Prom Inspirations 2016 Pt. 1

If you've been thinking about your upcoming Prom lately and need something to get your creative juice flowing, stick around! We've spent the last two weeks prom shopping and the fruits of our labor are yours for the snacking on...stylish comestibles, indeed ;) Before we get into the girl talk, here's an fyi: if you fall in love with any dress shown here, the links to all of them are available on our polyvore page under "Likes" (make sure you scroll down. When you get to the green Lands' End sweater, you've hit the end of the prom stuff lol), along with gobs of pretty shoes under $100. A huge percentage of my picks came from Nordstrom, which is a great place to start, since they also carry shoes and jewels...it's one-and-done shopping :)
Party Glam: One of the most fun things about a formal dance like the Prom is that you get to glam things up, if you choose to. You can think of it as your own personal red carpet :). On the flip side it's still a party..so you can rock a party look, spiced with glam. It's the kind of thing Barbie or Michelle would do! Barbie's gorgeous satin dress look is one of my all-time favs from her...it's so flirty and femme! Her high pony just makes it flawless! You can hardly get more classic for the Prom than a pink dress. Balancing that sweetness with black shoes is a tried and true combination. I always love  throwing a spin into style, so I would think about matching it with navy or deep purple. Mixed-stone earrings or layered bracelets in blues, purples and magentas would complete the jewel-tones aesthetic. A crop-top and maxi skirt in silk or satin would also be a ttly Barbie choice. This white and azalea set can be kept fresh by going with white sandals. The silver detail adds a touch of icy glam. Chilled-steel glamour is also very much a Michelle kind of styling. A black dress with a touch of ruffle and a crystal belt would be just her thing! I love the simple sparkle of this one. While Michelle would probably up the dazzle factor with crystal shoes, I would lean toward the unexpected magic of a bright pop of color from something like these bright amethyst lace-up sandals. Like Barbie, Michelle would also try the two-piece look. Blue was always one of her trademark colors and it's obvi why: it's hard to go wrong in! This one has crystal accents at the collar and waist for chic, Old Hollywood-esque glitter. Simple silver pumps would finish this off without competing with that glorious set.

Shine Bright: Take a tip from Rosa: a sparkly dress is always right for a special occasion! Like pink dresses, they're a classic prom look. There are a myriad of colors available right now, but neutrals also make a big impact. With all-over shine, it can be easy to do too much. So I would stay with more minimal, but interesting shoes: lace-up sandals, a pretty laser-cut bootie, or ultra-chic understated ankle straps. Black is perennially classy and lends just the right blend of elegance to an effervescent, vivacious dress. Jewels can be tiny (slim or stud earrings, layered plain-band rings) or dispensed with entirely. I'm a huge fan of an up-do with a dress like this. It makes the look feel special and carefully selected. A half-up/half-down style comes in a super-close second :)
Pt 2 coming later today, lovelies! :)