Are you bewildered when it comes to shopping for prom

Types And Styles Of Prom Dresses - Terms And Definitions

Are you bewildered when it comes to shopping for prom dresses? With all the types of formal gowns and dresses available, there are also many terms that describe the length, design, neckline, and style of a prom dress. You might feel overwhelmed when speaking with a sales clerk at a formal wear shop or even while shopping online for prom dresses. Below we've put together some helpful terms and definitions to help you be an informed shopper for prom dresses and other prom-related items of women's interests.

Prom Dress Styles

Some of the prom dress styles you might see include the ball gown, A-line (princess), sheath, lace-covered, high-low, baby doll, chiffon, one-shoulder, empire, golden glamour, modest, and halter.

Ballroom Gowns and A-Line Prom Dresses

A ballroom gown has a very large skirt that billows out from the waist to the mid-calf or ankles. It might have a fitted waist and top or a corset type top. The A-line or princess dress flares out to the hemline and is narrow near the waist. It forms an "a" shape as it fits to your body from top to bottom.

High-Low, Lace-Covered, and Chiffon Prom Dresses

The high-low dress zigzags vertically at the hemline so it is short in some spots and long in others. The sheath prom dress is one that clings to the body and hides nothing concerning your figure. The lace-covered dress can be a satin or satin-like material underneath with lace as a top layer. Chiffon dresses look similar to a fancy night robe worn by the women of Rome or Greece. With a high empire waist, the dress is long and flows from the hips down to the ankles. It is great for almost any figure.

Baby Doll, One-Shoulder, and Sleeveless Gowns

The baby doll prom dress is typically very short and cute. It usually fits at the top and flows at the bottom with a high waistline in between. Baby doll dresses usually come with a tied ribbon or belt around the stomach area to give the "baby dress" look. One-shoulder prom dresses have only one shoulder strap, of course, with the other side being sleeveless. These are usually long and elegant gowns. There are also completely strapless formal gowns and prom dresses. These can be worn with or without a jacket or wrap.

Halter, Golden Glamour, and Modest Prom Dresses

The halter prom dress looks similar to a halter top at the sleeves and then flows toward the knees. It is usually no longer than just below the knees and may look similar to a high-low dress at the hemline. The golden glamour dress is usually shiny gold to appear like "Hollywood" style apparel. The modest prom dress is beautiful, simple, and modest. It covers everything while still giving the wearer a touch of glamour and elegance.

Types of Sleeves

Cap sleeves are short and cover only the upper arms and shoulders. Juliet sleeves are puffy at the shoulders and taper all the way to the wrist. Some sleeves start below the shoulders or appear to "hang off" the shoulders. Also, spaghetti straps are thin straps with no sleeves.

Necklines

Necklines are also important when choosing a prom dress. The empire neckline scoops out and then connects with a very high waistline. A sweetheart neckline looks like the top of a heart. A jewel neckline is simple and round, located just above the collarbone. The boat neckline (Bandeau) comes around to each collarbone, similar to a sailor's suit.

Other Prom Terms to Know

There are also handbags, or small purses, and clutches that can match your prom dress. Clutches are small hand-held bags with no straps. Shawls and wraps are not jackets but fit around your shoulders loosely. You can wear them when outdoors during cold weather and easily remove them for dancing. A tiara is a princess-type hairpiece than can be worn with your hair purple dresses for girls up or down. There are elbow gloves and wrist gloves. Elbow gloves reach to your elbow, covering the bottom part of your arm while wrist gloves only cover the hands.

Before shopping for a prom dress, know what styles and accessories you are looking for so you can save time. Also, go online to view all mon cheri montage boutique the different styles available. You can even find great deals online on prom dresses by designers such as Mori Lee, Jovani, Clarisse, Niteline, Dave and Johny, Paris, Riva and Alyce Designs. There are often beautiful dresses online for the prom, homecoming, and other formal events that a local formal wear shop might not offer.

Choosing A Wedding Dress With Jacket

Weddings can happen anytime of the year but if you plan to have a fall or winter wedding then you should consider a wedding dress with jacket to ward of the chill. There are many different designs for a wedding dress with jacket. In fact, it does not have to be fall or winter for you to consider wearing a wedding dress with jacket. Some jackets for the wedding dress are made of thin material and suitable for summer or spring weddings. Some jackets are also small enough to look like shrugs, stoles or boleros. These can really accentuate a brides waist and the gown as well.

Why Choose a Wedding Dress with Jacket

There are many reasons why a bride might chose to wear a wedding dress with jacket. One of the primary reasons is that the day of her wedding is chilly and she will need a complementing jacket for her gown. Usually, jackets designed to ward off the chill can cover the entire bodice of your wedding gown. Because of this, the jackets are usually embellished of made to look sophisticated to ensure that it can be worn in and out of church.

It could be that she is partial to jackets or partial to the designer girls dresses design which happens to have a jacket with it. Jackets can be used to hide flaws as well like large shoulders or arms and can also be used to camouflage a large tummy. A wedding dress with jacket can also cover the less conservative gown underneath for the benefit of some conservative priests and family members.

Other reasons why some brides chose to wear a wedding gown with jacket may be because it complements the gown so well and does not even appear to be a jacket at all. Some jackets are made of very fine material and can be considered as the top of the gown. Others definitely look like a jacket and can be taken off when the church or place or the location of the wedding turns stuffy.

A wedding gown with jacket was all the rage a couple of decades ago and this design had a jacket with long sleeves and wide lapels. Some jackets are fitted to accentuate the waist of the bride while others are no more than boleros or shrugs that are very great complements to some gown. Jackets need not look bulky and ill fitting because some designers integrate wedding gowns with jacket according to the trend.