Prom Project in South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska

New addition to the big list of Free and Low Cost Gowns! A very cool service that includes not only help getting a gown but also photography! Click Prom Project in South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska to get more info if you are in the area. Remember if you have a service in another area that is not listed let me know so I can add it.

Interesting Prom Mentions in the News 5

Parent outraged over glassware passed out as Prom momentos

Some parents are outraged over junior prom souvenirs. Copper Hills High School students are getting glassware that look like beer mugs and champagne glasses. That’s what Gary Davis’ son brought home from school after he bought his prom tickets. Davis says, “I was shocked, appalled that this type of material was given out by the school to underage kids.” Concerned parents say these glasses send a mixed – and dangerous – message to high school students.

Priceless Prom Winners

Congratz to the winners! You can help decide what they’ll wear to Prom by logging on and voting. Hope they have a wonderful time!

How the win helps: The time together is great, they say, but a paid-for prom has a real shot at perfection. Both teens work to pay for cell phones, cars, insurance and gas. Last year, Paul, 18, had to borrow money from his parents to cover prom costs, and he used his job at Pizza Hut in Winchester to pay them back. This year, Amber, 17, planned to wear an old pageant dress instead of buying a new one with her pay from her new job as a hostess at b.d.’s Mongolian Grill.

Read the article:

Interesting Prom Mentions in the News 4

Speaking of Sweet Charity check out this cool story (and others!).

Sweet charity

Watching the excesses described on the MTV reality show “My Super Sweet 16” last summer led St. Joseph Central High School sophomore Taylor DiSantis to turn his 16th birthday party on March 3 into a fundraiser for teen activities.

DiSantis, with help from fellow St. Joseph’s students Ryan Storie, Eric Kulpa, Jessica Healy and Courtney Failla, raised $2,200 that they plan to use to provide financial and other mentoring assistance for Berkshire County youngsters between the ages of 5 and 18. More than 100 teens from four high schools attended DiSantis’ party, which took place at the Sons of Italy’s Itam Lodge.

“I was expecting $1,000 at best,” DiSantis said.

Free and Low Cost Gowns

Remember the list is always being updated (click here!) as I find mentions of these services. Plus if you know of one not listed here let me know! I hope this can help people have a great night and not miss out because of costs!

Check out Prom Gowns at the Expo in MI

Heading to the Women’s Expo in Grand Rapids MI? Here are a few cool things you can do there:

Browse through the racks at on-site “boutiques” offered by local stores Clothing Matters, An’ginas Boutique, Elle Boutique, Kimberly’s Boutique and Boutique Emmanuel. Young ladies also can check out the prom dress sale, and Shoe Fetish will offer plenty of fancy footwear.

Get a mini-makeover with a spray-on tan, Jessica Simpson hair extensions, color analysis, spa treatments and manicures.

Indulge your sweet tooth. In celebration of the Girl Scouts’ 95th anniversary, four local chefs will create desserts using Girl Scout cookies. The goodies will be available for sampling throughout the weekend, with judging at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Healthy Living stage.

When: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday

Where: DeVos Place, 303 Monroe Ave. NW

Admission: $7 for adults, $3 for ages 6-14, free to children 5 and younger; advance tickets are $5

More information: www.kohlerexpo.com

Great Prom Gown Shopping Tips and Tricks

More great tips and tricks to finding that perfect A-list inspired gown. Read this article about how “Hollywood stars take their fashion cues from the latest runway shows, prom dress manufacturers take some of theirs from the A-listers.”
It’s full of great tips and things to know like these:

Think colors. Bright colors. Slinky and Ball Gown styles

• Popular colors are baby pinks and blues also neon green, fuchsia, oranges, pinks, turquiose, royal blue and sea breeze.

• Some multi-colored gowns will have a layer of pink over a layer of chocolate. Or pink over orange, they are called Creamsicle.
  

Great Advice and Glam Gowns

Check out this article from The Atlanta Journal Constitution on top picks for gorgeous gowns and what’s right for your body type. Seriously pretty pictures too. Click below for their tips!

“Whatever style a girl chooses, the dress always needs a few nips and tucks to make it fit her perfectly,” said Thomas Tolbert, owner of Legends in Roswell. “Don’t be afraid of alterations. They only enhance the dress — and the wearer.”

Get a head start and find a dress shape that’s best for your body type. Check out our picks for dresses and find yourself the belle of the ball.”

How To Pin on a Corsage or Boutonnière

These instructions are for pinning a corsage or boutonnière on someone else. Using a mirror this can also be used to pin a corsage or boutonniere on you.

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How To Make a Corsage

How To Make a Wrist Corsage

Inexpensive and Stylish

If you are creative, inexpensive options can be just as pretty as higher priced fashions and accessories. Here is a big list of places you can start looking in your city. It can be a fun afternoon out on the weekend with friends wandering the thrift and vintage stores to see what might be tucked in these shops. Plus there are online vintage sources to browse through.

“CosmoGIRL Magazine fashion director Tara McBratney suggests finding a simple slip dress to pair with a “cool, wild shoe and a sequined brooch in a bright color,” for example.
Think you have the matching earrings, bracelet, necklace and bag to look like a glamour queen? Do as the stars do. Pick one focal point and make it memorable like actress Scarlett Johansson did at the Oscars with her diamond star tiara. If you have a big dress with lots of detail or sequins, you don’t need a glitzy necklace or a sparkly purse, only a long pair of nice earrings, McBratney said.”

Vintage and thrift stores are also great sources for alternative or themed fashion. If your prom is going to have a 1950’s theme for example, then you just might find a genuine poodle skirt from the 1950’s. You can’t get more authentic than that! Have fun searching for vintage gowns and party dresses and keep an eye out for fashions you can add to your everyday wardrobe. Many of these shops benefit charities so you could very well be helping your community while helping yourself and that’s a cool thing. Vintage gown photo by Dan Henry

Have a Prom Fashion Show

Have you ever thought of having a Prom Fashion Show? It is a lot of work but can be very beneficial to your class and to local businesses. It might be fun to model fashions while your friends either model with you or watch as local businesses show off what they sell. A lot of people may not even know what shops are in their own cities so this is helpful knowing what’s available in their neighborhood. Photo, semca.org

Seeing new fashions up close can save you a lot of time and money when trying to pick out the right thing to wear. Something might look pretty in a magazine, but in person you may not like it as much, or you may like it even more.

This can also be a great preparation for the Prom Planning Committee. You can find out who works hard and can be depended on and you’ll have a solid start to knowing who will do the best job when it comes to the actual Prom. Fun and hard work can mix and produce something your fellow classmates will love.

Lily Allen’s Prom Gown Glam

Lily’s personal style is fun for those of us who secretly wish we could wear gowns everywhere because she does just that. She is known for wearing new and vintage prom gowns with sneakers and gold jewelry. Her fashion sense not only got her noticed beyond her fast rising music career but landed her a deal with UK Retailer New Look, to design her own line. It’s going to be titled appropriately “Lily Loves” and will be available in May. Look for six dresses, two pairs of shoes and some brightly colored accessories.

So look for the release of the line and the cool ad campaign pictures they are promising. In the meantime you can keep up with Lily’s music and tour schedule here on her official website. Photo, LilyAllenMusic

New Helpful Prom and Party Pages

Free and Low Cost Gowns for Prom. Don’t let finances keep you from having a wonderful night like everyone else- there are places that help people get formal fashion for free! Photo, Fairy Tale Closet VA
The Big List of Prom Theme Ideas
Still growing! Hopefully will help you come up with a great Prom or Party Theme!

Five Little Evening Bags Under $100

If all you need on a formal night out is lipstick, credit card or some cash, and a compact to touch up the occasional shine then all you need is one of these lovely little bags. Small enough to not interfere with your look and pretty enough to add a dash of glitz these are very sweet. All are $80 or less on sale at Nordstrom.

How To Make A Shawl For Your Gown

Some gowns come with a shawl when you purchase them. They are usually made of the same fabric, and are pretty I’m sure, but if you don’t want that “matchy-matchy” look consider creating a shawl yourself. It could be another creative expression on your glittering night. Photo, Sewing.org
Dream a little dream of shawls..

Crown Her The Prom Queen

This is just an idea, guys, for telling and showing your special date she is Prom Queen to you whether she lobbied for votes or not. A pretty crown themed necklace may let her feel like royalty and give her a lovely keepsake to remember the magical night. Check out these beauties from artists around the country. Photo, Elizabeth Cole

Six Modest, Beautiful, Prom Dresses

A modest prom gown or dress does not mean a burlap sack and a rope around the middle. Here are a selection of gowns offered online that if you didn’t know they were qualified to be called “modest” you would have just thought they were pretty prom gowns. Some can be found for under $100. Photo, Eddie Gist