New York, Milan and Paris Fashion Week brought us so many new dress designs and styles that we can hardly take it all in. We can’t help but be mesmerized by the luscious textures, glitter, sparkles, and sequins, not to mention the stunning colors. This year we noticed a whole palette of tertiary color mixes that we’ve never seen before; it was as if the designers were working with tubes of oil paint instead of the trusty Crayola 64 box. Some with names like Posuolli Earth and Pthalo Blue. Hey? But we love them anyway, even if we can’t pronounce them!
Now that all the runway reports are out, thanks to our very own Redcat, we can’t wait to see what’s in store for us when we go shopping for our 2012 prom dress. sophisticated, dresses that take us back to the glamorous days of early Hollywood, where men wore suits and women wore dresses even during the day. ! That was glamorous!
Nowadays, the prom girls are lucky. No longer do you have to wait for entire seasons to go by before you start seeing the latest trends in formal wear, from cocktail dresses to wedding dresses and everything in between, especially prom dresses!
Here are some of the trends we hope to try in the 2012 prom season.
the peplum
Sometimes attributed to Victoria Beckham, the peplum is a flared ruffle attached to the waist of a jacket, bodice, etc. It was widely used in lace Victorian blouses with a tight waist, which allowed the blouse to be tucked into the skirt. It was also a much-loved fashion trend for women of the 1940s who sought to feminize traditional dress by cinching the waist of the suit jacket and wearing stitched stockings and high heels.
The peplum style is a great prom dress style for girls who want to hide a large tummy area or who simply want to accentuate their hips and make their waist look smaller at the same time.
the gala dress
The party dress is back with a flourish. This will be a hot topic once again in the wedding industry after years of lean but informal columns from years past. And that makes our day, since we never felt old enough (or warm enough) in last year’s short, voluminous doll dresses. Prom 2012 is sure to see a variety of prom dress styles once again; It would be a shame if the prom girls didn’t take advantage of this opportunity to go all out formal without the stress of planning a wedding!
If you are a romantic type, you will enjoy wearing all the luscious layers of silk, satin, and taffeta fabric that are recommended. Chiffon or camisole simply won’t work if you’re trying to achieve the ultimate in fullness.
The high-low trend
We have reason to believe that the high-low trend will persist into the upcoming prom dress season, if only to showcase the incoming ball gowns, as mentioned above. At its best, a ball gown can be a tricky prom dress to wear, especially if you’re wearing high heels for the first time!
A prom dress with a high hem in the front and a low hem in the back gives today’s prom girl the best of both worlds: it’s elegant and functional! I mean, who wants to show up to prom in a ball gown you can’t dance in?
This prom dress trend will work great if you want to go super formal and show off your gorgeous legs at the same time!
flowers
Not even the curtains in your mom’s kitchen. Betsey Johnson has already brought us the pretty bouquets of everyone’s favorite crazy quilts of hers, but this year she and many other designers upped the ante with neon-hued watercolor splashes that say bold and confident, just like us!
We can also expect to see the floral motif, in the decorations, such as draping, lace embroidery or digital prints,
sequins
Sparkle and glitter will rule the dance floor this year!
Fairy lights, oh how we love them. And this year we will have more options than ever, don’t be surprised when you find them in collars, belts, shoulder decorations, hems, in the form of sequins.
For anyone who wants to shine all night long, a sequined dress is the way to go. Keep in mind, however, that any dress that is sparkly will show off your every curve, so this is a perfect option for skinny girls who want to add a little pep to the party.
Fingerprints
I have a feeling that deciding which prom dress to buy will be even more of a challenge this prom season, due to the abundance of wonderfully elegant textures created by printing patterns onto the fabric. I have already seen prom dresses that are as artistic as any modern painting or as intricate as any lithograph.
Patterns that evoke images like “crystal snow” and “mercurial atmosphere” are sure to be popular with creative and savvy dance girls who want a look that says “I’m unique.”
party dresses for 2012
Come spring, ready-to-wear designers will no doubt be trying to convince you to buy their next fashion item, believe me, but we want to give you a heads up before prom dress season overwhelms you, so you have time to figure out what to do in advance. styles you think you should wear since you really want to look fabulous on prom night. Something designers don’t have the time (or inclination) to deal with.
Well, we think that’s wrong. That’s why we want to present some of the biggest trends you’re likely to see and unravel the whole concept of what’s hot and what’s not. In the end, all we want is for you to know what looks good on you! I mean, wouldn’t you rather look sexy than not?
These days, with the universal use of news sources, blogs, and videos, the savvy shopper picks up on trends in an instant and doesn’t want to wait until it hits their price range. And retailers are quick to respond to demand—by the time runway collections drop, inspired ready-to-wear versions are also available—sometimes the same day!
So the lucky prom girl can now shop for a runway-style prom dress while she’s still at the top of her game, not a few months later like it was just a few years ago when I was shopping for my first prom dress!