bettercloset.com

Right now, many stores are having big sales on prom dresses and accessories. It’s the perfect time to shop, because some prom dresses are discounted quite a bit. If you want a Cassandra Stone prom dress, Morrell Maxie prom dress, Janique prom dress, Jovani prom dress, Terani prom dress, Faviana prom dress, ABS prom dress, Alberto Makali prom dress, or another designer gown, this is your chance to buy the hottest prom looks for a low price. You can buy low-cost prom dresses now for:

• Summer weddings. Wedding season is here, and you may need a nice, formal dress to wear to those “I dos.” If you have a few wedding invites, look for simple but formal prom dresses that can make you a very well-dressed wedding guest.
• Summer formal events. If you have summer parties and formals coming up, look for simple, classic dresses that will help you look your best. With prom dresses so discounted right now, checking the prom sale racks can be far less expensive than buying a cocktail dress.
• Next year’s prom. If you are going to prom next year and there’s a dress from this year that you adore, now’s the time to secure that dress at a huge discount.
• The holidays. The holidays are a long way away, but they will get here and when they do you will need a great dress to wear to parties. In November and December, party dresses will be expensive, but you can buy a dress for not too much right now.
• Your wardrobe. Everyone needs one formal dress to wear out on special occasions. If you don’t have that special party outfit, check out the prom dresses on sale now. Skip over the trendy and pouffy dresses and look for the simpler, elegant dresses that will look in style for years to come.

One trend that is big across the country is Twilight, the romantic vampire love story. If you haven’t seen the movie, you might want to, because some proms across the nation are hosting proms that have the movie as a theme. This means fake trees indoors to recreate the look of the forest near Forks, Washington, the location of the movie. Some prom decoration committees are even setting up prom photos with “bite.”

If your school is hosting a Twilight prom, here are some ways you can make sure your look blends right in:

• Go for pale skin, smoky eyes and red lips.
• Go for black and white dresses with alluring details such as beads or plunging necklines. The fun thing about vampire style is that it stresses the neckline, which draws attention to your face as well. Go for the Bella style with glamorous but not over-the-top gowns.  Jovani prom dress, Terani prom dress, Alberto Makali prom dress, and Janique prom dress all have sophisticated dress styles that would be perfect. If you want to look exactly like Bella, consider a blue halter dress, but realize that many attendees for a twilight-inspired prom will probably choose that same look.
• Accessorize with slightly Gothic accessories. Jet jewelry and soft, classical pieces make the look seem classy, just like Bella. Be sure to go for a necklace that draws attention to your neck.

Just as there are trends in prom dress styles, there are trends in terms of prom dress designers. According to industry designers, both Jovani and Cassandra Stone are considered to be the most coveted designers this year. Both have produced outstanding collections of prom dresses and red carpet styles that are selling fast. This year, if you want a Cassandra Stone prom dress or a Jovani prom dress, you need to shop early before these dresses are sold out.

Although both designers are very popular, their styles are different. The Jovani 2009 prom dress collection includes exotic fabrics and retro or vintage styles. All the dresses are stunning and some are absolutely unique. If you want to make a bold statement at prom, a Jovani dress is an excellent option.

Cassandra Stone prom dresses of 2009 include many curve-flattering halter top styles. Her dresses include many open backs with full support in the front, for the ultimate in sexiness and comfort. The Cassandra Stone prom dress 2009 collection also includes many beaded dresses or dresses with beading, which is a very hot trend for 2009. If you want flirty dresses that are closer to timeless, classy dresses that you see on the red carpet, Cassandra Stone prom dresses might be for you.

Celebrity sightings may be adding to the buzz about these two hot designers. Many celebrities, for example, have chosen to wear Jovani on the red carpet. Hilary Duff, Carrie Underwood, and other top celebrities have worn Jovani to events. Kim Kardashian chose a gold sequined Jovani dress to a Celebrity Catwalk For Charity event. Many celebrities have also been expressing interest in Cassandra Stone dresses, which have long been a well-kept secret in the pageant industry.

As the 2009 prom season approaches, retailers and designers are noticing more and more trends for prom dresses emerging. Among the hottest trends are metallic fabrics, fancy beadwork detailers and rich colors. Empire dresses are also strongly featured in many collections.

Bright colors and fabrics are hot this year, retailers and designers report, but that does not just mean strong colors. Prints are also becoming bolder. Many designers are adding bright floral prints and strong animal prints to their collections. Pastels and subtle colors are less popular this year.

Thanks to a new type of lame material, many designers are also experimenting with metallic fabrics, and therefore metallic is certainly hot for prom 2009. In the past, metallic dresses tended to be crackly, loud, and a little too shiny – dare we say tacky? – but the new lame has changed all that. The new lame can be applied to light fabrics such as charmeuse or jersey and therefore has lots of fluid movement that catches the light and creates a very soft look. The new lame also allows for subtly shiny fabrics rather than full-out metallic prom dresses, which sometimes look as though they are made of tin foil.

Beading is also very trendy for prom 2009, and has elbowed sequins out of the way. Details along hemlines, backs and empire seams are beaded and some designers are even creating completely beaded prom dresses that sparkle and reflect the light. Many designers are using beads that contrast with the fabric of the dress or are using beads of several sizes on the same dress to add visual interest.

If you want to look fresh and stylish for prom this year, consider these trends when shopping for prom. Whether you are considering Jovani prom dresses, Cassandra Stone prom dresses, Morrell Maxie prom dresses, Alberto Makali prom dresses, or other designers you will see these design elements in today’s collections.

The Janique prom dresses for 2009 are featured on the Janique website and they are stunning! A few of the trends we noticed in this collection:

• Stunning, rich colors. Saffron, raspberry and vibrant blue are popular choices for the Janique prom dresses this year. There are some softer shades (soft greys and blues, for example, that look feminine without being too sweet and childish) but the general tone of the Janique prom dress is rich and vibrant stay-up-on-your-feet-all-night-and-dance color.
• Great prints. Although many of the Janique prom dresses this year say it all with color, some do have prints. Many of the prints are nature-inspired and soft. Irises, flowers, very subtle animal prints, and very soft, feminine abstract prints add some depth to the dresses.
• Length. While there are some cute short dresses among the Janique prom dresses of 2009, many of the dresses we liked best from this collection were long and sweeping. The drape of the fabric in the long dresses was perfect and designed to really flatter most body shapes. Some of the long dresses have a tight bodice or a backless style so that the long gowns are really not fuddy-duddy at all. In fact, they manage to look sizzling. A few of the long dresses feature a slim silhouette and slits up the side for an even more seductive look.

ABS prom dresses have been popular for years, thanks to the high-fashion style and wonderful materials of these dresses. The 2009 collection of ABS prom dress certainly does not disappoint. If you have not visited the ABS website yet, the catalogs, videos and other useful content is really worth a look. Among the ABS prom dresses this year, we noticed these hot trends:

• Lush fabrics. ABS prom dresses are made from top-of-the-line silks, satins, chiffons, and other stunning fabrics that drape well. If you are looking for cheap fabrics, you certainly won’t find them here.
• Hip, high-fashion looks. ABS prom dresses are not about the styles that have been around forever. This is really a designer who keeps a lookout for current trends and ABS prom dresses are never out of date. From modified bodice dresses to stylish one-shoulder gowns, you will find the hottest looks of the season reflected in this year’s ABS prom dresses. If you want to go to prom looking current, an ABS prom dress is your best bet.
• Luscious but soft colors. Many of the ABS prom dresses include muted but rich-looking colors like pearly greys and dusty roses. A few vanilla dresses and classic black and white dresses round out the collection.
• Soft prints. Paisley, small abstract prints, and tiny flowers add interest to the fabric on several of the ABS prom dresses. They are never overpowering and never too loud.
• Details. From large silk roses along a bodice to soft detailing along a neckline, the prom dresses from this collection have tiny, perfect details that add to your overall look.

Hearst Communications, the media giant running your favorite teen magazine websites (including Seventeen.com, CosmoGirl.com, and TeenMag.com has put together a neat website called mypromstyle.com. If you are headed to prom this year, this is a site you will want to check out for tips and for a neat little online planner that lets you track your prom dress finds and ideas.

One of the coolest things we found at mypromstyle.com was a look at some of the best backless prom dresses of the season. Prom is a time when it’s fun to try something new and out-of-the-ordinary and most of us go pretty casual most days. A backless prom dress is a great way to try something new without completely making over your style. Best of all, a backless dress sizzles without being sleazy. It’s a great way to look perfect on the big night.

Mypromstyle.com has a whole gallery of backless prom styles, but they definitely save the best for last. The smoking Jovani prom dresses they feature in their backless dress slideshow are breathtaking. From a flirty red Jovani prom dress (Style # 7008, retail price approximately $320) to a short green Jovani prom dress (Style # 15906, retail price approximately $300), these dresses would raise the collective blood pressure of any room. The dress that really sizzled for us, though, was a long rich blue Jovani prom dress
(Style # 19632, retail price approximately $400). It had that simple elegance that you often see on the red carpet, and just enough sexiness to make the dress a perfect find.

The smock dress has made an impact on the runways of Marc Jacobs, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Diane Von Furstenburg, and others in recent seasons and women everywhere have taken up the dress with huge enthusiasm. Although in past years the smock dress has been a modest and even humble dress, in recent seasons it has become hip and glamorous enough for the red carpet, as designers roll out evening smock dresses, formal dresses in the smock dress style, metallic versions and versions with lots of exciting details.

Today, you can find smock dresses in just about every price range and style. There are smock dresses designed for just about every age range, as well. Women are demanding a better selection of smock dresses because these looser dresses look great and hide a wide range of problems, from wide hips to larger tummies. With smock dresses, you don’t have to be a waif to look outstanding.

Smock dresses can be tricky to wear, though. Select the wrong cut and you will look larger. The secret is to find a smock dress with a moving, fluid fabric so that you don’t look too big. Also, wear smock dresses plain and prints will look too “maternity.”  Keep the hem length at or below the knee to show off good legs and to avoid the frumpy look. Wear wedges or chunkier shoes that create a nice balance with the more voluminous dress.

Although spring still seems a long, long way away, designers and fashion insiders are already busy looking at what will be hot in Spring 2009. One of the hot trends shaping up already is dazzling prom looks. According to fashion insiders, prom 2009 styles will include:

1) Beads. From lots of beads, to sprinklings of beads across prom dress bodices, tiny, sparkling beads – including beads made from real crystals – are going to be making a bold appearance on many prom dresses in 2009.

2) Lame. Shiny, sparkly lame dresses in metallic tones, pink, black and red are expected to be big winners for prom 2009. Lame is a fabric woven or knit to include tiny ribbons of metallic yarns, which catch the light and make the fabric shiny.

3) Classic Black and White. Classic black and white dresses – often more elegant than their pastel counterparts – are expected to make a big appearance on many prom dance floors.

4) Jewel-tones. Bright and vibrant prom dresses in ruby red, sapphire and even emerald green are going to be big news in spring 2009, elbowing many pastel shades out of the limelight.

5) Sleek prom dresses. Although in years past, many prom dresses have featured poufs and ruffles, 2009 looks like it will be the year of glamour, inspired by the looks seen at the Oscars and other elegant award shows. Sleek, sophisticated looks are expected to take the lead over puffier, fussier styles.

6) Lengths that flatter. Both short prom dresses and long, elegant evening styles are expected to be popular in Spring 2009, so choose the length of prom dresses that are most flattering for you.

Trend forecasters indicate that restyled or customized prom dresses will be the big trend this spring. As the economic crunch deepens around the world, many schools and communities are hosting prom dress swaps or other events to ensure that everyone gets to wear a beautiful gown. Even those who can afford to buy a new dress are indicating that they are not buying high-end off-the-rack creations. Instead, customizing dresses seems to be what most people in the know are planning for the big day. Some of the big trends seem to be:

1) Asymmetrical styles. One shoulder-strap styles and asymmetrical hemlines are still popular, and current evening dresses can easily be transformed into this style with the services of a tailor.

2) Big skirts. Many prom-goers expect to add some volume to their dresses. You can easily do this yourself by buying a tutu or netted skirt, which is affordable at many fabric shops and dance supply stores. The tutu or skirt can simply be slipped under any dress with a nipped waist.

3) Embellishments. Beading and other details are an easy way to transform an existing prom dress. Embellishments are expected to remain hot through the spring collections.