In the United States, a prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance held at the end of the years of high school and college, called junior prom and senior prom respectively. In British English such an event would be called a ball, although in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand it is also often called a formal. In Australian schools the terms used are either formal or sometimes as Leaver's Dinner, usually so when the night includes a meal. In Ireland it is known as a debs (an abbreviation of debutante ball). In the U.S. a "formal" is typically a similar dance that is held by a fraternity or sorority affiliated with a certain college or university. In Australia, the term "prom" has also come into sparse usage and in Britain it is becoming widespread, because of US influence. The name is derived from the late ninteenth century practice of a Promenade ball. The end of year tradition stemmed from the Graduation Ball tradition.
Choosing the right high school prom dress is mostly a question of quality: you need to be able to tell quality from crap, because if you buy crap, you will look like crap, and if you look like crap, people might think you're a loser. So here are some of the things you should look for:
Manufacturing process.
Or, how is the dress made? Are the seams all wobbly and mangled looking? Are the sleeves finished right? What about the hems, how are they finished? And are the sleeves (if the dress has any) lined? Does the dress itself have lining? Do the seams wander so that the dress looks lopsided? Is the neck off- center or longer on one side than the other? Ask all these and a dozen more questions. Sometimes, when manufacturers make dresses, they're not as careful as they could be, and the result is a poor fitting product that makes you look horrible.
Fabrics.
The better fabrics drape better. They also feel better. When it comes to fabric, you can usually tell quality by touching it (hence expressions like "soft as silk"). If you can't touch it, then ask. Or better yet, look for the quality guarantees that manufacturers supply. Many manufacturers tell you about their dresses and their fabrics -especially on their websites, where real estate is cheap. If they say it's made with the finest fabrics available anywhere, or something like that, then you know you're getting something good. Just remember: if it's in print, they're liable (they can be sued!), so they won't take a chance on lying!
Couture.
Couture: The most mystical of words! In French, it means simply "cut." And in the fashion world, it refers to "the cut" of the dress. So what is it? Actually, a combination of many things: the quality of the manufacturing process, the quality of the fabrics, and above all, an original design that transforms the wearer's body into a work of art.
So how do you know when a dress is couture?
Only one rule: The simpler the dress, the higher the couture (haute couture).
That's because in the fashion world simple equals elegant, refined, sophisticated and expensive in taste.
A dress that's full of trim, beads and sequins and other inessential fluff is usually considered gaudy - a total no-no in terms of fashion. Sometimes manufacturers put this stuff on the dress to hide a poor couture. But a simple dress can't hide it's "cut." It's either a good couture, or it is not. So when you're looking, look for simple: It's that simple!
