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Don’t wait till the last minute

It’s important that you begin shopping for your prom dress as early as possible.  A beautiful and formal gown is not only important but also tends to be a more expensive item to purchase, requiring a lot of thought.  I most cases, it’s recommended that you give yourself several months of looking for your dress.  This gives you time to find a gown that is perfect for your taste, body type and style.

Waiting until the last minute can ultimately lead to an unsatisfactory choice.  It also leaves you no time to look around for the best deal or to make any necessary or wanted alterations.  This also gives you little to no time to choose or plan for your accessories.

Know the differences

Even a basic knowledge of basic formal gown styles can really go a long way when you’re looking for your ideal dress.  It is imperative that you at least learn the basic definition of the basic styles of dresses so you can understand how each can flatter or conceal different body types.

There are four basic styles of formal dresses: A-Line, Empire, Ball Gown and Sheath.

A-Line

An A-Line (or Princess-cut) gown is made to fit your form throughout the bodice, or torso, but flares out in an ‘A’ shape to form the skirt.  These dresses can disguise full hips and balance out the torso and bust.  They can also elongate your figure, making you look slimmer and taller.

Empire

The Empire style of gown has a high waistline that generally begins just below the bodice line.  It’s long, full skirt can hide a pear-shaped or thick-waisted figure and gives the illusion of height on a short or petite body style.

Ball Gown

The cut of the ball gown style dress’s most notable characteristic is the very full skirt that flows out from the waist all the way to the floor.  The seamed natural waist can be customized or styled in many different variations.  This style of dress visually separates the torso and the lower half of the body, providing pleasing lines.

Sheath

A sheath-style gown is a slim dress that doesn’t use a lot of fabric or seaming details.  It hugs the curves and shape of the body to provide a thin silhouette.  This type of dress is perfect for a well-toned or svelte body type.  They are especially lovely on taller and thinner figures.