Sunday, May 15, 2011

Musings: Prom!

It's that time of year again! I'm pretty sure I don't have very many readers in the high school age bracket, but who knows. I'm going to take a moment to share my Prom looks, philosophy (thrift store dresses and then splurge on accessories!), and suggestions for great dresses (traditional and non). While these selections are chosen with a High School Prom in mind, but many of them would also be cute for a guest at a summer wedding or other grown up event.

Hair by Sharon Jackson--head on over to her Salon's site if you're looking for a great hair stylist in Davis.
My thrift store dress featured a velvet bodice embellished with paillettes and a satin skirt.
I found this dress with a lovely bustle in the back at a consignment store in Palm Beach, Florida.

Well that's enough of my dresses. After the jump, there are lots more unique dresses and jewelry perfect for any evening occasion.



Short Dresses:
ModCloth: Greek Chic Dress
Hive & Honey Coin Chandelier Earring
Kenneth Cole New York
Parker Beaded Dress
This Parker Beaded dress is the most expensive one I include at $264, but all that deco beading is so elegant you save a bit on a necklace.
B. Vintage Lace Bib Dress

Etsy: 1940s Black Faille Clutch
Betsey Johnson

Betsey Johnson

ModCloth
Beyond Vintage Lace Dress
Twelfth Street by Cynthia Vincent
Banana Republic Monogram
Mid-Length Retro Inspired:
Jessica Simpson
Esty: Vintage '40s Purse
NY Mag just ran an interesting article about Jessica Simpson's fashion empire. Her sales were about $750 Million last year, meaning she sells about as much as Michael Kors. In terms of prom wear, Miss Simpson was recently on Oprah surprising a group of low-income girls with prom makeovers. Prom is a really difficult time of year for those without the disposable income I had, it's always nice to see the different charities that help out. Of course, for those of you with a tight budget for any formal occasion, I recommend that you start looking early at thrift and consignment stores for your dress like I did for my proms. With a little bit of searching you can find and amazing deal on a unique dress that you don't need to worry about seeing on another girl! Finally, Etsy is a great place to look for a special vintage or handmade evening bag to complete your look at a good price.


Aryn K. "Mad Men" Dress

Etsy
Anthropologie: Overwhelmed Aster Dress
Anthropologie: Quechua Dress
Jessica Simpson Rose Appliqué Dress
ModCloth: Saturday Night Fever Bag
Full-Length:
Jessica Simpson
While short dresses are fun, nothing says Prom like a gown. This Rachel Pally maxi dress below is not formal in fabric, but the length and beautiful color make it easy to dress up (I picked some gold statement pieces) for an evening occasion. Also, it's a good investment that can be dressed up or down long after that special night is over. 
Rachel Pally for Piperlime

Sequin 15 Layer Gold Bar Necklace
Kenneth Cole New York
Tinley Road Horn Pendant Necklace
ASOS Satin Maxi Dress

Banana Republic
Plus Size:

When I was in High School, I was still just able to fit into standard sizing, a size 12 for Junior Prom and and 14 for Senior Ball. However,  cute and interesting plus size formal wear seems to be proliferating these days, here are some cute and affordable (all less than $200) plus size dresses I found:

Torrid: Floral Tank Dress
ModCloth: Mod in Mauve Clutch
Below are some amazing gowns from IGIGI. I haven't ordered from them yet, but they are definitely on my list for my next important formal or professional occasion.
IGIGI: Plus Size Aphrodite Gown
IGIGI: Plus Size Keira Lace Dress
IGIGI: Plus Size Tropical Beauty Maxi Dress

1 comment:

  1. Really pretty dresses and the commentary is entertaining.

    ReplyDelete