Styles
Dear Prom Girl....
First prom or last prom it all starts at Lillian's. Let us help you find the gown of your dreams. These helpful tips will help you in selecting your gown.
Finding the right gown for you....
If you are like most girls, you probably have one or two features on your body that you love and wouldn’t mind showing off, as well as one or two features (or more) that you’d like to hide under a paper bag or trade in. The absolutely wonderful thing about a well-designed prom dress is that it can make your good features shine and your less desirable features dim in comparison. You know that not every celebrity has a perfect body, but you could almost never guess that fact when you see them in their evening gowns. Why not take a lesson from the celebrities? If you have a feature you absolutely love on your body, take a look at the tips below to customize your dress to that feature. Your beautiful, flattering dress awaits you.
Curves: A sexy, curvy, Marilyn Monroe body merits some well deserved attention. To highlight your hourglass figure, choose a ball gown with a full skirt and boned corset. The corset will flatter your waist and display your luscious hips and bust while the full skirt will hide any unwanted weight in the legs and thighs.
Small Waist: To highlight and draw attention to a tiny waist, try a belted dress with a sash or tie at the middle. Any extra detail at your waist will draw eyes toward your tiny middle.
Great Calves: To draw eyes down toward your great calf muscles, try a full skirted dress that falls just at the knees. This flirty dress style is trendy and popluar for the season and will highlight the lower part of your legs.
Sexy Back: If you have great, toned back muscles and want to show them off, try wearing a backless gown. Be sure to invest in a strapless, backless bra so you have adequate support in the front.
Voluptuous Bust: To best display a voluptuous bust try just a hint of cleavage and wide straps to hide your bra. Just be careful to wear a bra with adequate support to give shaping to your bust.
Flat, Sexy Abs: To show off your model thin stomach and muscular abs, try a dress with cutouts or a gown with semi-sheer paneling at the waist. This will give you a flirty, fun look.
To-Die-For-Legs: To draw eyes and attention toward your sexy legs, try a gown with an asymmetrical hem to show off just a hint of leg. The asymmetrical gown is more elegant and formal than a short gown and is guaranteed to be more flattering than a straight cut.
Here at Lillian's our experienced customer service attendants will help you in selected just the right gown for you. Remember we are here to help you find the perfect gown, no matter what the occasion!
What style to choose...
Shopping for a prom dress can be a little overwhelming especially if you are new to the formal dress scene. Here is a list of common terms and definitions related to prom dresses, as well as brief flattery tips for each dress style. We guarantee they will help you shop more confidently and successfully.
Empire Cut
An empire cut dress has a high waistline (generally beginning just beneath the bust) and a long, full skirt that flows straight from this waistline. The empire style camouflages a pear shape or thick waist and creates an illusion of height for short or petite figures.
A-Line
An A-line gown has a form-fitted bodice that flares out from the natural waist to a full skirt. This type of gown features a seamless waist and may also be called a princess-cut gown. The gently flared style flatters most figure types and is especially useful for disguising large hips and thighs.
Tea-Length
A tea-length dress is a gown that is hemmed to end just at the shin. It has a fun, flirty appearance that is perfect for a slightly casual or more relaxed appearance at the prom. This dress style is ideal if your calves are your best feature or you have a tall, thin figure.
High-Low Gown
A high-low gown is hemmed long in the back (at the ankles or to the floor) and just above the knees in the front. This trendy, new style creates a unique, sexy prom dress appearance. It is perfect for showing off long legs and an hourglass figure.
Tulle Skirt / Bouffant Gown
A bouffant gown is characterized by a sheer, puffed-out skirt often made from stiffened rayon or silk. The skirt of this type of gown is similar in fabric construction (but not necessarily in length) to a ballerina tutu. The flared skirt is perfect for disguising a bottom-heavy figure.
Ball Gown
A ball gown is characterized by a very full skirt that begins at the natural waist and proceeds to floor length. The waist is seamed and may be styled in various shapes and designs. The ball gown style visually cuts the body in half and is ideal on average to tall figures.
A word about your shoes....
It’s important to have a great looking pair of shoes to highlight your beautiful dress. When looking for a shoe for prom, keep style and comfort balanced by following the tips below:
- If you are afraid your feet will start killing you before you make it through the first batch of dances, bring along a pair of flip-flops with jewels or beading to slip on halfway through. Flip-flops are usually small and lightweight enough to fit into your purse.
- If you are wearing a shoe with a high heel, be sure the shoe comes with ankle straps. The ankle straps will keep you secure and prevent any lost-shoe mishaps on the dance floor.
- To wow your date and friends with your put-together style, look for a pair of shoes that are exactly the same color as your dress. If you cannot find the exact same color, we can dye to match for you.
- If you are wearing a simple gown without too much pizzazz, add some glamour to your ensemble with your shoes. Try wearing a shoe with heel-to-toe beading, sequins, or shimmer.
- For glamorous style in a shiny dress, look for a shoe in a colored metallic to match your dress instead of a shoe in plain gold or silver.
- If you are wearing a very sparkly gown, choose sparkly shoes to accompany it. They will match your dress perfectly and may even steal some well-earned attention.
- If you are wearing a rhinestone-studded gown, look for shoes with rhinestones in matching color, shape, and style.
- If you are wearing open-toed sandals, be sure to get a pedicure before the big day. You will want your feet to add to your overall beautiful image.
Lillian's has a large selection of in stock Prom shoes just for you in various colors and styles. Check out some of the sytles shown on the web site!
Selecting the right jewelry...
The jewelry you choose to wear with your prom dress depends entirely upon your own personal taste and the style of your prom dress. If you like flashy jewelry and lots of it, feel free to dress yourself to the nines on prom night. If you generally shy away from too much jewelry, a simple necklace and pair of earrings should be enough to jazz up your look. For the right look with your jewelry, keep the following tips in mind:
- Overall, rhinestones are the most popular choice for prom night jewelry. They are very elegant and add the perfect dressed-up look to your prom style. If your dress or shoes contain rhinestones, remember to look for rhinestone jewelry in the same size and shape for a perfectly pulled-together look.
- The length and style of your necklace should depend upon the neckline of your prom dress. If your neckline drops low or plunges, look for a long necklace to decorate bare skin in your neck and chest. If your neckline is high, choose a shorter necklace style (such as a choker) to offer equal play to both the necklace and dress.
- Remember to decide on your prom hair style before you purchase earrings for your prom dress. If you are wearing your hair up, feel free to wear large, dangly earrings. If you are wearing your hair down, look for hoops, large studs, or other styles that will not get tangled in your hair.
- If it complements your dress and your personal style, wear a tiara on prom night. You may never get the chance to legitimately wear princess attire again, and you do not want to waste it.
We carefully select our prom jewelry from all over the country and spend months making sure we have picked just the "hottest" and current styles of jewelry. Lillian's also carries custom colored garters, gloves, rings and much more in our store!