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Patty's
Prom Tips
Step by Step Hair Up-Do's by
"5-Minute
Fun Finishes" published by Intra America Beauty Network.
PROM FASHIONS 2006
CELEBRITIES SET THE SEASON’S FASHION TRENDS AT THE GLODEN GLOBE AWARDS!
. . . tea-length gowns this year. In keeping with the "casual" feel of
the evening, many of the men chose open shirts worn without ties.
But black was definitely their color choice for tuxedoes.
Chandelier earrings are still the rage. Fewer
necklaces adorned those pretty necks than in years past. If the
gown was long---it trailed elegantly behind---not quite a train, but
certainly a lot of fabric swirling as the stars walked the red
carpet. Hair was worn either simply up in a bun or chignon, or
down softly over the shoulders. (Step by Step Hair Up-Do's by
"5-Minute
Fun Finishes" published by Intra America Beauty Network.)
Make-up was subtle and natural. Opting for less rather than
more.
The best example of being perfectly put together might have been
Desperate Housewives' Nicollette Sheridan. She wore midnight blue
jersey with sapphire and diamond earrings, her hair pulled up and off
of her neck. She made that classic, elegant, movie star statement
that you might want to emulate for your Prom Night!
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YOUR PERFECT PROM DRESS
Patty: We are speaking this month with Lisa. She is an
assistant designer for Jump Apparel. Hi Lisa! I want to
thank you for talking to our readers about the "now" looks for this
year's prom gowns.
Lisa: I'm happy to do it. Prom is such an exciting event.
We feel the
excitement at Jump Apparel.
Patty: Where do you actually work?
Lisa: In Jump Apparel's design offices in New York City. We
actually have three prom lines that we design. They are of
course; Jump by Wendye Chaitin, but we also have Onyx Night by Wendye
Chaitin by Wendye Chaton, and Marina by Marina Bresler.
Patty: If I were to ask you what is the newest thing about
prom gowns
this year, what would you say?
Lisa: Well, I think I'd talk about two things; color and
embellishment. The colors of gowns this year are scrumptious.
Last year we saw lovely pastels,
but this year the colors pop. Think corals, pinks, fushia,
watermelon, and
especially turquoise! Of course we still have very traditional
black and
white, but your readers will find lots of wonderful colors to choose
from
this year.
Patty: Wow, those colors sounds good enough to eat! What is
the embellishment
you mentioned?
Lisa: Well, there is a lot of extra detail on gowns this
year. We used embroidery on some, rhinestones on others, and
glitter reflected on the fabric. The gowns have some real style
and glamour to them. Of course there are also gowns which are
understated and sleek for those who want that look too.
Patty: How about the length of dresses? Do tea length or
ballerina length
enter into the picture this season?
Lisa: Not really. Of course we show some gowns in those
lengths, but most girls want full length gowns and most of the
dresses in our lines reflect that.
Patty: What about that Cinderella dress? Can girls find
that this year?
Lisa: Yes, we call that a ball gown. We are showing ball
gowns this year too. But slinky knits are also in vogue. It
is pretty nice. There is a lot of variety. Girls will be
able to really choose the look that is best for them.
Patty: Lisa, how would you recommend doing that? How should
they shop?
Lisa: The advice I always give is that they should try on lots
and lots of dresses, even if they don't think they like a dress on the
hanger. You never know until you try it on. Also, they
should take someone with them to give his or her opinion as to which
dress looks best on them. It is difficult to do, but a girl needs
to look past how pretty a dress is and really see how the dress makes
her look. For example, a very full-skirted ball gown won't look
as good on someone who is short. It tends to make a short girl
look shorter, where a slimmer skirt will show off her petite frame.
Patty: Overall, what style gown would you say is most flattering
to one's
figure?
Lisa: That is a difficult thing to say because everyone is
different, but a shape that is good for many people is a basic A line.
It flatters almost anyone who puts it on.
Patty: That's interesting. That's a good thing to remember.
And would
you say that accessories are going to be important this year?
Lisa: I would minimize accessories this year. Gowns are
often shown with their own special touches. For example, some have
straps that cross in the back, or a cowl neck, or this year we are
seeing lots of scarves. We are also showing beautiful shawls.
They often have fringe or embroidery or are made of lovely
fabrics like burnout velvet. So if a girl wears jewelry, it
should be small, and emphasize one area. A single small bracelet
is nice, or small dangly earrings, or a small necklace. But I
wouldn't wear all three of those.
Patty: Where can our readers find gowns from Jump, Onyx Night, or
Marina?
And do you have a price range for your line?
Lisa: Jump by Wendye Chaitin runs about $125-$180, and can be
found at
J.C. Penney, Sears, Dillards, Nordstrom, Macy's, and David Bridal.
Onyx
Night by Wendye Chaitin is in the $145-$180 range and can be found at
many
of the same stores as Jump, and Marina by Marina Bresler is about
$150-$200.
Marina sells in Macy's and Bloomingdale's as well as many other
retailers
coast to coast.
Patty: Lisa, thank you so much for your time. This has been
so interesting. We appreciate your sharing your insights with us.
Is there one last thought you'd like to leave with our readers?
Lisa: I just have one more. I hope that all those who are
shopping for prom dresses will remember that variety is the spice of
life. There are so
many directions they can take with their shopping. They shouldn't
omit the
Vintage Stores that have come in vogue the last few years. Often
these stores
have used gowns from the 40's or 50's or 60's or 70's, and they are
wonderful
styles that are unique. A girl who finds a gown like that will be
the only
one wearing it at the dance, and she will be sensational looking!
Patty: That's a great idea. And for those with a tight
budget, it is a wonderful resource. Thanks again Lisa! You
are terrific! |
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Anderson's Prepares for Fall
 
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Decorating Ideas
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Patty's Famous FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Patty- I need a way to answer my prom date! He asked me by giving
me an angel food cake with a note that said, "Be an ANGEL and go to the
dance with me!" I want to answer him creatively. . .any ideas?
Heather- If I were you, I'd keep the theme going that he introduced.
You might go with opposites and give him a chocolate
(Devil's Food) cake with a note that says, "I'd love to go with
you if you won't be a devil!" Or you
could use the angel theme and have a friend dressed in angel's wings
take
a telegram to his house with your reply, "Going with you to the prom
would
be Heavenly!"
Patty- Hi! I have a problem. My dress is lilac or lavender, and I
can't find the exact color purple shoes to match my dress. I
looked at the shoes you can get dyed and I don't like the styles, so I
was wondering what other color I could wear for my shoes and purse that
would look great!
Delores- You could wear silver, cream, taupe, or any other fairly
neutral color. If you choose a strappy little sandal, you could
even wear something darker than those if you'd like. In general,
just remember that your shoes should be a bit darker than your hemline.
Then your feet will not be the first thing that everyone sees.
And get a small purse to match your shoes. Some girls are
even having small bags made to match their dresses. Then they
blend right in to their look.
Patty- Next weekend is our prom. My friends and I have looked at
fashion magazines all year and haven't seen many gals wearing nylons.
Are pantyhose a no no? My dress has a slit up the right leg
and is pretty tight. I usually wear Victoria Secret's Sheer
Pantyhose with the panty built in so I I don't have panty lines when I
wear skirts. My shoes are strappy and are open toed. My mom
says yes, wear stockings, but my best friend says no. Please
advise!!!!!!!!
Jane- All of the girls you see in the magazines are standing still!
You won't be. Feeling comfortable is the most important
thing on your Prom Night. Wearing stockings will give you a bit
of support and coverage. They hide a lot of our flaws and allow a
dress to flow more smoothly over the body. I'd advise that you
wear the stockings.
Patty- I want to know what I can do, because I broke my leg and have a
big cast on it. Is there any way I can cover it up or decorate it
so that it is beautiful for the prom? (I am wearing a long dress,
just so you know.)
Melissa- I'd say that the sky is the limit! Use your imagination!
Let
your friends help. It might be one of your favorite parts of
getting ready
for the dance. You could wrap it in fabric that is similar to
your dress,
or paint it with colored markers, or put ribbon around it, or even
decorate it to look like it has a shoe at the bottom like your other
foot! You can have a lot of fun with this! Just remember to
take pictures of it when you are done.
Patty- Is it a good idea to buy my prom dress now while I am not as
busy as I will be in a few months getting ready for the Prom?
Barbara- It is always a good idea to start early and look for a dress
that will be perfect for you. But be careful. I got a
letter from a reader who bought her dress in the summer and then
started swimming on her school's swim
team. Well, when the prom came, her shoulders had developed and
she was
in great shape, but she didn't fit into her dress anymore. So if
you buy
early, be sure that it will be the kind of dress that has some leeway
for
change!
Patty- What dresses can make you more slim?
MaryAnn- I assume that you mean, what style dresses make you appear
more slender? Obviously, no dress that I know of can really take
the pounds off, but there are some that will make you look thinner.
Here are the two things to consider: The first is the color
of the dress. The darker the color, the more slenderizing it will
be. Black is the color that does this best. It really does make
us look thinner. Have you heard the expression, The perfect
little black dress? That is where it comes from. Black is
flattering! The
second consideration is style. You should avoid dresses that are
really tight
or really full with lots of fabric. If a dress is too tight, it
shows the
bulges, and if it is too full, there is so much fabric it appears to
add
pounds to the figure. A line dresses are often flattering.
But as is always
true, you will need to try a dress on. You won't know what looks
best on
you until you start trying them yourself. Allow plenty of time,
and try
lots of styles. That way you will be sure to get the dress that
is best
for you.
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Try this one . . .
My Most Memorable Prom Night
A Night to Remember
I'll just say it was unforgettable. . . it felt like something from a
movie or a fantasy. . . but. . . yes. . . well I went to my prom. . .
for the last half hour of it anyway. . . so here's my story; I
went on a double date. My friend and I picked up our dates at
6:30 and we were running late. And man, when I saw my date in her
prom dress. . . she looked beautiful. . . I
mean she was gorgeous. We went to eat at Il Fornaio, which was
very good, and when we were done we went to our car. . . but guess
what, it wasn't there. So we thought someone was playing a joke
on us. But then we saw a sign on
the wall that said, "NO PARKING, For Residents Only". We couldn't
believe it. We called up the apartment manager and he said that
no one told him anything
so he wasn't going to put charges on us. Then he told us where
our car was
in impound, which was 30 blocks away. So we walked 10 blocks and
we found
a taxi. He was cool cuz he only charged us like $12 for a 20
block ride
for 4 people and he didn't take a tip. Now we were at the impound
and the
lady that was working was laughing and asked us "How's your day going?"
She
told us that we had to pay $100, so I paid for it because no one else
had
the money. Then we went off to prom, but we got lost. It
took us like 1
1/2 hours to get there. We arrived at 10:30, so we took pictures
and only got to dance to one song, which was the last dance. . . which
was kind of cool. So after prom we went to my house and watched a
movie and my date and
I just cuddled, which was also cool cuz I really like her, ever since
last
year. Then we dropped our dates at 1:30 cuz they had a curfew.
I was supposed
to get a kiss g'night. . . but her mom was inside the door. . .
so I didn't
get one. . . so yeah. . . that's our night. . . it was
great overall. .
. cuz I know now that my date likes me!
WE'RE JUST FRIENDS
Hi, my name is ---- ------ and I was a Junior when my friend asked me
to prom. We all have a really close group of friends and one of
my guy friends in the group I guess really liked me. Everyone was
always trying to set me
up with him. Anyway prom time was closing in and I didn't have a
date. I
went to work one night and it was a really bad night. I work at a
restaurant as a hostess. People were yelling at me and
everything. Just when I was walking back to the kitchen to do my
side work, I saw a man with a dozen roses.
I didn't think anything of it until I found out they were for me.
I started
to cry because I only thought of him as a friend. So I called my
friends
who were at a party. I told them all about it. To top it
all off he was
at the party too. They said that they could tell that he was
really embarrassed.
I told them not to say anything to him about it. I didn't
know what to
do because I really wanted to go to prom with him because I knew that I
would
have fun. On the other hand I didn't want him to think that I
wanted to
be more than friends. After a time deciding, I finally accepted.
I told
him that I wanted to go just as friends. He showed up at my house
on prom
night with another dozen roses and a smile. I took it with a
grain of salt.
Through the course of the night I began to realize what my
friends were
talking about and why they wanted to hook me up with him. We
ended up kissing
at the end of the night. Now two months later we are still
together. I
never knew that being just friends could end up being much more!
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