Prom Dresses

What prom dress is right for me?

I have been really impressed this year at how organised the 2014 prom girls are!  We had our first one at the boutique early last month, and have had several since then.  Although some mums coyly say to me when entering the boutique: ‘we’re looking at prom dresses, but we’re a bit early’, I think it’s extremely sensible, just like a bride, a prom girl KNOWS when she has found her dress and it matters not a jot that she has found it months in advance.  Another reason to start early is that we never release the same dress to the same function, so make sure that your daughter gets first dibs on her dress for prom!

Nowadays there are so many different styles available, and there appears to be much less restriction on what is acceptable than before, so you could wear long or short, long and short, full on ball gown, or subtle and elegant.  However, we are well aware that although the increase in styles means more variety, it can also make the decision even harder and more intimidating, especially if you are a young lady who is not used to wearing formal attire.  The aim of this blog post is to give a little direction to prom girls who are starting out their research into which prom dress to wear on prom night.

The first golden question you should be asking is ‘what style of prom dress will suit me?’.  It is all well and good having your heart set on a particular style, but if it does nothing for you, you won’t feel comfortable on the big night and you will spend the whole evening feeling self-conscious and doing your best to hide in the shadows.  I recommend getting out a piece of paper and writing down what body shape you have, try to be as honest and objective as you can.  Remember that what you see in the mirror isn’t necessarily the same as what everyone else sees, so mum, dad, sisters or any other close family members are usually very helpful and will give honest opinions on your shape.  Try not to take anything they say too personally, after all, they only want you to look your best on prom night!  After you have established what kind of shape you are, pick out your body features you wish to show off and write them down.  Lastly, write down the body features you wish to hide.

In order to help you decide what prom dress style would suit you, I have pulled together the key prom dress styles with a general guide on what body shape would suit, so you can concentrate on the most important thing when choosing your prom dress: having fun!

nude colour prom ball gown - a perfect princess look!

nude colour prom ball gown – a perfect princess look!

 

 

 

Ball gown prom dresses

Ball gown prom dresses are traditional, or ‘classic’ prom dresses, and are the perfect way to achieve that fairy tale princess look.  With their full, flared skirts and their fitted bodices, there are not really many body shapes which don’t suit this style.  If you are a curvy girl, they are a great way of showing off a cinched in waist, or if you don’t have much of a waist, they are great at giving the illusion of a  waist.  If you are pear shaped or are concerned about the bottom half of your figure, this dress emphasises the waist and completely hides your bottom half.  The only body shape which might slightly struggle in this style is if you are very small and petite as you can look swamped by the skirts.  If you fall into this category but you still want that fairytale look, opt for an a-line dress instead as it still gives you a full skirt, and maximises the chance of you wearing the dress but minimises the risk of the dress wearing you!

 

 

 

Sequin fishtail prom dress - perfect for showing off an hourglass figure!

Sequin fishtail prom dress – perfect for showing off an hourglass figure!

 

 

 

Mermaid prom dresses

These dresses are also known as fishtail prom dresses or trumpet prom dresses.  The mermaid prom dress typically has a figure hugging fitted bodice that goes right the way down to the mid-thigh and then flares out to give the illusion of a mermaid’s tail.  These dresses look great on prom girls who have a hourglass shape (i.e. who are well balanced at the bust and hips with a proportionately smaller waist).  If you have more of a boyish figure, this style of dress will probably emphasise the straightness of your figure and will probably not show your body off in the best way.  These dresses tend to fit very closely to the body and will give a true silhouette of your body shape, so if you are a bit shy about your body, it’s probably best to stay away from this style.

 

Pinky nude chiffon empire line prom dress

Pinky nude chiffon empire line prom dress

 

 

 

 

 

Empire line prom dresses

These dresses have a high waistline with the skirt gently falling from under the bust.  They tend to be made out of a light, floaty fabric such as chiffon which falls elegantly to the floor.  This style of prom dress works well on most body shapes and is probably one of the most forgiving styles.  It also makes a great plus size style.  They are fabulous if you are concerned about showing off your mid-section, providing you with a bit of extra coverage, whilst still giving you the ability to achieve that whimsical, elegant look.  At the other end of the spectrum, they also make great dresses for girls who have a less defined waist, or a ‘boyish shape’ as they don’t emphasise the waist and drape graciously to the floor.

 

 

 

High low hem prom dress - perfect for showing off your pins!

High low hem prom dress – perfect for showing off your pins!

 

 

 

 

Mullet prom dress

These dresses are also known as high low hem dresses.  These dresses come in a variety of styles, e.g. fitted down to the thigh, fitted to the waist or empire line.  It’s a fantastic alternative to a full length gown and is absolutely brilliant if you (like me!) are a little vertically challenged as you won’t have to worry about having the hem shortened or tripping over a long dress at prom!  If your legs are the feature that you want to show off, but you still like the idea of having a long prom dress, this could well be the option for you.  Make sure that you team up this style of dress with a fabulous pair of shoes, but if you are going for a pair of peep toes, make sure that your feet are in tip top condition and that you go and get yourself a good pedicure beforehand!

 

 

 

 

 

Once you are aware of what shape you are, the process of prom dress shopping changes from being stressful to being exactly what it should be – fun!  Remember that it’s not every day you get to wear a glamorous dress, so I recommend taking full advantage while you can and seek out a really special dress.  This is definitely one of those times when high street just will not do!

If you require any further help regarding what style is best suited to your shape, feel free to leave us a comment below, facebook us at Walk in Wardrobe Brighton or tweet us @walkinwardrobe

A hundred shades of pink – perfect colours for summer dresses!

Pink is a hot fashion trend for the summer, and don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you have to look like a Barbie doll!  Pink is one of those colours which is extremely varied, including shades of baby pink, dusky pink and hot pink.  With all the different shades and hues, it would be impossible not to find a shade that works for you!  Pink dresses are: fresh, summery, pretty, soft and feminine and are perfect for a wide variety of events such as parties, prom, black tie events, bridesmaids and mother of the bride.

Long pink dresses

Stunning light pink low back dress by Forever Unique, perfect for black tie events or the red carpet!

Stunning light pink low back dress, perfect for black tie events or the red carpet!

1920's Great Gatsby style cerise pink beaded dress

1920’s Great Gatsby style cerise pink beaded dress

Long pink dresses have been in real demand for prom this year.  This is particularly understandable because of their girly, fresh, summery shades.  However, don’t feel that pink dresses are only appropriate for young ladies going to prom.  Pastel pinks can give a whimsical and feminine look for a black tie event and a hot pink can give a daringly stylish look.

Light pink long dress pictured right:  this pale pink dress is a timeless classic with a gorgeous, bead embellished low back.  A subtle front slit gives you that touch of sexiness whilst still remaining classy and elegant!

Fuchsia pink dress pictured to the left:  This fully beaded cerise pink dress has a true touch of the 1920’s Great Gatsby style about it and gives a look of bold femininity, a guaranteed head turner!

Floaty dusky pink and leopard print one shoulder dress

Floaty dusky pink and leopard print one shoulder dress

Dusty pink chiffon and leopard print dress pictured far left: this dress is gorgeously whimsical, modern and floaty, a perfect blend of feminine colours with a bit or ‘roar’ from the animal print!  This dress has gorgeous, sparkly beading on the waist and on the shoulder.

We also have a few show stopping (and very cheap!) big pink ball gowns with stunning embellishments.  This style is particularly suitable for proms.  If you would rather have a more subtle prom dress but nevertheless want all the ‘wow’ of a classic ballgown, you could go for one of our pink fishtail gowns, which will give you that much sought after hourglass figure.

Short pink dresses

Burlesque style dusty pink feather mini dress with jeweled bodice

Burlesque style dusty pink feather mini dress with jeweled bodice

I really love short pink dresses as they are flirty and feminine, with the added bonus of giving you the opportunity to show off a pair of fabulous shoes!

This gorgeous little feather dress pictured right also has a touch of the 1920’s style and would be fantastic for a burlesque style night, but it would also make a gorgeous party dress.  This stunning mini dress has a heavily beaded bodice, an ultra fun mini feather skirt and also has that much sought after corset back for a great fit.

Pink and black pencil dress with matching jacket, perfect for mother of the bride or for ladies day!

Pink and black pencil dress with matching jacket, perfect for mother of the bride or for ladies day!

This gorgeous light pink pencil dress pictured left is perfect for ladies day or mother of the bride.  This dress and jacket set is a gorgeous soft baby pink with gorgeous black embellishments for a very modern look.  This dress would look perfect with black accessories!

This season is all about the feminine, and what better colour to do it in than pink?

 

 

 

Pastel shades for your perfect prom dress

There is only one way to describe the weather at the moment, and that is yucky. The weather is the most miserable shade of grey, but at Walk in Wardrobe we are optimistically counteracting this by having the most gorgeous pastel coloured dresses in stock. These pastel colours are really giving me a lift and are perfect for this season, giving ladies that whimsical, princess-like grace.

nude pastelOur most popular pastel shades for prom girls are by far the nudes, champagnes and pastel pinks. It is easy to see why they are such a hot favourite amongst the girls as they are gorgeous delicate hues which can be fantastic if you want to accentuate skin tone and eyes.

However, although the pinks and nudes are undeniably spectacular, do not overlook mint green and lemon. Some of the prom girls have commented that the nude champagne colours can make them look washed out. However, I have regularly found that mint greens suit girls who can look washed out in the champagne shades, probably because of the bluey undertone this colour has as opposed to the yellow undertone of a champagne dress.mint pastel

To top off this prom look, you can couple the pastel dresses with sparkly accessories to give them a regal, elegant feel.  After all, it’s not often you get to be a princess!

What are your feelings on the new pastel shades which are donning every catwalk? Make sure you leave a comment below to let us know!

A snippet of what’s in store for 2013 at Walk in Wardrobe

I would just like to start this post by wishing you all a very Happy Belated New Year!  We have so many exciting projects in store for this year; there are two in particular I just can’t help but chatter about!

Project 1: out with the old (but still GORGEOUS dresses!), in with the new!

alexgerrard

Would you BELIEVE that this dress is on sale for £59.99?!

Our first project of the year was to hold the biggest (and might I add BEST!)
January sale we’ve ever had, with our top quality brands such as Forever Unique at ‘you’re robbing us blind’ prices starting at just £45!  Please click here to see the range of sale dresses we currently have (and don’t leave it too late, once they’re gone, they’re gone!).

Our sale items are being replaced with our new, glitzy and glamorous prom dresses.  It came as no surprise to us to see some very organised prom girls in late December looking for their sparkly dresses for the biggest night of their teen years.  We can guarantee that all eyes will be on the girls who are wearing Walk in Wardrobe dresses on the big night, who could possibly force their eyes away from such dazzle?

Project 2: a brand new upgraded website to rival all others!

Working on the new website has created so much buzz and excitement amongst our team (as well as a lot of hard work!).  Our new website will make it easier to hire online (including the ability to check date availability), purchase online, keep up to date with our fashion show events, style forecasts and of course, our blog.  You will also be able to easily share the products you love on your favourite social media sites such as Pinterest (to follow us on Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/walkinwardrobe/).  There will also be a separate resale section for customers to resell their pre-loved Walk in Wardrobe items.   Most importantly, there will also be promotional codes for regular and loyal customers to get fantastic discounts!

The photo shoot for the new website happened last Saturday, and we would just like to say a big thank you to the models who will be featured on the website, firstly the highly experienced Lindsay Fergusson who once again delivered top quality posing and also to Kady Knight, a new, up and coming model, who did a fantastic job on her first big photo shoot.  Thank you also to our photographer Stuart Butcher (www.cameyera.com, Twitter: @stuartbutcher1).  This was our best photo shoot to date, so all you have to do is keep your eyes peeled to see the changeover!  www.walk-in-wardrobe.co.uk