January Jones wore a red Versace cutout dress to the Golden Globes to mixed reviews, but Rogers expects many teens to copy the trend at prom. While the look may not be parents’ favorite, “it seems to me ... if something’s exposed, everything else is covered up,” she said.
Purple and fuchsia Both colors are expected to be hot for prom this year. Kasch said, while there’s lots of shades of purple and pink, darker, more vibrant jewel tones are making the move from runway collections of designers such as Michael Kors and Calvin Klein into this year’s ballrooms. “It’s the classic girly color,” Kasch said.
