FOCUS
April 28,1999
Page9
(Thr VorHanh ------------------------------------------------
Bobv<, Minb & Spirit
E
v e r y t h in g
L
ooks
PROMising!
things. I t’s the o p p o rtu n ity to get
dressed up and be glamorous. To for
get the m undane and think about the
future. W hen asked, one Park Rose
H.S. senior said, “the prom gives girls
the chance to be as beautiful as they
can. T hey can dress up in gorgeous
gowns, have their hair and make-up
done, and be totally pam pered. It’s a
chance to feel like Cinderella. And the
rom ance around the Prom is em bed
y J ennifer S traight
:EO of I maging R esources
C ontributing W riter
pring is the season of transfor
m ation and the world around
S
us seems to wake up and shows
is its beautiful colors. A nd no other
iigh school event is m ore colorful and
exciting as the traditional Spring rite
,f passage known as the Prom. Simply
mention the word 'prom ' and it con
jures up images of beautiful young men
and women transform ed into the very
essence of elegance and celebration.
T he Prom , and every decision, conver
sation, and preparation leading up to
the special day, is about transform ing
from the everyday to the extraordinary.
Nothing plays a bigger part in trans
form ation th an clothin g , hair, and
make-up. For the ladies, what to wear
is probably the most im portant deci
sion to be m ade (next to who you re
going with...). A nd on the list of Im por
tant Dresses, the Prom dress probably
ranks second to the W edding Dress.
This year, the ballgown is back, like the
Cinderella dress with full skirts, boned
bodices, small straps, pastel colors. The
look is soft, very feminine, and elegant.
If such a full skirt style isn’t appealing,
then many girls tu rn to the feminine,
and elegant. If such a full skirt style isn’t
appealing, then many girls tu rn to the
sophisticated style of the slim fitting
gowns with various types of straps and
back styles.
However, when choosing a gown, it’s
im portant to think about what’s most
flattering on your figure, and the most
appropriate for who you are. If you’re
uncomfortable in your dress, either be
cause it doesn’t fit or it ‘feels funny’, then
you won’t be comfortable throughout
the evening. So make sure that the dress
you have looks and feels right for you,
not because it is the ‘in’ color or ‘hottest’
style. O ther places to check out unique
Prom dresses are bridal shops (brides
maid dresses) and vintage clothing bou
tiques. And what about that common
occurrence, two people w earing the
same exact ‘one of a kind’ dress to the
same dance? If you’ve purchased a gown
at the same well stocked retailer as ev
ery other young woman in town, then
put your stamp of individuality on it
through your hair, make-up, accessories,
and attitude.
If you have a beau tifu l backless
gown, you w on’t w ant to hide it by
Jennifer Straight specializes in im age
management and personal shopping.
U Jlouiuny, nu.w .w —
w earing your long h air down. There
are w onderful crystal barrettes and
h air clips that add interest and hold
the hair in place, and the traditional
dress.
socks.
socks
shoes
chignon twisted up is always a classic
socks
a re
not
appropriate.. .Remember,
elegance is in the details.
A nd a word about cor
sages. If yo u r d ate is
w e a rin g a stra p le ss
gown, a w rist corsage
might be m ore appropri
ate. O r maybe you could
ask her which kind she’d
look. Plan to carry a small evening
handbag large enough to carry your
lipstick, powder, cam era, and money.
If you have access to a cell phone, you
m ight w ant to consider having it with
you as well.
A nd a word about your shoes. Wear
them before the prom. Make sure the
bottom s are scuffed up so you don’t
slip. Stretch them out enough that your
feet aren’t killing your before you’re
finished with dinner. Few things can
ru in a great look like a frowning face
from the pain of pinched toes.
Gentlem en, I’ve not forgotten you!
No doubt you will look stunning in a
tux, most m en do. If selfexpression is
high on your list, have fun with a vest,
cum m erbund, and tie. And if you are
chooseing to wear a suit instead, make
sure the suit and shirt are pressed, and
your tie doesn’t clash with your date’s
A nd a word on
W ear nice dress
th at m atch your
and suit. W hite
p refer. L et h e r know
you’ve spent some time
th in k in g a b o u t w h at
sh e’d like. A nd d o n ’t
forget th e sim ple ges
tu r e s th a t sw eep a
w oman off h er feet, like
o p e n in g th e d o o r for
her. Yum! T h ere’s noth
ing sexier th an a m an
with m anners!
In o u r cu ltu re, the
P ro m
m eans
m an y
ded into our culture, from the prom
ise of dream dates to finding a soul
mate, from moving a relationship for
ward to starting a new one. W hen the
Prom is m entioned, people will always
have a story. So, for everyone who have
yet to attend their prom , have an in
credibly fabulous time!
Jennifer Straight can be reached at
5 0 3 /4 5 2 -8 9 8 6 o r by e m a il at
jgs@teleport.com.