The Perfect Prom Dress

Even though it's a rarity to have prom in our country, my love for prom night has and will never die. So, here goes:

Prom night is undoubtedly the most important night of a girls life, after her 16th birthday, that is. Most moms are always enthusiastically involved in picking their daughters’ ‘fairytale outfit’ for the prom. But some moms’ take this opportunity to reflect back on their own prom nights. Unfortunately, some parents will also whip out their old prom outfits and try to convince their daughters that they will look stunning in their old prom dress outfit that is the height of fashion or, at least, it was a few decades ago. Understandably most teenagers prefer to find their own prom night outfits.

Nowadays, girls have a huge range of prom dresses to choose from. From thigh length to long sweeping gowns; from pretty pinks to the classic black.

LONG PROM DRESSES exude an air of glamour and charm. They are traditional for teenage proms and make the girl look more like a young lady than just a school girl. Formal attire makes one feel and look exquisite and beautiful. A floor length prom dress can make a girl look like the princess she always wanted to be when she was a little girl. While choosing your long prom outfit, always keep in mind the fairytale dress you had in mind. Don’t get carried away by what your friends are wearing or what your parents are telling you to wear. It is always better to have your prom dress like that of Cinderella’s and Belle’s or even Aurora’s. I you are a little shy about wearing a long dress that is sparse on the top make sure to look at ones that come up a little bit further on the back. White gowns should always be chosen with care. This is because they can so easily be mistaken for wedding gowns. Hence, if you want a white prom outfit, never choose a strapless or thin strapped gown instead choose one with a one-shouldered or puffed sleeve as it is more playful and will not look like a wedding gown.

SHORT PROM DRESSES are very playful and flirty. They are for girls who are ready to experiment with anything given and are more confident. But when you want to wear a short dress from prom, always remember that your dress has ruffles or is frilly waist below. This will make it look like a prom dress and not a regular club dress. Mini prom dresses are difficult to pull off, but they can also make you look drop dead gorgeous. Also, mini’s look good when they are generally strapless.  So, choose strapless or thin strapped minis. And mini’s can be  worn in any colour. So don’t be hesitant and be free to choose and try.

Teaming up your dress with your shoes is also important. Usually in long prom dresses, the heels are hardly seen. They basically have a ‘pee-ka-boo’ sort of appearance. But still, it is important to wear a nice and elegant pair or pencil heeled shoes. It is always better to wear silver ones, as it goes with all colours. For short dresses, picking up the perfect pair of heels is a must. Matching your heels with the colour of your dress will surely work, or you can also go with the classic silver heels. Do not go for bold, multicolor pattern heels.

Team up your dress with simple but elegant silver jewelry. This will give you a classy and sophisticated look. A silver neckpiece and bracelet will just work fine. Don’t go for anything to colourful.

 Also, don’t forget to pay attention to your hair and make-up. Keep the make-up minimal and get your hair done as per your dress. It’s better to pull your hair up into a bun for a long dress and let your hair down for a mini.

Now, lets look at some of the best and worst prom dresses (remember, this is only according to me).

BEST:

Emily Kmetko’s prom dress in the serial ‘Make It or Break It’ was more than breath taking even though she had a bad time.

Blair Waldorf’s in the hit series ‘Gossip Girl’ had the perfect prom with her dream dress (minus breaking up with Nate).

WORST:

Considering how big a fan I am of ‘Twilight’, I hated Bella Swan’s prom dress that much. The dress said : I’m girly; the sweater and leggings said : Why expose?; and the converse said: Back off, punk. A perfect mess.

Andie Walsh’s prom dress in the movie ‘Pretty in Pink’ was a disaster. She picked up bits and pieces to make her ‘perfect’ dress. Ugh, horrible. But she still got her guy.

Gabriella Montez’s prom dress in ‘High School Musical 3’ looked like something she would wear at night to sleep. She screwed up, big time.