Everything You Need To Know For A Fabulous Prom

Everything You Need To Know For A Fabulous Prom

Believe it or not, I was attending my own prom not so long ago, and as a beauty and style expert, I have helped dozens of young women get ready for one of the most special nights of teen life.  I see and hear of so many young women making the same frustrating mistakes year after year, and I want my 2020 grads to have an amazing time, free of image crises.  A night like prom is too important to let frustrations stand in the way of fabulousness!

Prom is all about celebrating your hard work, dedication and ability to make it through!  It’s a night to dance, mingle, socialize and revel in your accomplishments.  You should talk to people outside your “click” (you never know who is going to be the CEO of their own company one day - trust me), shake your booty like you just don’t care, and enjoy this incredible right of passage.  Plan on having the time of your life, and don’t let the drama of the event rain on your parade.

Dress

When it comes to your dress, prepare to try on a gajillion different styles and colors, not just black or nude.  Even if you think you are going to hate it…just try it!  What doesn't look good on the hanger can sometimes look beautiful once your body fills it out.  Often the style and/or color that you would have never picked, looks the most schhhhmashing on you.  Once you have an idea of the style and color that looks best…you can then focus on getting it at a price that won’t send your Mom screaming from the store. 

Here are a few general tips:

  • Curvy Figures often look best in dresses that accentuate the positives.  Try on halter top styles and corseted styles, as these will naturally offer more shape and/or structure.  Consider an A-line skirt that skims the hips and highlights a smaller waist.  You don’t want to select anything too clingy or glittery as these can be less forgiving.  You want something that drapes and doesn’t hug the body.
  • Petite Figures can look stunning in shorter tea-length styles which can help make you appear taller.  Ruched bodices are also great for creating more volume up top, and detailed bodices work to pull the focus up, creating the illusion of height. 
  • Taller, Thin Figures look beautiful in sheath, bias-cut type dresses that emphasize the curves while still looking graceful.

Sew, why not?  If you have found the perfect dress but know it's beyond your budget or deadline, why not make it?  If you haven't sewn before, ask a friend or relative who sews to help you. This is also a great way to avoid the attack of the clones.  If you have your dress made, it will be an original, just like you!

Think Vintage!  Thrift stores, resale boutiques, secondhand stores, auction sites and resale sites are great places to find slightly used dresses with lots of potential.  And don't forget grandparents, parents, and various aunts and cousins.  Ask them for a tour of their closet and keep an eye out for vintage clothing and accessories…and don't forget jewelry boxes! Your grandmother may have a pair of earrings or a cocktail ring that would look amazing with your dress.  Not to mention, you'll have something completely unique!

Online Bargains   Once you know the type of dress that looks best on you, a great place to purchase your prom dresses is on the interwebs.  Ordering prom dresses online will often allow you to order the dress and color you like, that might not be available in your local store.  It's also a great way to get a prom dress that no one else has. But add an alteration budget as well as extra time for for tweaking and unforeseen problems.

Hair

You should get your dress before you decide on your prom hairstyle.  If your dress is very elaborate, keep your hair simple. If your dress is very simple, consider a more dramatic up-do with hair accessories.  You should select a style that works with your hair, not your friend’s hair or a celebrity’s hair; and select a back-up hairstyle just in case plan A doesn’t work out.

Everyone has someone they know who is great with hair.  Don’t pay an arm and a leg to go to a salon and have Franz create a stiff hair-helmet for you.  A loose, kinda messy, unplanned hairstyle is easier and more modern.  Besides, you do not want a hairstyle that is a pain in the rump to maintain, costs a fortune to have done and will ultimately prevent you from letting loose on the dance floor.

One of my favorite modern prom hairstyles is the feminine faux hawk.  This style is super glamorous, it pulls your hair off your face back behind both ears, it works equally well with curly or straight tresses and won’t strain your neck under the weight of bobby-pins and hair spray. 

To create this look, separate the hair at the crown and pull it up and out of the way.  Pull the side sections straight back and pin them down to the rest of your hair.  Now, take out the crown section and gently tease the hair at the roots to add more volume and give you some height at the crown. Add glitzy hair accessories and Voila! Gorgeous!

* Side note – Fancier do’s work better with hair that isn't freshly washed, so lather up a day or two before!  And wear a button-up shirt while working on your prom hair creation; you don’t want to ruin it by pulling your t-shirt over your head.

Shoes

Just like a flat tire on a fine prom ride, uncomfortable shoes can ruin your big night…’cause when your feet hurt, everything hurts!  Don’t be one of those girls leaving prom with shoes in hand.  Think ahead and choose a shoe that you can party hard in.   

This season there are oodles of super-cool flats that won’t dress down your formal attire or put a dent in a tight budget. If you opt for a higher heel, remember to go up a half size to allow for a little swelling and wear them around the house for a couple of days to break them in.  Select a style that you can get lots of post-prom use out of…How about a hot metallic?

Purse

Your prom purse is a no-brainer.  No one wants to worry about lugging a bag, worrying about a clutch or depending on a flaky date to carry your stuff.  Many schools don’t even allow girls to carry purses anymore. Quite simply, every prom girl needs a GirlyGoGarter®, if for no other reason that to keep your phone and a little cash on you the whole night! 

The GirlyGoGarter® comes in nine colors and three sizes.  It will hold up to 3 pounds of your essentials, and the patented GentleFlex™ Grippers will ensure you’re dancing and having a ball with zero slippage.  Simply strap it on for a perfect fit, load it using either the lock-flap or easy-access pockets, and you’re done. 

Because the pockets go all the way around your leg, you can choose how you load it depending on your dress style.  Slimmer body-con styles look seamless with inner-thigh loading, and if you worry about thigh-rub on occasions like this, our garter will solve that problem, too! (Best of all, you're now also prepared to sneak your phone into graduation under that gown!)

<h2">Face

Your prom make-up should be special, but you want to keep it fresh and modern.  If you choose to wear a bold lipstick color, go much softer on the eyes.  If you choose to sport a smoky, sultry eye, then go with a nude lip or just gloss.  Either “look” can be very elegant and beautiful, but you want to decide which feature you want to play up. 

  • Keep things simple, sheer and pretty by opting for a strong, super glossy lip color, flushed cheeks, black mascara and groomed brows.   
  • Create a dramatic eye that looks soft by choosing rich chocolate, plum or forest green shades (not black eye shadow).  Apply color from the lash line up to the crease and apply the same color at the lower lash line.  Use a medium brown shade in the crease and finish with black or black-brown mascara. Finish the look with glossy nude lips.
  • Fabulous lashes can be created by applying thin, even, alternating coats of mascara starting at the root of the lashes. Wiggle the brush from left to right as you pull the wand up and out. This curls lashes and provides a lush look.  To lengthen, apply a coat to the lid-side of the lashes. 

* Zit Alert – Anti-redness eye drops will get the red out.  You can also dab 1% cortisone cream on it for the swelling, and apply a yellow based medicated concealer to hide it.

Photos

When it comes to taking great prom photos, there are a few tricks to looking more smashing than in your usual selfie.  After all, for all the years you've spent thinking about this night, you will spend many more looking at the pictures.  So keep these tips in mind.

  • Stand up super-dooper straight and face 90 degrees away from the camera.
  • Twist at the waist to square your shoulders dead-on with the camera, but leave your bottom half at the original 90 degree angle.
  • Now rest your weight on the back foot.
  • Suck in your tummy!
  • Pull your head up and push your face out toward the camera while keeping your chin down.
  • Press your tongue to the roof of your mouth while smiling to create a longer leaner neck.
  • Practice in front of a mirror until it looks natural and becomes second nature!

These tips will make your body look slim and shapely, your neck look long and your jaw look more defined.  Don’t forget to smile!

I hope your prom night is everything you’ve dreamed of!

You can do this!

XO,

Andy Paige