Top 5 Prom Colors of 2012

Black

Black is back!  There is nothing more classic than an elegant black dress, which is what makes black our best selling color so far this prom season!

 

White
In the past, most girls saved white for their wedding day but why wait?  White is such a pristine color there is no need to avoid wearing it for prom. This year white is our second best selling color and for good reason. 

 

Purple
There is a simple explanation as to why purple is our number three best selling color.  IT LOOKS GOOD ON EVERYONE!  Whether you are darker skinned or as pale as the Cullen family,  purple in every tone is stunning.

 

Royal 

Any dress in a royal just seems to look more expensive. Royal is another color that pops on  every skin tone.

Red
No matter how big the crowd you are bound to stand out in a red gown which is why it made it in our top 5 for prom 2012!  Red is the color most girls want and the first color to sell  out, which makes it harder to find. Shop early if this is your first choice for gown color!

The black dress pictured is Flirt style P4672

The white dress pictured is an Allure style A408
The purple gown is a Mori Lee style 91057

The royal is a Sherri Hill style 1456

The red gown is a Scala style Q4106

Top 5 Prom Trends of 2012

Short 

Short dresses today are much more formal than they were just a few short years ago. Between the GLITZed-out bodices and fun flirty bottoms, these gowns have made their way into the hearts of prom girls nationwide. 

High-Low 

The High-Low trend debuted last year with the popular Sherri Hill style 8300 and has grown into the most requested trend of 2012.  Occasional referred to as a mullet gown, this style is short in the front and longer in the back. It allows you to show off those oh-so-cute shoes you purchased just for the big day.

Chiffon 

Chiffon is the material for anyone  inspired by Hollywood glamour. The chiffon flows as you walk, creating the illusion that you are floating on air.  This lightweight material gives you the comfortable to dance the night away. 

Sequins
From a gown full of sequins to the simplest of dresses you can’t seem to get away from the bling this year.  Embellished waist bands, fully beaded bodices, and sparkly skirts are making a big splash. 

Ruffles

This trend has hit all of the girls looking for a fun prom gown.  Why settle for a plain skirt when you can have moving frilly ruffles!

 

TIPS: SHOPPING FOR THE PERFECT PROM DRESS

Tip 1: Do your research

Hop on the internet and figure out what you like.  Many girls have a look you are hoping to create on the big night.  Whether it’s fun and funky or classic Hollywood glamour, gather pictures and style numbers to bring with on your shopping trip. 

Tip 2: Talk with your consultant

Let your consultant know what you were hoping to wear on the big night.  Now is a great time to show her your list of style numbers and/or pictures.  Don’t be discouraged if we don’t have the exact dresses you were favoring. More than likely, we have something very similar.  Allow your consultant to pull you gowns and be flexible.  Who knows, you may end up loving that mermaid style you never thought would look good on you. 

Tip 3: Stick with your initial vision

We have heard from some of our customers that they had initially envisioned a sleek straight gown and walked away with a big ball gown that they later regretted.  You have a look in mind for a reason so if you are between two gowns and simply can’t decide, go with the style that matches your original  vision…unless you fall madly head over heels in love with something else. 

Tip 4: Finish the look

The easiest way to get an idea of how you will look on the big night is if you finish the look.  The best time to figure out what will and won’t work with your gown is when you have it on!  So throw on a pair of heels and GLITZ! yourself up with some jewelry.

  

Prom Registration Does It Really Matter?

Once upon a time in a land far, far away (approximately half way across the Mall of America and two floors down) GLITZ! used to register their gowns.

Now we do believe that in theory this concept is a great one. We understand why a girl would want their dress to be the one and only at their prom. Prom night is a special night for every girl and each one hopes to find the perfect dress that will blow the rest out of the water. Admittedly there is nothing worse than showing up to an event in a beautiful gown you took hours to pick out only to see five other girls have the exact same one.

But what about the other side of the story? What about all of those girls who fall in love with a dress and get told that they cannot purchase it? We have seen plenty of hearts break over this exact situation. There came a time when we had to ask ourselves if all the tears that were shed were really worth it. When we would approach a girl to tell the dress of her dreams would not be able to be sold to her, usually she would beg and plead with us. Girls didn't care if they had the same dress as someone else at their school as long as they were able to wear the dress that they love! Some girls would even go as far as to lie about what school they went to, what event they were wearing the dress to, or would have someone else come in to buy the dress.

Truth be told, the registration book has become a pointless sales ploy to get young girls to buy dresses from one store over others. With so many bridal shops, specialty prom dress stores and online sites (which we strongly warn against, see previous blog posts!) there is not a store that can promise you that you will be the only person at your prom with a particular gown. No store has the exclusivity of a designer, nor does any store truly have "one of a kind" gowns from big brands like Jovani, Sherri Hill, Flirt, Etc..

We decided we dislike misleading our customers and making promises we can't keep since there are other ways for ambitious girls to purchase the same dress as you, whether it is from another location or by being less than truthful when they are purchasing it. So one day, we did the unthinkable. We pulled the plug on registering our dresses. It has been 3 prom seasons since we have registered a dress for a school dance and our customers have never been happier. Girls are leaving our store with a skip in their step.

Still want a totally unique dress? That is fine, just let us know! GLITZ! has a different buying strategy than any other store in the area which allows us to have a larger variety of dresses. You may also consider coming to our weekly trunk shows. The shows are filled with dresses GLITZ! doesn't normally carry in our store for a limited time. Be sure to communicate with our staff when you are shopping. If we know you want a truly special dress we will better be able to help you. Keep in mind we know our stock like the back of our hand and see what gets tried on and what gets neglected. Some gowns look fantastic on but not so great on their hanger so they get overlooked on a daily basis. Use the sales consultant to your advantage - just because it doesn't get tried on much doesn't mean it isn't amazing on! We make it our mission to be sure you stand out on your big day. Don't be afraid to ask if a gown is one of our better sellers (and therefore one you may want to avoid) - our staff will be happy to let you know.

At the end of the day it is our hope that you leave the store with a smile on your face, a dress that you love, and the confidence to know that YOU WILL look stunning on your big day.

Your Prom Timeline

It's never too early to:

- Start looking at magazines, on the web and in stores to try to figure out the perfect look for prom night.
- Begin the search for the perfect dress
- Find and schedule an appointment to see a seamstress (once you have a prom gown) to help with any alterations you may need.

One Month Before the Big Day

- If you have not already scheduled alterations do so immediately. This time of year seamstresses are swamped with prom dresses and may take a couple of weeks to get your dress done!
- Start searching for the perfect accessories. You will need shoes and jewelry such as earrings, a necklace and/or bracelet. You may also need a clutch to keep your cell phone and lip gloss in if your dress doesn't have pockets.
- If you are getting hair and/or makeup done professionally, make the appointments. With so many proms going on, the sooner you do this the better! The best time to schedule these would be late morning or early afternoon. This will allow you plenty of time to get dressed and relax a little before the paparazzi begin!

* Doing your own makeup or hair? Start looking for ideas and practice the ideas you like or ask a friend to help you achieve your desired look. Also start looking for makeup shades that compliment your dress and your skin tone.

- Start thinking about who you want in your group. Keep in mind big groups are fun but small are more intimate and easier to organize.
- Look into transportation options. Limo and party bus companies tend to book fast so be sure to hash out the details quickly.

2 Weeks to Go

- Visit a local florist with your date or your mother and pick out your date's boutonniere. If your date is with you it is the perfect opportunity to help him to pick out your corsage as well. Sometimes it is easier to get it all done at once so you don't have to worry about your date forgetting. If he doesn't go with you, don't forget to remind him to pick up a corsage!
- Finalize your group.
- Figure out where your group will meet for pre-grand march photos.
- Call your transportation company (if you chose to use one) and confirm.
- If you are getting any pre-prom pampering done, like a manicure and pedicure, call and schedule the appointment.
- Start using Crest White Strips so you have a brilliant white smile on the big day!

1 Week to Go

- Call to confirm any appointments you may have made (nails, hair, makeup).
- Try on your dress, shoes and accessories one last time! Be sure that everything is fitting well and you are comfortable. Sit in the dress and walk up and down a few flight of stairs just to be sure everything is feeling good!
- Run to Target or the Mall of America to pick up any last minute purchases (lip stick, nail polish, Spanx, a garter, hair accessories, bobby pins etc...)
- Take your dress out of any bag it may be in to allow the dress to breathe a little. If the dress has any wrinkles in it put it in the bathroom while you take a hot shower. This will allow any wrinkles to steam out over a couple of days.

1 Day to Go

- Charge your camera! Make sure your memory card has plenty of space. You only get so many times in your life to dress fabulously so you will want to take plenty of pictures.
- Pick up your date's boutonniere from the florist.
- Get together everything you will need to bring with you to prom. Lip gloss/stick, mini perfume, gun or breath mints for after dinner, and makeup compact for the last minute touch ups, and extra cash for any unexpected expenses you may run across.
- Get your nails done professionally or do your own nails.

The Big Day

- DO NOT WASH YOUR HAIR. If you are getting your hair done, dirty hair is much easier to work with than freshly washed hair!
- Wash your face with a face scrub so it's soft and luminous. Don't forget to moisturize after to help your makeup to appear even, smooth, and well blended.
- Eat a healthy breakfast. You will need your energy!
- Head off to the salon. Be sure to be on time and wear a button up shirt so when you take it off your hair and makeup stays perfect.
- Once you get home relax a little bit if you have time. If not, get dressed and decked out in all of your accessories.

Whew, there is way more to prom planning than you expected isn't there? Prepare ahead of time so you don't stress yourself out!

SHOP EARLY!

It happens every year- girls comes in a week before their prom and are devastated to find that many stores are already picked over. Even though there are stunning dresses on the racks, she can’t find anything she loves in her size.  She can’t order one because it is too late and there is no way it would arrive in time for her to wear it to prom.  

Here is our bit of prom shopping wisdom… SHOP EARLY!

We know that you want to wait and see what everyone else is going to wear but in the prom dress world the early bird gets the worm!

The girl who shops in February can choose from thousands of dresses.  The stores may be a little busy but she will still have little issues getting in and out of fitting rooms quickly. It will become more difficult and more difficult to special order dresses from manufacturers as the month progresses but there are still thousands of gowns on the racks to chose from. She still has months to decide on little things that complete her prom ensemble like shoes and jewelry and plenty of time to custom make a garter.  

The girl who shops in March is among the majority.  She may still feel it is a little early to be shopping but bites the bullet and goes anyway.  She is greeted with long lines to get into fitting rooms (**don’t forget, this year we are taking appointments**) and hundreds of dresses to choose from.  She will be trying on gowns at the same time as a bunch of other girls who are also needing attention from our knowledgeable sales consultants.  Ordering for her may be hit or miss depending on the vendor company and the date of her prom. 

The girl who shops in April thought they were right on schedule but are surprised to find their options are more limited than expected.  They may have a couple hundred dresses to choose from.  Waiting time for fitting rooms will continue to be an extended and the sales consultant’s attention will be a little more diverted than it is in February.  Ordering is practically impossible so they are limited to what is in stock and what they can get altered to fit. 

The girl who shops in May is truly a last minute shopper.  They have about a hundred gowns to choose from.  The likeliness of being able to order is next to nothing. 

We do have the shoppers that browse early and find the dress of their dreams.  They feel like it is too soon to purchase their prom gown and walk away without it.  When they return months later, they are heartbroken to find the dress is long gone and back ordered until June.  Don’t be one of our horror stories!  If you love a dress, buy it. We offer layaways so you only need to put half down in order to reserve your gown.

There is no wrong way of shopping. Just be aware that the earlier the better.  You may also want to consider shopping on week nights.  Out-of-town guests flock to malls all around on the weekends, leaving week days a less busy and more relaxed time to shop.

No matter when you decide to come, we hope you enjoy your prom dress shopping experience.

PROM has Arrived!

Our favorite time of year is finally here…PROM SEASON!!!! 

We have already received thousands of new gowns in hopes of making your prom a special one.   Remember we carry a large variety of gowns with few repeating styles in the store so hurry in for the best selection.

Here are some of GLITZ!’s top picks of the year: