Pre-Prom Dress Pointers

Often we head to a store to try on an article of clothing we absolutely adore. I mean, it really looks great in the window on the mannequin. Or on a display hanger with the back cinched up with pins that you can't see. The mannequin has THAT kind of figure. Perfect. Nothing saggy or droopy. No extra flesh on the tummy, thighs, or backside. No bra or panty lines. And no shapewear necessary.

There are very few of us like that. If you're one of the lucky teens, God bless you! If you're over 30 with kids, you're likely a genetic anomaly or simply a die-hard fitness fanatic. Most of us simply don't have that mannequin perfect figure.

Here's the lucky part though. You can dress to make your figure look almost perfect. Or simply perfect for you. Looking good is analyzing your figure and choosing clothing styles to complement it. The use of color can create pleasing optical illusions. And speaking of color, choosing the right color of clothing for your skin can really make a difference in how you look. It's the difference between vibrant and sallow.

I've seen lots of prom dresses over the past 3 or 4 years. My daughters know I have a critical eye for teens and their clothing choices, and I make my thoughts known to them. I've seen lots of prom dress fashion faux pas that teens don't seem to be aware of, but I will share them with you. But before I do that, these are your Pre-Prom Dress Pointers! What to consider before buying that seemingly perfect dress:

PRE-PROM DRESS POINTERS

1. Know Thy Figure!

Are you big bottomed? Big on the boobage? Do you have full hips? How about a round, poochy tummy? Are you short waisted (short between the waist and shoulders) or long waisted (long between the waist and torso) aka short torso and long torso? Do you have full hips? Do you have thick legs or arms?

These are important questions! Certain styles will emphasize or de-emphasize certain areas of your body. Ditto with color. Maybe, however, you are one of people with a perfect body. If so, move on to No. 2.

2. Know Your Color!

This isn't as simple as it sounds. Just because you like a color doesn't mean it looks good on you. Do some research as to what "season" you are, whether it be Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall. Colors DO make a difference. Perhaps you have a particular top that everyone says looks fab on you. It just might be "your" color. One of a few that matches your skin tone perfectly. Likewise some colors will make you look pale, sometimes sickly. Avoid them at all costs. You want to project a lovely, vibrant image on prom day.

3. Know Your Style!

This is where I'm going to get in particulars over what I've observed the past 3-4 years. What I would say to them if I was their mother, although I'm sure they would be glad I'm not because of my hard, honest observations. In my next post on Picking Your Prom Dress, I will cover this in more detail so stay tuned.

4. Wear Your Shapewear!

C'mon. It really should be your first purchase BEFORE shopping for your dress. Good shapewear, if you need it (and some girls don't), can make or break the fit of a dress. It can save you money in alterations, too, if it can suck in an inch here and there. If you need to buy a strapless bra, DO IT BEFORE BUYING A DRESS. If your dress needs alterations, make sure you wear the same lingerie to every fitting! It must be the same bra/panties/shapewear you will be wearing to the prom. Forgetting to do this is not only hard on the wallet, but it might make the person doing your alterations to send you elsewhere next year. We don't like redoing our work because you forgot to wear your prom lingerie for your fittings, and you may end up paying more for your mishap.

5. Maintain Your Weight!

You've found the perfect dress. It's the perfect color as well. It fits you like a dream and it's the end of Basketball season sometime in late February. You're supremely fit, and the dress just molds beautifully to your figure. Throw that dress in the closet for two months and you just might be making a huge mistake. If you're activity level drastically changes, you might end of making a drastic change days before the prom. As in buying a new prom dress.

Do yourself a huge favor. Try that dress on every 1-2 weeks. Catch any weight gain before it becomes a problem. There is only so much that can be done, and it might not be possible to alter a dress to an increased size. Or maybe it's possible, but it's going to cost you an arm and a leg to get it done. You want to make sure your size and weight stays relatively the same from the time you buy the dress until the day of the prom.

These five are really important Pre-Prom Dress Pointers. Please be sure to remember them because the late Winter/early Spring Prom Dress shopping excursions will be here before you know it. Coming soon...Picking Your Prom Dress. Stay tuned!

Opening Up Shop and the Right of Refusal

Hello! This is my first blog post for my Cyber Sewing Alteration blog. A couple of years ago I was introduced to "modern" prom dress shopping by my oldest daughter, now 19. She looked for *that* perfect prom dress as a high school Junior and found it to the tune of $350!

I realize that is probably an average price today, with many in the $200-$600 range. Yes, there are a few higher and lower. Some well into the thousands of dollars. However, being a family of modest means kept her in that price range. Unfortunately, that dress price tag is just the beginning if a girl needs alterations. Let's just say both my daughters are happy I sew!

The idea of doing dress alterations popped into my head the day my oldest came home and told me some girls had paid $400-$500 for their dresses and approximately another $100 for hemming! And interestingly enough, over time I realized that some of the girls (or their mothers) weren't totally satisified with the alterations performed on the dresses. (More on that in another post.) Therefore, I decided they could put my name out there for dress alterations.

One of my FB friends wished me luck :) . I know dress alterations can be a very sticky kind of business. My alterations include "light" ones (taking in/letting out seams, hemming, bustles, strap shortening, and unconventional kinds of fixes for alterations that might be very costly. Recently I did a very easy alteration to remove front gaposis on a halter that the original alteration specialist would not do. Why? I don't know. However, I was able to perform the alteration to the girl's and mother's satisfaction with the ins/outs of what I was doing, why I was doing it, and how it would look when finished.

In order to keep my head free of aches and pains, I will not accept intense, difficult alterations. It is not to my liking and not worth my time, nor client's money. And I do think that is key. These are not thousand dollar dresses. If I feel I can't do a job that will provide a satisfactory result at a reasonable price, I'm not going to do it. It's my "Right of Refusal". And really, it's been so far, so good.

My next two posts will include prom dress styles and points to consider before heading to the cash register to make the dress purchase.

Till then...

--Kat