Things to Consider when Buying Prom Dresses and other Formal Dresses

Teens are often avid shoppers when it comes to everyday clothes, but when it comes to buying a prom dress, they're often lost. Prom dresses are so different than other types of clothing that unless one has experience, they can easily buy the wrong dress and feel miserable for the entire prom evening. We've put together some great tips on buying prom dresses and other formal dresses to help you avoid common mistakes.

What's the Formal Occasion?

Consider the occasion before buying a formal dress. There are many occasions that might require formal wear such as the prom or other formal dance, wedding, Quinceanera, homecoming, cocktail party, Oscar award event, and so forth. Each occasion is unique. Consider what you will be doing during the evening out. Will you dance, dine, walk, sit, move around a lot, give a speech, sing? Consider how flexible your prom dress or formal gown should be before buying.

Styles of Prom Dresses and Formal Wear

Do research online to view all the styles of prom dresses before you shop. There are many different styles, colors, hem lengths, and shapes of prom dresses that you can easily find the one that will look great on you. Some of the styles you'll find include A-line (slimming with vertical seams and flared skirt), ball gown (natural waist line and full skirt), mermaid (fits tight to the body and flares at knees), and sheath (no defined waistline and horizontal line, great for shorter people).

Prom dresses come with different types of necklines such as jewel, halter, and spaghetti straps.

To find the latest fashions and styles, check out all of the major prom dress or formal wear designers such as Jovani, Flip, Tiffany, Scala, Jessica McClintock, Alyce, and Interlude. Each year, designers are finding new unique ways to design prom dresses and make prom girls shine on their special night.

Prom Dress and Formal Wear Colors

With prom dresses, the color choices are endless. There are light colors such as light pink, yellow, white, light beige, lavender, mint green, and many others. There are darker colors such as black, silver, gold, burgundy, dark blue, and dark green. The key to finding the right color is to match the color with your skin tone, hair color, and body shape. Think about what colors usually bring the most complements when wearing your regular clothing? These are likely your best colors. They blend well with your features and make your figure look great.

Some colors make plus size women look smaller (black, bright, or dark colors) while other colors can make them look larger (light colors). The same goes for someone who wants to appear fuller figured in certain spots. Choose a color and design that look great with your particular figure. And keep in mind that what looks great on your friend might not look good on you.

With other formal dresses, such as bridesmaid dresses, homecoming dresses, Oscar dresses, and pageant dresses, you might not get to choose from a wide variety of colors. Many of these events require certain colors to blend with the decorations.

Other Things to Consider

You'll also need to shop for a prom dress or other formal gown according to your budget. Look around for great dresses within your price range from the beginning so you won't go overboard. There are many styles of dresses within all price ranges and depending on the designer, the quality can vary as well.

Give yourself plenty of time for alterations if needed, especially when buying a prom dress online. You can't try it on until you receive it, so you'll want to order early enough to get alterations done before prom if necessary. Also, consider shipping costs when buying and whether there is a guarantee.

Think ahead to how you can accessorize your prom dress or formal wear. You'll need shoes, jewelry, hose, possibly a hairpiece, a handbag, and other accessories. Be sure the color and style you choose can be easily matched with other items.

You can shop online to find prom dresses by popular designers and choose from many styles and colors. The prices are often lower also. Online formal wear shops usually offer formal dresses for all occasions including evening dresses, summer dresses, prom dresses, homecoming dresses, and many others. Start looking early so you can secure the prom dress of your dreams.



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folk dress

Folk dress refers to the basic element of a country's culture and craft, closely tied with its whole history. Folk dress often come in two forms, one for daily wear and the other for the auspicious or formal occasion. Folk dress have a sensuous texture that provides extreme comfort and relax.

Enormous variety of traditional folk dress are available with us. These folk dresses generally worn on some special occasions which conforms an elegant look to the wearer. As wide range of folk dress are available in different texture, designs and colors the demand for these has risen manifold. Folk dress come in various designs and patterns, and are made using premium quality material that add to their quality.

http://www.apparel-manufacturers-directory.com/folk-dress.htm

kurta pyjama

A kurta is a traditional piece of clothing worn in India. Pajamas are usually loose fitting and designed for comfort, using softer materials such as cotton, silk or satin. Kurta Pyjama together as a clothing wear originated from Northern India and has become a common traditional wear. The kurta is often long, by about a few inches below the knee, accompanied by fitted narrow pants also called pajama.

It is a perfect garment to wear for lighter occasions like the ring ceremony, and other small ceremonies and get together in the family.A wide range of large varieties of traditional Indian kurta pajamas are easily searchable on our catalogs. These kurta-pajamas are suitable for special occasions as well as regular use.

One can very well make a selection from silk, polysilk or cotton fabric and a variety of colors and embroidered designs. You can feel instant comfort in this wear. It also serves as a traditional evening wear for men and women. Sometimes its meant to give hours of relaxation after a hard day's work.


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ghagra choli

A ghagra is a pleated skirt and is worn with a long or short, stitched and fitted blouse (the choli). The ghagra is secured at the waist and leaves the back and midriff bare. Ghagra choli is also worn with a dupatta, a 2.5 meters of light transparent material usually georgette. The dupatta is worn like a scarf or veil. Ghagra choli or Lehenga choli is one of the ancient clothing in which Indian sub - continent holds supremacy.

The bride’s clothes are usually typical of the area. In different parts of India, brides wear different kinds of ghagra choli with different adornments. In modern times ghagra choli or lehenga choli are exotic Indian clothing with embroidery using stones, kundan, zari, crystals, kori, resham, mirrors, sequins and some times real gold threads.

Some designers use intricate brocade, tanchoi and heavy satins even with real gold and silver embroidery, studded with precious stones. Like the ghagra choli the dupatta also has embroidery. The ghagra or lehenga or sharara as it is sometimes called comes in different fittings.


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ladies kurtas

Ladies kurta is a traditional piece of clothing worn in northern India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. It is a loose shirt falling either just above or somewhere below the knees of the wearer. It can be worn with salwar or chudidaar. The ladies kurtas are formal as well as casual wear. These ladies kurtas are usually custom-made by South Asian tailors, who work with the fabric their customers bring them. A wide range of traditional ladies kurtas for women that is suitable for special occasions as well as regular use could be easily search able. One can have a variety of selection and choose from different fabrics like silk, poly silk, cotton fabrics etc. These kurtas are also available in variety of colors and embroidered designs. One can feel comfort at home wearing these ladies kurtas. Ladies kurtas enhances the spirituality with a modern and a divine creation.



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Costume of Kerala

The word `costume` refers to the dress patterns of the people of a particular community. We know that there are different costumes in different countries and nations. It is the costume of a community, which differentiates its people from others. The costumes of the people around the world are wide and varied. India alone has innumerable varieties of costumes. The people of the South of India are easily recognizable from those in the North. The people in the East and West of India have equally varied ways of dressing. However the four states in the South of India namely Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have a common way of dressing.

The people of Kerala are very simple. They are very moderately dressed. They cant be seen wearing tight jeans and top with all make up and different colors on their hair. They give importance in` being decently dressed`. To narrow down and discuss about the costumes of Kerala let us look at its history and culture. The main dress worn by the people of Kerala are mainly traditional in nature. The costumes are guided by the geographical conditions of the region. The traditional dress forms are the `mundu and neriathu`, which is worn by both men and women. The `mundum-neryathum is the extant form of the ancient saree. Women can also be seen wearing sari and blouse. The word `sari` is derived from the Sanskrit word `sati`, which means strip of cloth. In the `mundum neriyathum, the traditional piece is the `mundu` which forms the lower garment while `neriyathu` forms the upper garment. It consists of two pieces of cloth. The `mundu` is worn below the navel and around the hips. It is a hand woven cotton cloth.which is very comfortable during the summer. It is white or cream in color with a colored strip known as border or ` kara`. On going out, men wear `shirt and mundu` with a small `neriyathu` on their shoulder and smear sandal paste on their chests and brows. This gives them a dignified and royal look. In addition to this Muslim men wear a cap. They wear the `mundu` in a different style from that of Hindus and Christians.

Women also wear `mundu` in the same style of that of men except for the Christian women, the `mundu` is folded in fan-like multiple folds and this portion is hung at the back. On the top of the `mundu` women wear a special kind of blouse, which covers the navel. The `neriyathu`, is the upper garment worn over the blouse with its one end tucked inside the mundu and the remaining long end worn across the front torso. It is worn diagonally from along the right hips to the left shoulder resembling the saree. Both the `mundu and neriyathu` is starched before being draped and is worn with the blouse that matches the color of the border or `kara`. It was worn as an everyday costume and on festive occasions people used to wear it with an ornamental `kara` or border which is either golden, copper coated or artificial colored with peacock or temple designs. The color of the blouse is determined by the age and marital status of the woman. Young unmarried girls wear green blouse while married women wear red blouses. During the Keralite festival of Onam, women of all ages wear it and take part in the folk dance called `kaikottikali`.

The `mundum neriyathum` was the traditional costume of Kerala. Now it is becoming an old fashion and is worn by old women of Kerala. Today it is replaced by the `Set-sari`. It also resembles the `mundum neriyathum` with the only difference that it consists of a single piece of cloth. Now the `Set-sari` is worn by Keralite women as a quasi `mundum neriyathum` and known as the `Kerala saree`. Today women wear this sari only on festive occasions like Onam and Kerala day (November 1st).

Today saris are woven in mechanical looms and are made of artificial fibers as polyester, nylon or rayon, which do not require starching or ironing. Everyday costumes of men consist of `dhoti` or `lungi` with or without shirt. Women wear `lungi` with a breast band. Previously, women only wore one draped cloth and exposed their upper body.

With the changing trends in fashion and designing, the dress codes too have changed. The traditional style is disappearing among the people. Today men and women are clad in a variety of dresses. The people have now taken to the northern style of dressing. Men have taken to tea-shirts and trousers imitating Western fashion, which is more comfortable and suited for traveling. Women of all communities wear the North Indian style churidar. At home, both men and women wear revert to the traditional styles to cope with the hot climate and humidity.

Now a days, tradition has lost its value and is considered by the modern generation as an old fashion. People now are in search of `the new` and change according to the recent trends as seen in cinemas and movies. Of course, you have to change but never forget ones tradition and consider it a shame. Wherever you go, you have to uphold your tradition and consider it as a pride, which makes you a unique person, than considering it a shame.



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Costumes of Kashmir

For many years Kashmiri men and women have worn the same style of dress. The Handicrafts & Textiles of Kashmir people is famous all over the world. The Pheran and `Poots` consist of two gowns, one on top of the other, falling to the feet in the case of a Hindu, worn up to the knees by a Muslim. Hindus wear them narrow with turned up ends. Traditionally there was a brightly colored design on the outside, with Yak or goatskin on the inside to keep the wearer warm. This has now been changed by fashion to a simple ornament of brightly colored material, although in winter many women still wear the goatskin for warmth. A Muslim woman`s pheran is knee-length, loose and embroidered in front and on the edges, a Hindu woman`s pheran touches her feet.

The long loose sleeves are fashionably decorated with brocade. With this type of Hindu costume goes the headdress called taranga, which is tied to a hanging cap and tapers down to the heels from behind. The younger Hindu women however have taken to the sari, after the reform movement of the thirties. Even then, on the wedding day they have to wear the taranga ceremonially. It is covered with the palav of the brides wedding sari. Taranga thus stays as part of the bridal trousseau.

Unlike a Hindu woman`s pheran, which gives her a Roman look, the Muslim woman`s pheran is beautifully embroidered in front. Their headgear, the Kasaba, looks very different from the taranga. It is red in color, tied turban-like and held tight by an abundance of silver pins and trinkets. It has an overhanging pin-scarf, which falls grace fully over the shoulders. A work-a-day shalwar goes with it. Unmarried Muslim girls wear skullcaps, embroidered with gold thread and embellished with silver pendants, trinkets and amulets. With the passage of years, an appreciable change has come about in the dress of the Kashmiri women. Saris, shalwar-kameez, churidars and jeans are becoming popular, yet none of these belong to them as much as the good old pheran.

Gujjars: The hilly people of Kashmir are called Gujjars. The dress of a Gujjar woman of the hills in the valley is very much similar to that worn by the Turkish village women. It consists of as plenty shalwar and full-skirted tunic with loose sleeves. A thick covering on the head falls back to the shoulders. The Gujjar woman joins her hair in multiple plaits, which hang in front, covering half of their moon-shaped faces.

Dogras: Diverse castes and sects inhabit Jammu province. The Dogras inhabiting the hilly tract bounding the mountains of the Kashmir valley generally are dressed in grey woolens and loose pyjamas, they also flaunt a kamarband. Women wear long, loose tunics, close-fitting chudidars and dupatta or cap to complete their charming ensemble.

Ladakhi: Ladakh is a part of the state Jammu and Kashmir. Ladakh is known as the `land of the Lamas` and the Buddhist of Ladakh prefers to call their religion Lamaism, which is much the same as Mahayana (or Great vehicle) form of Buddhism.

Women`s Clothing: Women wear a similar robe called a "Kuntop" but on their backs they add a colorful shawl, the "Bok" in which a baby or parcels can easily be carried. It used to be worn for warmness and a protection on the back against heavy loads of sticks and rocks.

Men`s Clothing: Men traditionally wear bulky woolen robe called "Goucha", fastened at the neck, under the armpit and tied at the waist with a colorful sash known as a "Skerag". The Skerag is about two meters long and 20 cm wide, wound round and round and tucked in. In this sash men carry the small essentials of Ladakhi life.



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