Prom Topics

Once you have your prom or homecoming dress picked out, you need to make sure you accessorize it properly.  It’s important to note that necklaces aren’t as one-size-fits-all as we think they are.  It’s important to get a necklace that looks good with both your dress and your body type.  Make sure you try necklaces on when you’re shopping.  It’s the only way to know exactly how it looks on you.

Most necklaces will measure one of several standard lengths, but there’s a lot of variation from there.  Just because you and your best friend both have necklaces on a 24” chain doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to worry about being too matchy-matchy.  In fact, if you’re built differently than your friend, the same necklace would look different on both of you, anyway.  If your build is larger or smaller than what’s considered “average,” necklaces will fit you differently.  If you have some necklaces that you really love, let them be the guide for the length of necklaces that you’re buying for your prom or homecoming dress.

A great way to make wearing necklaces easier is to shop for adjustable ones.  Many necklaces have extra links at the end so you can adjust the length.  Oftentimes, these extra links are decorated— so you have a little extra fun in the back, too!

You’ve got the perfect dress, the perfect hairdo, and a great date.  But what’s all that worth if you don’t have the perfect picture to remember the night?  We’ve got a few tips for the different prom poses that photographers like to use.

Facing Each Other

• You and your date should stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
• Your front hand should be on your date’s chest, right below his shoulder.  Your other hand could go around his waist or neck— whichever works for you.
• His hands should be around your waist.
• Tilt your heads slightly toward one another.

Back to Front

• Your feet should be between his feet.  And his feet should be about shoulder-width apart.
• Your back should touch his chest.
• His hands will be on your waist, and your hands can be on top of his.
• Tilt your heads slightly inward toward one another.

However your photographer decides to pose you, you should remember to smile naturally.  You don’t want to look back on your prom pictures and see a strained smile!

If props are available, go ahead and use them!  Boas, sunglasses, hats, etc. make great additions to pictures.   But take a few traditional portraits, too.  You’ll want to have those.

It’s the middle of the summer, so we’re sort if in the off-season for formal/semi-formal dances.  But that doesn’t mean that you can’t do something good with your prom dress.  You’ve already gotten some joy out of it, but are you going to wear it again?  If the answer is “no,” why don’t you consider donating it?  After all, the prom is a rite of passage for many high school girls.  But not everyone can afford a beautiful piece of formal wear.  There are a number of organizations around the country (probably one near you!) that take prom dress donations.  Here are a few things you should remember before you donate your prom dress.

• Make sure the prom dress that you’re donating is still fairly current.  Ideally, you want the dress to be fewer than five years old.

• Some donation organizations have guidelines.  Some might only accept tea length or full length gowns.  Check that out before you make your donation.

• Make sure the dress is in good condition.  Nobody’s going to want your soda-stained prom gown.

• If you see something wrong with it, take it to the cleaner’s before you donate it.

• See if the donation organization will take other prom items like jewelry, shoes, purses, or wraps.

• Donate the dress well before prom season.  Girls will need time to shop!

• You can get a receipt so you can apply the charitable donation to your taxes.  Win-win.

It happens sometimes— you break up with your boyfriend or your date gets the flu.  For whatever reason, you’re stuck going to that big dance alone.  How do you handle it?  Whatever you do, don’t sit at home feeling sorry for yourself.  Go out and have a good time!

• Get dressed exactly as you were going to before.  Get your hair done.  Make sure your focus remains on the most important thing:  You!

• Try to get together with a group of friends that might also be going stag.  Ideally, if you can get in with a mixed group of guys and girls, you can take turns during slow dances.

• What about the picture?  Okay, you have to get something taken!  Get together with a group of friends and do something silly.  You’ll want to remember how much fun you had!

• Think about it this way:  You’re free to dance with whomever you want.  You don’t have to worry about hurting anyone’s feelings.  Make the most of that freedom!

• If you absolutely can’t imagine going without a date, see if any of your friends have brothers or cousins that you would be comfortable going with.  Make sure it’s someone you trust.

Most of all, have fun!

Every girl wants to look beautiful when she walks into that big party.  It doesn’t matter if you’re toothpick thin or fabulously curvy— you should be able to look as pretty as you want to.  The average woman’s dress size is a 14.  Seriously, Marilyn Monroe wore a size 14.  So why do most high-end fashion houses cater to that small percentage of women that are a size two?  Lucky for you, DressProm.net has a full line of plus size prom gowns to make you feel like a princess.

Don’t hide it!  Pride it!
You can’t camouflage your waistline by covering it with layers and layers of fabric.  It’s actually going to have the opposite effect you want.  Find a dress with a cinched in waist or belt.  It will actually help create curves and make you look fabulous.

Boastfully bust-full
Accentuate your bust line with a dress that has an empire waist.  It’ll actually serve double-duty.  Your waist will be defined (like we talked about before), and your “girls” will look tastefully accented.

It’s hip to be hip
If your hips are a problem area for you, then you need to pull the attention elsewhere.  Don’t wear something form fitting on that spot.  A-line dresses are the perfect style for hiding problem hips.

When you’re going to any kind of formal dance, you want to make sure you look well put together.  As a girl, you’ve got your dress picked out and your hair done up right.  You’ve carefully selected all of your accessories.  But what about your most important accessory?  No, we’re not talking about your shoes or your necklace.  We’re talking about your date!  It’s important for you to be involved in his tuxedo selection.  You want to make sure you two look fabulous together.

• He shouldn’t even think about a tuxedo until you know what dress you’re going to be wearing. You don’t want him getting a brown tuxedo to later find out that it’ll look awful with your black dress!

• If your dress is trendy, modern, or funky, you want his tux to compliment that.  You want his wardrobe to work with yours.  Check out DressProm.net’s selection of funky gray tuxedos.

• If your going for a classic or romantic look, you’ll want him in a more traditional tuxedo style.

• Whatever you do, stay in the loop.  One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to stay out of the tuxedo selection process.

We all know that your prom is a “formal” occasion.  Girls are supposed to wear gowns (or some other suitable fancy dress), and guys are supposed to wear tuxedos.  But what do you where to something that’s designated as “semi-formal”?

Many high schools have semi-formal dances in the beginning of the school year, so it’s not too early to start thinking about this now!

The basic rule of thumb is that semi-formal falls somewhere between “casual” and “formal.”  That means that guys can’t go in khaki pants and polo shirts, but they don’t have to wear tuxedos, either.  A suit with a nice button-down shirt is appropriate for something semi-formal.

But what about girls?

• Fashions change, but some basic rules stay the same.  Generally, a semi-formal dress can range from a cocktail dress to something along the lines of a tea-length dress.  So you want the hemline somewhere between 1″ above the knee and 3″ above the ankle.
• Any silky fabric is appropriate.  For something semi-formal, it might be a little overboard to wear something overly-poofy or princess-like.  (Save that for prom!)
• There’s also some freedom as far as shoes are concerned.  Dress heels are appropriate, but you could also get away with something flat.  Just stay away from flip flops!

These days, it seems like everyone is recycling everything.  Why should your prom dress be any different?  Don’t shove it in a box in the attic— go ahead and do something useful with it.

1. One of the simplest ways to recycle your prom dress is to give it to someone you know that might need it.  Perhaps you have a sister or a cousin that can use it in a year or two.  With some crafty alterations, any dress can have some longevity.  (Think Pretty in Pink!)
2. If you don’t personally know someone that might be able to use the dress, you can always donate it to a charity.  That always offers up a warm, fuzzy feeling.
3. The easiest way to alter the dress for you is to just shorten the length.  You can turn a gown into a cute tea-length dress that you can wear out for a night on the town.  You’ll definitely be one of a kind!
4. If you’re feeling especially crafty, you can try turning the dress into some other pieces of clothing.  For example, you can turn the top of the dress into a tank or tube-top.  All you have to do is cut the dress off at the waist and hem the bottom to clean up any rough edges.
5. The same thing goes for the bottom of the dress.  There’s nothing saying you can’t turn it into a skirt.  If your dress was more of a gown, you can always hem the skirt up a little bit for a more casual look.
6. If you don’t want to wear it anymore, you can make some decorative throw pillows from the skirt.  That’s one way you can relive your prom night every night!
7. Waste not, want not:  Any leftover fabric you have from your prom dress craft projects can always be used as cute hair accessories.

So don’t throw that magical evening into the closet.  Do something with the dress that you (or some other lucky girl) can enjoy after your prom night.

Looking prom pretty can be a cinch, as long as you come prepared. Here are a few tips for making sure that you look your best on prom night:

• If you’re trying something complicated, like daring false eyelashes, try practicing putting them on a few times before prom.
• Carry a prom emergency kit in your purse consisting of band aids, spare pantyhose, nail polish, makeup, hairspray, safety pins, breath mints and bobby pins.
• Experiment with different hair and makeup looks before the big night.
• If you’re using any self tanning products, start using them a month or two before prom night.
• Always test new beauty products to make sure you won’t have an allergic reaction.
• If you’re going to dye your hair, try having it done at least a few weeks before prom so that there’s time to fix it if needed.
• Save time on prom preparations by having your nails done the day before prom or by doing them yourself the night before.
• If you plan on wearing your hair up, start growing out your locks at least a few months before the big day.
• Choose shoes that are actually comfortable and wear them a few times around the house before prom night so you can get used to walking in them. Sure they may look cute, but those shoes also have to take you out on the dance floor on prom night. Make sure you can move in them!
• Avoid getting a haircut right before prom night so that you don’t end up with a style you hate.
• Practice your hair and makeup style before prom so you can see how it looks.

Instead of going to a house party, think of all of the possibilities on prom night! You and your best friends can have a lot more fun doing something out of the ordinary on this special occasion, and to help you plan a super awesome post-prom party, we’ve got these three great ideas for things you can do that are safe, fun, and a surefire away to make prom one of the best nights of your life!

1.) Bowling

Seriously! Hit up your local lanes for some midnight bowling under blacklights, disco balls, and pumping music. Order up a pizza, some soda, and lots of great snacks to have a post-prom party that’s sure to be a strike with your friends!

2.) An Island Luau

If you or a friend has a home with a pool that you’re willing to volunteer, then talk to your parents about having an island luau complete with fruity non-alcoholic drinks with umbrellas, swimming, tiki torches, and maybe even some of your favorite island beats!

3.) Lock In

You can also try working with your school to arrange for a lock in after the prom has ended so students can be kept safe and still have tons of fun! See if you can get your school to host movies, games, bands, activities, and other fun stuff all night long (with plenty of food of course!) for everyone after prom in a lock in setting that ensures everyone can have a safe but memorable prom night.