On prom night you are trying to achieve an overall look. Your dress, hair, make-up and accessories should blend together to create a beautiful picture. No one thing should stand out on its own. Achieve that, and you too will shine like the star that you are!

Prom Tips for Gals

1. Less is always more. When in doubt, go for the simpler style choice. Whether it is your hair, jewelry, dress, make-up, or shoes, go simple. That way your overall look will be the focus of attention, not some single item that overpowers your outfit.

2. Monochromatic color choices are slimming. Choose dresses that are all one color. It is slenderizing and not too busy. And you will look your best.

3. Hairstyles today are much more casual than before. The days of hairspray and loads of bobby pins are thankfully over. The chignons that were worn on the red carpet were low at the base of the head with small strands allowed free to waft in any slight breeze. The result was soft and flattering.

4. Keep jewelry to a minimum. If you want to wear a single knockout piece of jewelry—earrings that dangle was the choice of most of the stars at the Oscars.

5. Black always looks great. It is chic, slenderizing, and formal, no matter what the style choice. It is hard to go wrong in black, as Jennifer Aniston showed us again this year.

As always, Oscar Night was a fun night for star watching and seeing what the new trends are for this year’s prom season. Use the stars choices as suggestions, and then go out and try lots of dresses, hairstyles, and jewelry, and choose what looks best on you!

Prom 2008 How Much Will the Eveing Cost? / Ticket / Evening Gown Boutonniere / Photographs / Limousine / Dinner Hair / Nails / Make-Up Your Prom Night is one of the evenings you will remember for the rest of your life. There are many things you can do that will make the evening an especially enjoyable one. Of course everyone's idea of fun is different, so each of you will have slightly different needs, but there are some concerns and ideas that are relatively universal. These are three areas that we have found are asked about most often: How much will the evening cost? What are some ideas to make the evening more fun? and What should I do to prepare for unplanned occurrences? Remember, if you start planning three to four months in advance, you will best be able maximize your time and money. H O W   M U C H   W I L L   T H E   E V E N I N G   C O S T ? The cost of Prom Night can vary greatly from around $150 to as much as $1500. But you don't have to spend a fortune to have a good time if you plan ahead and make intelligent choices. Just be sure that when you decide to spend money on a particular item the money spent is worth it to you. It is your money and your night; choose wisely. The following is a list of items that will probably be part of your evening's expenses: T I C K E T This will vary from school to school. Some schools still have their proms in their school gymnasiums, and in these cases, the cost of the ticket could be as low as $20 per couple. But most high schools have their Junior-Senior Prom off-campus at a hotel, country club, or other ballroom facility. In a few of these cases, the ticket will cost $40-$50 per couple, but most prom tickets now cost between $100-$175 per couple. In these cases diner is included in the dance price and your entire evening can be spent with your friends at the prom itself. If your prom's ticket is in the $100-$175 range, you and your date may want to consider splitting the cost of the ticket. Most students do. It is just too expensive for one person to pay for the whole thing. E V E N I N G   G O W N The style of evening gowns varies tremendously from year to year, and from school to school. Some years everyone will wear cocktail-length dresses, and other years long dresses will be the rage. For many years black was the best color, while lately pastels have made a comeback. If you aren't sure what you want, look in magazines and in stores starting in about February. Give yourself a lot of time to decide what type of dress you want. Your first option for getting your dress would be going to a dressmaker. You would need to describe what you want, and the two of you can plan the timing, fabric, and fitting schedule for making your prom gown. Be warned however, that a dressmaker can be very expensive, and the dress you have imagined may not be what you end up with. The safer way to get a dress for the evening would be by shopping around. There are many stores that sell evening gowns. Some even specialize in them. Try on every dress that you think might work for you. Dresses usually look very different on you than they do on the hanger. If you don't try it on, you may eliminate a dress on the rack that looks great on you--so take your time. The amount of money you spend will be up to you. If you start early, you will probably be able to find a dress on sale or at an -outlet store. Be a smart shopper. Maybe even one of your friends will let you borrow a dress! If that works, you will have saved a lot of money you could spend on something else for your evening. But if you do buy a dress, and most girls do, it will probably be about $75-$250. B O U T O N N IE RE Customarily girls buy a boutonniere for their dates. Usually it is a pin-on carnation or rose with baby's breath to be worn traditionally on the right lapel. You may want to order this at the same time your date orders your coursage. Some florists will make a slightly cheaper package deal if you order the two items together. A boutonniere will cost $5-$15. P H O T O G R A P H S There will be a photographer at the prom ready to take posed couple and group shots. These picture packages can often run you a lot of money, so get a price list from your Activities Office at school before that evening so that you will know how much money you will need to have for this. Most photographers will take checks with proper ID or credit cards; so if you have either of these options available to you, it would be safer for you than carrying a lot of cash. You could spend anywhere from $50-$175 on pictures. Your parents and relatives may want copies, so calculate those needs into your picture order. These photographs will probably be a keepsake for years to come. You may also consider taking informal shots of yourself and friends throughout the evening with your own camera. These photos may turn out to be your favorite remembrances from your prom night. L I M O U S I N E A limousine is a very expensive optional extra for your prom night. It can be fun for three or four couples to go together to the prom in a limousine, and some do. Just be sure that you want to do this and budget accordingly. The standard cost for a limo for the evening starts around $400. If you split the cost between eight of you, it might be something you would like to do. But be sure to check to see that the limousine service is licensed by the state. Otherwise, there have been many horror stories about limo drivers leaving kids, asking for more money the evening of the prom, or not showing up at all if they get a better fare. Research the references of the service meticulously. Don't be sorry the evening of the Prom. D I N N E R If your dance does not provide dinner, or if you just want to go somewhere to eat before you go to the prom anyway, there are many choices as to where you can eat. It is often fun if you go in groups of two to four couples. If your group is bigger than that, you may have difficulty finding seating in the restaurant of your choice. Be sure that you make a reservation at the restaurant ahead of time. You may want to tell the restaurant at the time you are making your reservations that you are going to your prom after eating, and will need to be served in a timely fashion. Restaurants are usually cooperative if you tell them your needs. In fact, many will try to help you make it a special night. Expense here can also vary dramatically. Often each person pays for his or her own dinner, but again that will depend on your situation. Just remember that Prom Night is expensive, and most students try to split the costs as evenly as possible. Dinner could run anywhere from $10-$25 per person. H A I R / N A I L S / M A K E - U P Often girls have one or all three of these items done professionally for Prom Night. It is strictly a matter of personal taste, and up to you as to which, if any of these, you would like to have done for you. There are Beauty Salons that will do all three, or you could schedule appointments at different places for each service. Again, look in magazines and on television to get an idea as to what is in style and what you like. Talk to your friends to see what they are doing, and then decide that you want to do. NAILS-If you want your fingernails to look especially nice, you can have extensions put on, get a french manicure, or just have a professional manicure done. Again, depending upon where you live and what you have done to your nails, the cost will probably be $10-$50. MAKE-UP- Some girls like to have a professional do their make-up for the prom. You can go to a Salon that offers this service. Get an appointment and be sure that you communicate what you want to look like. Don't be afraid to tell them to do it again if they mess up some part of your look. You are paying them and you should be happy with the result. Most make-up artists charge $20-$50. You could also go to a make-up counter in a department store. If you make arrangements in advance, they will often apply your make up free of charge if you buy some of their products. It may not be cheaper, but you will have make up to take home with you to use for the next six months. Welcome / Credits / Feedback © Copyright 1997 Prom-Night.com. All rights reserved. Design and Production by Brian Truong