Get ready to party Mustangs because prom season is fast approaching. With Marriotts Ridge’s prom on May 3rd, many students are starting to think about making plans and finding outfits. The thing on many girls’ minds is the exciting, yet crucial decision of selecting the perfect dress that is both show-stopping and exemplifies their personal style.
Trends change so much from year to year, primarily because personal style and cultural influences play a major role in shaping fashion trends. Fashion also tends to be cyclical, so elements from past eras may make a comeback in more modern designs. Over the years, there’s been plenty of different styles in the spotlight. Prom dresses in the 1970’s followed a Bohemian style with floral prints, bows, crochet and floral fabrics. The 1980’s brought bolder and more extravagant styles, showcasing puffy sleeves, sequins, vibrant colors and plenty of dramatic flair. Just ten years later, the 1990’s gravitated towards more minimal styles, with simple slip dresses, spaghetti straps and sleek silhouettes becoming the go-to for prom. Velvet and satin were the favorite fabrics. The 2000’s was a real modge-podge of trends. It combined the 90’s minimalism with the 2000’s flair and glamor, adding rhinestone embellishments, bright colors, animal print and asymmetrical styles. There was also an increase in two-piece sets, thanks to pop icons, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera. 2010s prom fashions followed the trend of various styles from the decade before. There were high-low hemlines, heavily beaded dresses, bold prints, vintage dresses and less is more styles taking the spotlight.
With fashion trends changing every year, the “in” dress style is the thing to think about. The trends can range from color, to style, accessories and even hair and makeup. Last year’s trends included bedazzled hair, bold colors, open-backs and corset-style dresses. While it is still early in the prom season, this year’s trends seem to be bows, prints, ruffles, cutouts, shiny metallic fabric and off-the-shoulder dresses.
Many students here at MRHS have begun the hunt for the perfect prom dress. Many prom dress retailers advise customers to begin shopping sooner rather than later before popular styles start selling out, and to include time for any alterations. Many people aim to shop at stores that fit their styles and dress criteria.
“I plan to look at hijabi and Muslim-friendly shops or websites to help me find a dress that fits my criteria,” said senior Zarmeen Javed. For Javed, she’s looking for “a modest prom dress,” which would ideally have “long sleeves and no slits or anything that would show [her] skin but [she] also [doesn’t] want it to look tacky or bad.”
Other students plan to find dresses that follow some trends while still focusing on their personal style. Finding the perfect dress isn’t an easy task, and often requires some trial and error.
“My ideal dress is hunter green with either a halter top or off-the-shoulder top with a cinched waist, but I’m definitely open to many styles and plan on trying all different colors and styles,” senior Daria Chatrchi expressed.
One of the other reasons advantages of early shopping is the ability to order online. This past homecoming season, many students ran into issues with their online dresses arriving late, or simply not being what they expected. However, buying a dress online earlier ensures that there is plenty of time for the dress to arrive, alterations to be made, or time to look for a new dress should it not be the right one.
With the recent announcement of this year’s prom venue, the pressure is on to put together the perfect look for this year’s prom. While there are still a few months until prom, as shopping begins, think about the trends over the years while looking for the perfect dress. Happy shopping Mustangs!