5 Steps to Fabulous: Vintage Prom Style

• Tweet
• Pin It

by Karen Houston

If you want to be certain you aren’t wearing the same dress as another girl at the prom this year, an original way to make sure you stay one-of-a-kind is by going vintage. Vintage dresses have long been popular with red carpet celebrities for their classic, timeless and unique appeal, and can give your prom ensemble an interesting and exclusive feel.

Shopping for and creating a vintage prom look is easy if you know what you’re seeking and how to put it all together. Use the tips below to fashion a vintage vibe for you and your date that will be the envy of everyone at the dance.

5 Vintage Prom Style Tips

1. Budget for Beauty

Before you begin your hunt for the fantasy vintage gown that will turn you into a regal retro queen, you must first spend a moment in reality to decide exactly how much you have to spend.

This will not only determine which stores you choose to peruse, but will keep you from getting your hopes up too high and potentially crushed if you find a delightful dress that is not an option.

2. Choose an Era

Figure out which historical style, actress or era really suits your personal taste, and try to channel them while shopping.

If you love the art deco-fabulous 1920s, you might want to find a flapper-style dress, and wear your hair in a classic off-the-face wave.

You might love Marilyn Monroe and the womanly curve-embracing atmosphere of that time, and will want to find a form-fitting dress that will turn you into a living pin-up girl.

If Audrey Hepburn is your style icon, you will be seeking a graceful dress with a fitted waist and full skirt, perhaps with long, elegant gloves.

Or maybe you’re a bohemian girl who wants to embrace all things 1970s, with empire waists and flowers in your hair.

In short: Figure out which decade is calling your name before you go shopping to save time and money.

3. Try It On

Vintage clothing was very differently sized than the clothing of today, so don’t trust the tags.

You also want to try on as many dresses as possible to figure out which styles look best on you—and don’t be afraid to step outside of your usual guidelines. Sometimes a dress you never imagined would look good on you will be the one that makes you feel like a princess.

4. Gently Test the Dress

As fabric ages, it can become weakened and tear easily, which is not something you want to discover on the dance floor when the back of your dress pulls apart at the seams.

Vintage clothing experts recommend gently testing the fabric of any older dresses you’re considering to see if the fabric has deteriorated to the point of disintegrating.

If you find something you love, but it has a hole, remember that it might be salvageable. If the tear is on a seam, a vintage dress can often be fixed by a professional.

5. Modernize with Accessories

Unless your goal is to look exactly like you stepped out of another era, rather than representing a contemporary version of it, keep your accessories clean and current.

To truly allow the vintage dress to shine and prevent it from becoming a costume, don’t overpower it with too much jewelry, and complement the style with a subtle hairstyle that suits the decade.

Remember that the most important accessory a girl can have is confidence, so wear your cool and original vintage prom dress with pride, and have fun!

Karen Houston is a professional blogger that discusses prom and homecoming related topics. She writes for Night Moves Prom by Allure.

Related Posts

• 

  Should Plus Size Women Wear Stripes?
  Should Plus Size Women Wear Stripes?
• 

  Save BIG! With the IGIGI Labor Day Sale
  Save BIG! With the IGIGI Labor Day Sale
• 

  5 Fall Perfect Looks
  5 Fall Perfect Looks
• 

  15% OFF at Kiyonna
  15% OFF at Kiyonna