Explosion of Choices
The possibilities for prom dresses go well beyond the frothy, frilly frock. There are minis and flowing Grecian styles, bohemian tie-dye gowns and delicate vintage-inspired dresses.
"We've got something for everyone: the Goths, the preppies, the jocks, the tomboys," said Kimberly Gambale of Diane & Co., the eveningwear boutique in South Freehold, N.J., that prides itself on selling close to 4,000 prom dresses each year. It's the store that will be featured on Oxygen's new reality show "Jersey Couture."
"When we went to the prom, it was all red, black or gold," she said. "Now we don't even order a lot of black. There's been an explosion in choices in the last three years."
Some of the favorites this season include one-shoulder styles — perhaps with some jewels at the neckline — and champagne-colored sheaths with Art Deco beading. There's still the brightly colored, sparkly dress, though, for the girl who always dreamed of that one.
A new trend is gowns covered with digital-photo prints, which can be funky and colorful, drawing attention without showing too much skin, which makes the dads happy, Gambale said.High school juniors often go for shorter hemlines and more whimsical styles, while the seniors "like to step up their game," she said.On a national level, David Hacker, vice president of trends and color at Kohl's, said you'll see regional differences in formality and maturity."You can see the lifestyles from around the country. You think California or New York and you think of a more updated, contemporary look. Prom dresses there will be sexier than the rest of the country," he said. "In the Midwest, the Heartland, you'll see softer, probably more traditional 'prom' dresses, and more full-length dresses."Girls also look to their Hollywood idols and magazines for inspiration, but the biggest influence comes from what they see other girls wearing, Hacker said.
Overall, there seems to be interest among teenagers in feminine details, such as softer colors, lace, beading and ruching, as well as the shorter hemline, which mimics a trend seen in everyday junior clothes.Gambale said she sometimes sees girls negotiating with their parents about just how much skin to show in their gowns. There's an argument to be made on both sides: These teenage girls are often graduating high school, essentially being christened adults, and they often have fit, healthy young frames that look great in form-fitting, low-cut or mini-length dresses. From a parent's point of view, they might be paying for the dress and often don't want their girls to look any older than they are.But, she said, some of that debate has been sidelined this year because of the popularity of the away-from-the-body goddess gowns.
