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Stores are making room right now for fall fashions, which is amazing news for you. You can now buy great dresses for less. It’s time to stock up your closet without spending a fortune. Here’s how:

1) Go online. Lots of people are heading to the mall, but online stores and retailers need to move their summer stock, too. With online stores, the perfect dresses are delivered right to your door – without you having to fight the crowds at your favorite mall. You can shop at any time, the selection is infinite, and online retailers often have better deals, since they have smaller overhead and can pass on the deals to you. If you want that perfect dress at a low price, start by checking out online retailers.

2) Make a list, check it twice. Before you shop, check out fashion magazines and online stores. Which dresses do you love? Make a list, then make a list of upcoming events and situations where you’ll likely need a dress. Are you going to a wedding, attending summer parties, or planning for a holiday season with lots of parties? When you shop, keep these events in mind. You never know when you’ll find the perfect summer dress for that big event.

3) Check out the top-line stores first. Check out high-end stores first, because you can often find amazing deals on quality designer dresses. You don’t want to spend your money on lots of cheapies if you can have an amazing dress you will love forever/

4) Check the sales racks and then discount stores. All stores have sales racks that are well-stocked with women’s dresses right now. Discount and outlet stores, though, are also getting in new stock right now. Don’t forget to check these stores out.

The wrap dress was first introduced by Diane von Furstenberg in the 1970s, and it has been in style pretty much ever since – there have been few seasons since the 1970s when the wrap dress has not showed up in some form on the runways. It’s no wonder: the wrap dress looks great on just about every body type and works well at just about every occasion. The dress is flattering, comfortable, and creates gentle feminine curves.

Women with a lot of curves look great in the wrap dress, since it accentuates the waist and highlights a full bust. Very slender women with boyish frames look wonderful in the wrap dress, since it creates the illusion of curves with its tied waist closure. Women who are pregnant often find the wrap dress very forgiving and practical, as it can be tied higher above the stomach later in the pregnancy and flatters the stomach area. It can just as easily be worn during the first trimester or after birth. It is part of the maternity wardrobe that does not look too “maternity” and does not have to be tossed after a pregnancy, so it is a practical way to expand a wardrobe if a woman does not want to spend a fortune just on “maternity” clothes.

The wrap dress is also very flexible. In luxurious fabrics and with great earrings and high heels, it works well for formal events. With casual shoes, the wrap dress looks great on weekends. The wrap dress even makes a great cover-up for the beach and looks hip and trendy or classic and elegant.

Along with the inevitable holiday credit card bills, this time of year is also a time when wedding invitations for spring weddings and early summer weddings begin to arrive. This sends many of us into a panic, because after all the spending of the holiday season it can be hard to go out and spend more money on a dress to attend a wedding. Plus, it can be hard to determine what is appropriate to wear to a wedding. Which dresses are appropriate? How formal should the dresses be? What will everyone else be wearing? What dresses will allow you to fit in with other guests?

There’s no need to panic. Start with the invitation, which should tell you what sort of dress you can or should wear. For example, determine the dates and the place of the wedding. This will help you determine whether you need a dress that will keep you cool in hot temperatures, or warm in cooler temperatures. Also, the place of the wedding should give you a clue of whether the wedding will be very formal or a little more casual. The time of the wedding is also important. Weddings before 6 p.m. are generally less formal than those after six. If you’re still not sure and you know the couple, feel free to drop them a line and ask.

Once you determine how formal or informal the wedding is likely to be, make sure that you avoid any dresses that are black or have sequins – these are considered bad form for wedding guests. Also, wearing white is considered inappropriate at a wedding, as it competes with the bride’s dress and color scheme. If you will be a place of worship, be aware that bare legs and shoulders are sometimes not considered appropriate, so do bring along a shawl or pretty jacket that you can wear over your dress.

Rachel Stevens, Mariah Carey, Megan Fox and many other fashionistas have been seen in the hottest dress this season: the little red dress. The little red dress is quickly replacing the little black dress as the “it” item to have this season. A fresher version of the little black dress, the little red dress is eye-catching and bold and fun.

But beware: it’s not for everyone. The wrong style or shade could leave you red-faced, so look for a wonderful red dress that suits your body shape and your skin tone. If you have very fair skin, look for satin or silk dresses in deeper shades of red. If you have darker skin, rich ruby reds and bold vibrant shades will work well. If you have reddish tones in your skin, go for plum or wine colors that won’t highlight the ruddiness of your skin.

If you have a pear shape or larger hips, highlight your bust line with empire-line red dresses. A bandeau will also draw the eye upwards, away from hips and stomach. If you are slim, look for elegant slip-style red dresses with a sash or belt that highlights or creates curves. In general, try on many silk dresses in lots of colors to get a sense of what looks best on you. Also, since red looks very different in different lighting, try to see your dress in several different types of lights before you decide a particular red dress is for you.

If you can’t find a red dress that looks great on you, paint the town red by choosing vibrant red accessories for your little black dress. It’s the perfect way to overhaul your little black dress and really make it current.

In most places, the snow isn’t even flying yet, but this is actually the perfect time to think about spring – or at least some of the fun things you will want to do during spring. If you are heading to the prom in the spring, now is the perfect time to shop if you want to buy perfect cheap prom dresses. There are plenty of good reasons for this:

1) You’re shopping off-season by shopping right now. Stores want to create room for mittens, holiday wear, holiday gifts, hats, and other winter clothing. That often means that if you are shopping for clothes that are not part of the winter season, stores are often willing to give you a big discount.

2) You have lots of selection at consignment shops. No one is shopping for prom dresses right now, so formal cheap prom dresses are bound to be plentiful at consignment shops and second-hand stores, if you want to shop previously worn dresses.

3) Designers are already thinking ahead and planning fashions for seasons to come. Magazines plan their issues about six months in advance, which means that fashion magazines are now talking about what will be hot in Spring 2009. Check out British fashion predictions now – they tend to be spot-on and fashion forward.

4) You can take advantage of a good selection of classy evening dresses right now. Many stores are selling dresses for holiday parties right now. Selection of these gowns – which tend to be more glam than many actual prom dresses – is at its height right now. Check out the dresses you love and keep an eye on them into the New Year. During January, these holiday dresses will be discounted heavily.

5) You can start your plan. If you need to save money to buy your dream dress in the spring, now is the time to start putting money aside. If you want a custom-made dress, now is the time to select fabrics and a tailor.