Get ready for some great advice on what to wear to the prom this year. Why is this advice so great? Because it is based on experience--my experience of what not to wear, that is. My prom dress was a number my grandma whipped up with a little dotted swiss lace, a few yards of yellow calico, and a racy Simplicity pattern. I looked like Laura Wilder from Little House on the Prairie might have if she'd decided to give up being a pioneer and get herself a pimp.
A vintage dress is the way to go. With vintage, you are sure to (1) be chic, (2) be original, (3) save money; and (4) look like a Hollywood icon. Below I've listed a few of the movie stars I'm talking about, along with some suggestions and some inspiration.
The Audrey Hepburn Look: Who wouldn't want to look like Audrey Hepburn? She had it all: gamine elegance, style, and originality. She broke all the rules of her day. She was brunette, flat chested, and girlish. But one look at her in Breakfast at Tiffany's and she takes your breath away. This look is best for the smaller woman. If you aren't particularly curvaceous, so much the better. An early 1960s cocktail dress cut just at the knee, in black, of course, and a chignon will take you halfway there. Add splashy rhinestones at the neck and gloves up past your elbows, and you have arrived. Audrey wore L'Interdit by Givenchy perfume, but that might smell a little old fashioned these days--try something fresh, like Daisy by Marc Jacobs. Xtabay has a whole rack of black cocktail dresses for the Audrey look. For inspiration, watch Breakfast at Tiffany's, Funny Face, and Roman Holiday.
The Molly Ringwald Look: The '80s are back, ergo, so is Molly. Pretty in Pink and The Breakfast Club are good inspiration. If you like the bold colors and poof of the '80s, you are in luck, because Liz snagged a bunch of '80s prom dresses in all the primo colors--aqua, mauve, silver--in tulle, satin, and a fabric as reflective as mylar. The Molly look is best for the life-of-the-party type. You have to have confidence to pull it off, but if it suits you, you will command the room. Be sure to listen to some Boston and Foreigner while you get ready. Maybe you can pin the corsage in your hair instead of on your dress. Best 1980s perfume? I'd vote for a whopper floral oriental like Opium or maybe Poison. I don't need to tell you to have fun.
The Rita Hayworth Look: If this is your look, I don't even know why you're reading this, because your dad is going to lock you in at home. By all rights, the sultry Rita look should be saved for girls over 21. But if you're determined, who are we to stop you? If you're curvy and have a little wave to your hair and pout to your mouth, you just might be a natural. The Rita is one look that demands a full-length gown rather than a cocktail dress. Something jewel-toned that dips in the back and shows some cleavage would suit Rita well. I think the Rita look would take well to a 1970s jersey dress, too. Add a chunky bracelet and ankle-strapped sandals--minimum three inch heels--and you are Rita all over again. Shalimar would be perfect for a perfume, or Secret Obsession if you want to try something new. Gilda is good inspiration for the Rita.
Wearing a vintage dress to the prom--a dress that fits well and suits you--will do your proud. Come in to Xtabay, and we'll make sure you're in the right dress for your figure and your style. As for what your date wears, well, that's up to you.
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