Thank you to David’s Bridal for sponsoring today’s discussion.
Back home in Trinidad, we didn’t have a “prom” like you do in the United States. The school system is a little different, and instead had our graduation balls – after our Form Five O-Level exams, and our Form Six A-Level exams. These balls were the equivalent to prom, where we got dressed up, took dates and danced all night.
What I've come to realize is just how big of a deal prom is in the U.S.. I read about it in magazines and watched TV shows and movies that made it out to be this huge night, and as it turns out, it was. Prom is a huge deal, especially for high school seniors, and although I never experienced an American prom, I’ll get a taste of the whole experience when I go to my sorority formal in March – with the excitement of hair, makeup, dresses and choosing a date!
So I figured that since every girl dreams of the perfect prom, I’d help out by answering some questions.
Q: How should I do my hair?
A: First, decide if you’re going to get your hair professionally done, or if you’ll be doing it yourself. I know myself, and I have little to no skills in the beautification department. But many people are pros at doing their own hair, and have skills that I could only dream of. If you’re like me and aren’t as #blessed in the beauty department, but don’t want to shell out major money for a salon appointment, see if any friends or neighbors are better in that area. Most times, I would ask a cousin or a friend who is better than I am, and I’d always pay them a little ‘thank you’.
For my Form Five grad, I knew I wanted to have my hair professionally done and in an updo. So where do you even start? Google. I knew I wanted an updo, and I knew I wanted it to be a little softer, so I Googled celebs whose hair I loved on the red carpets to get some ideas. I try to go to the salon with at least three or four photos for them to go off of. The more specific you are, the less room there is for disappointment!
Q: What makeup look should I go for?
A: If it’s something I’ve learnt from all of the formal events I’ve been to over the years: less is more. I tend to go pretty natural, but it’s your big night! Browse magazines, go on Pinterest and search the web for looks you want to try out! The great thing about it is that you can choose just what you want! Not so great at makeup? Ask a friend, family member or neighbor if they’ll do it for you. Want to splurge a little? Find a makeup artist who can perfect your look!
Q: Now what about my date?
A: The date for me was the most nerve-wracking part! I went to an all girls’ school, and all of my friends were bringing their boyfriends or really good guy friends, and I wanted to follow suite with someone I knew I’d be comfortable around and have a good time. I didn’t go all crazy with a “promposal”, and I just asked him plain and simple. But if you’re looking for something fun to do, I recommend Pinterest. Think of your relationship with the person! Whatever you do, regardless of how you ask them, make sure you’ll be 100% comfortable rocking out on the dance floor next to this person! And surround yourself with your friends, because when all else fails, they’ll be right by your side and taking some awesome pics to Insta! #nofilter.
Q: Now what do I wear?!
A: The dress! How could I forget the dress… (I didn’t forget the dress!). The dress is easily the most important part of the night. You get to decide how formal or casual you wanna go. My biggest piece of advice is stick to your personal style. It’s totally fun to try something different, but whatever you choose, make sure you feel comfortable in it to rock the outfit all night!
One huuuuge misconception is that you need to shell out the big bucks for a dress for prom. That is NOT true! That’s where David’s Bridal comes in with their David’s Prom Collection. I, like you, had no idea that David’s Bridal sold anything other than wedding and bridesmaids’ dresses, but they actually have a killer prom dress collection and there’s something for every price point. David's Bridal invited me to their store in New York City to see their dresses up-close and personal, and they're beautiful! They have styles for every type of personality, body shape and budget, and all of your favorite dresses range from size 2 to size 24W, starting at just $99!
What style should you go for? Well it depends…
None of these sound like you? There are hundreds of other options and over 300 stores nationwide for you to see them all in person too!
Happy dress shopping, and happy almost-prom season!
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