Prom Queen Dream

A gown I designed and created earlier this month

This one's for all you teen queens out there... 

Another busy week it’s been thus far for this gal.  Fortunately for me, exciting things have been happening in my life, and I have more adrenaline running through these veins than Tim Tebow on game day.  Anyway, I know this is an exciting time for all you high schoolers out there, picking out your prom dresses as if you were being photographed by the paparazzi at the Academy Awards.  But what makes a good prom dress and how difficult is it to find?  There are so many options out there now, with drastic price differences, styles, and colors to choose from, so where do you start?

Finding a perfect dress for any occasion is always a challenge.  We as females are faced with a ton of issues, such as distorted body images and so much more (like bad cuticles, how horrible?!). While I may not be able to give you the perfect body, I may be able to ease the pain in finding that dress that will make your high school sweetheart swoon.

• Get prepared!  First things first, so do a little leg work.  While you can’t possibly know what style of dress is best suited for your body type until you try it on, looking in magazines and online is always a good idea.  Checking out what celebrities are wearing to awards shows is always a great idea to be on trend.  Just make sure the celebrity you’re trying to imitate was on the best dressed list, not worst.  Exclusively You in Bloomsburg carries Faviana, which specializes in red carpet inspired dresses!   Bring photos of things that inspire you to a dress appointment and show your sales associate ideas of what you like and what you may be looking for in a prom dress.  Beware, though:  try to stay away from getting your heart set on one specific dress before you head out to shop.  This can be discouraging for you and the salesperson and really ruin the fun!  

• Schedule an appointment in advance.  Dress shops and specialty stores love it when you call in advance and set up an appointment.  They are better equipped to help you that way and can dedicate a solid hour to solely you on most occasions.  Be sure to ask for an opinion from the salesperson!  They see tons of dresses on a daily basis and know what’s flattering on different body types and skin tones.  Plus they usually love it when a client takes their advice!

• Dress like you mean it.  Always try to wear similar undergarments to those you would be wearing with the actual dress.  Another idea would be to bring along some extra options so that you can try them on with the dresses if necessary.  For instance, if you plan on wearing a slimming undergarment with the dress, definitely bring it.  It can seriously affect the way a dress looks and feels!  

• Try on some heels.  A special occasion dress always looks better with the right shoes.  Even if you plan on purchasing shoes elsewhere, try shoes on with the dress.  Or bring a pair of basic heels from home.  You’ll look taller, stand straighter, and feel better!

• Go Couture!  Well sort of.  If you want to be totally different and have a hand in designing your own dress, schedule a consult with a seamstress such as myself.  I love doing custom dresses for people and always have a fun time creating someone’s dream dress.  It’s not any more expensive than buying one off the rack and tons of fun!

The layers that the bodice of the gown was constructed of

• Ask to purchase the floor sample.  If it fits you perfectly and it’s already in stock, why order?  Yes, it may have been tried on a few times, but you can usually ask for a discount and possibly walk out with it the same day.  


• Do A LOT of research before buying online.  Yes, you may be able to find a dress cheaper online, but if you haven’t tried it on you could be making a huge mistake!  It’s hard to know what size to order and so much more when ordering online.  Save the shipping cost (which may add up to the cost of the dress in a store anyway) and alteration nightmares by heading to a physical store.

Have fun with your dress shopping and don’t be too serious with it.  Let’s face it, every dress doesn’t look perfect on everybody, so be open to suggestions and bring a trusted confidant with you for their input.  Just don’t bring an entourage.   Things could get ugly.