No matter how lovely your prom dress is, it requires accessories to complete the outfit. Experiment with different accessories for varied looks!
Once you’ve (finally) chosen a prom dress, the next step to consider are the accessories, and you may need more than you think. Accessories are not only outfit-enhancing, but can ease potential discomfort or make an already gorgeous dress look much better.
As I always emphasize, it’s critical that you choose a dress, not based on price or on someone else’s opinion, but by your own decision. It’s no secret that if you feel pretty and charming, you will be. A little aside – a way to stand tall and proud is to look for dresses with style and quality, that also happen to be affordable. That being said, you should consider shops with a large selection of Sherri Hill prom dresses, where you can find any type of dress you are looking for, in any color and design.
Hill’s designs have been worn by top pageant winners (Miss USA, and even, Miss Universe), as well as by fashion-forward trendsetters and stars of television’s widely popular “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”, Kendall and Kylie Jenner. No doubt the Jenner sisters and pageant winners are well aware that Hill’s dresses are specifically designed to flatter any number of figures and shapes.
Accessories are the proverbial “icing on the cake” and can seamlessly and inexplicably adjust the silhouette to near perfection. Prom dress accessories can also render a gorgeous dress more comfortable, and an easy-to-wear dress allows the wearer more confidence. A worry-free dress makes for a happy prom attendee.
Many of today’s popular prom dresses feature fitted bodices or shapely corsets and young girls are not accustomed to such structured styling. Proper undergarments, also called foundation garments, are specifically engineered with today’s formals in mind.
Since many formal dresses are either strapless or backless (or a combination), there’s the Freedom Natural Silicone Bra ($49). A well-endowed girl will need a good strapless bra with support, but smaller busted gals may want some enhancement for prom. That’s easily achieved with Braza products. Braza offers “Add-a-Size” cups for only $12, and for only $3 more, Braza adds tape to secure the cups in place. Flash tape comes in a familiar dispenser and helps you maintain modesty if you go braless ($10). If tape won’t fully secure you in your gown, you can try Amoena Adhesive Glue ($10).
Braza can help with strapless dresses
If you choose a flirty mini, you should be well aware that even not-terribly rigorous dancing will flip the skirt up, exposing more than you may have intended. Yes, you can wear popular Spanx-like items, but there’s an even better alternative: booty shorts ($10). Reasonably priced, they come in silver, gold and black, and allow the wearer to bop up-and-down in cuteness, not embarrassment.
Full-length, floor-length, maxi dress – or whatever you’re inclined to call it – requires a special slip, if you’ve chosen a wide, full skirt. There are variations available, for example, 90 Slip ($65) and full Cinderella slip ($90) when you want to go full-on Scarlett O’Hara sweep.
A full Cinderella Slip
If you’re going to wear news shoes – and who are you kidding, of course you’re going to get new shoes to go with your new dress – walk around in them several times. We cannot stress this enough. Practice walking on different surfaces, including slick floor, carpeting, and outdoors on asphalt and cement. Go up and down stairs. If you’re wearing a long dress, you absolutely must take the stairs in your dress or a facsimile.
That said, there are helpful accessories to aid the dreaded night in high heels – consider a prom-appropriate “kit” of sorts, which includes pads for the balls, as well as the heels of your feet, non-skid adhesive pads for the shoe soles, (Solemates Shoe Essentials, $12). There are even specifically designed clear protectors for shoe heel tips and they come in different sizes, based on the type of heels (narrow, classic and wide, $10 a pair). These are designed – just in case you need them – for walking on grass, dirt or mud.
Finally, you want to be sure to protect your dress and accessories, whether you’re getting dressed and ready at home, at a friend’s or at the venue. A Garment Bag (i.e. Peaches Boutique Garment Bag, $10) will protect your prom gear from dust, nosy fingertips, pets and any other intrusive elements.
