How To Run A Fashion Show For Prom Dresses
Prom Dresses Guide Find The Prom Dress That Flatters Your Silhouette
Prom time is almost here and choosing from so many styles and shapes of prom dresses isn't easy. It takes time and patience to try on all those prom dresses, hoping to find just the right dress for your special evening. You should first find a prom dress that flatters your body type, or silhouette. Use the guide below to find out what type of body shape you have and which prom dress will best complement your shape.
Determining Your cameron blake by mon cheri Body Shape
It's important to determine your body shape before you start shopping for prom gowns. Once you know which types of prom dresses will best suit you, you won't waist time trying on those that won't.
Are you Thin and Tall?
Here's a way to tell: Your body is straight and slender, has few or no curves, and your bust is average in size. Your height is 5' 6" or taller. If you meet these criteria, you'll want to buy a prom dress style that adds curves, shows off your long legs, flows gracefully to reveal your slim silhouette, and adds fullness to your chest.
Try on dresses with several different neckline styles including v-neck or an open neckline to see which looks best. Also, dare to try a dress with a cutout junior bridesmaids gowns back. Some prom dress styles to consider are empire, sheath, ball gown, and a-line.
Are you Petite?
If you are 5' 3" or shorter with a small build and an average sized bust, you'll want a dress to complement the petite such as an empire, sheath or a-line prom gown. With a slit, you can make your legs appear longer. Or, you can look much taller by wearing a dress with a short hemline. The hemline might be ruffled, handkerchief, hi/low, or asymmetrical - whichever best suits you. There are also a-line and empire styles to take emphasis off your waistline if you are short-waisted. Your neckline could be sweetheart, halter, or v-shape.
Do you have an Hourglass, Pear, or Apple Shape?
With an hourglass shape, you are curvy with a medium-to-large sized bust. Your bottom is rounded and you have curvy hips. You can show off the curves with a sheath dress or de-emphasize them somewhat with a ball gown or a-line dress. To place more emphasis on the upper portion of your body, choose a dress with an embellished neckline.
With a pear shape, you are probably bottom-heavy, meaning your hips, thighs, and bottom are larger than the upper portion of your body. Choose prom dresses that flatter the upper half of your body such as a-line, empire, or ball gown dresses with a circular halter neckline. Or, a strapless dress might do the trick.
If your body is apple-shaped, your mid-section is probably heavier or thicker than other parts of your body. Maybe your tummy is larger than you would like. Choose dresses that take the emphasis away from your mid-section. An empire gown might work best with this type of figure. An a-line dress can work well too if you have a bodice with boning to give it a slimming effect.
Are you Athletic? Do you have a Large Build?
If you are muscular, have broad shoulders, or a large bust, choose a prom dress that will give you a feminine shape such as a ball gown or empire style dress. The full skirt will immediately add shape at your waistline. With broad shoulders, you might find that trying to cover them with wide straps or sleeves will make them look even wider. Try on a few strapless prom gowns first. You might be pleasantly surprised!
If you have a large bust, be sure your prom dress offers proper support. Choose v-necks or halters and either an a-line or ball gown. To draw attention away from your chest, wear a prom dress that has eye-catching details at its hemline.
With a full figure, there are more styles today than ever in plus size prom dresses. Don't feel uncomfortable on your prom night by trying to squeeze into a smaller gown. Find a dress that fits your body size and flatters your figure.
More "Accentuating" Prom Dress Ideas
There are even more ways you can accentuate certain areas of your body. Prom dresses can also come with stylish features such as beaded panels, a fully beaded bodice, accordion pleating, a jeweled beltline, embroidery designs, sheer overlays, trains, and removable skirts.
Use these tips to get an idea of what style will work best for your body type before you start shopping. Check online to look at various styles and colors. Most online stores carry a variety of dresses including prom dresses, evening dresses, and bridesmaid dresses, so you'll have no problem finding just the right dress.
How To Run A Fashion Show For Prom Dresses
A fashion show intended to showcase prom dresses is different from an ordinary high street fashion show. Not only will it take much longer for models to get into their outfits (which rules out quick changes) but the value and delicacy of the items means that a great deal of care needs to be taken.
Timing your show
You need to allow around two minutes per model. This is enough time to walk down the catwalk, pose and walk back down the catwalk.
In terms of back stage timing you need to allow ten minutes for a girl to get a dress on for which she will need at least one helper.
Boys
If you can, its great to have male models accompany your female models down the catwalk. A local hire company may be willing to lend you suits if you give them a call.
Announcer
Ask someone with good presenting skills to compere the show. Their role will be to announce the name of the model and give a commentary about the dress that they are wearing. For example 'This is Amy, she is wearing Bella, social occasions by mon cheri one of our pink prom dresses. This dress features stunning genuine crystal beading with a flowing tulle skirt'.
You should provide your compere with a script for each model/dress. This script should be organised in the same running order as the show.
Music
You should choose music which is both popular with the students in the show and appropriate for the occasion. Pay attention to the bpm (beats per minute) of the music. Your models will walk in time to the music and if the beat's too fast they may end up half jogging down the catwalk (ruining your timings!).
Vet all music before hand to ensure that it doesn contain expletives.
Walk Through
It a good idea to have a walk though of your fashion show. While it is common to do a full dress rehearsal (wearing all the outfits), you should think carefully about doing this. Every time a prom dress is handled it runs the risk of being damaged. It is therefore not advisable to do a full dress rehearsal.
Backstage help
You will need at least one person to help when a girl is trying to get into her dress. If you can stagger the girls putting on their dresses then you won't need as many helpers.
You also need a stage manager and an assistant stage manager. Both of these people should have a clipboard with details of the order in which the girls will go down the catwalk.
The stage manager stands in the wings and is responsible for ensuring that the right people go on stage at the right time.
It is there responsibility to make sure the girl starts putting the dress on in time and to make sure she is down in time. They need to be female so they can go into changing rooms.
Changing rooms
Ideally you need two rooms close to the stage. At least one needs to ensure privacy.
As prom dresses are worth hundreds of pounds each it is important to ensure they will not get damaged in the course of a fashion show.
One way to ensure that this doesn't happen is by ensuring that no food, drink or make up is allowed into the changing rooms. Only the girls themselves and people helping them to get ready should be allowed in the changing room.
Ask girls to take responsibility for dresses
Begin by explaining to the girls involved that they will be personally responsible for taking care of their dresses. Each girl should formally 'sign out' the dress when she takes it off the rack. At the end of the show, someone needs to be appointed to check the dresses back on to the rail. A girl's name should only be checked off the list when they have brought their dress back.
Enjoy it!
Running a fashion show can be great fun so finally, have a great time!
