Every girl wants to have a unique dress for prom. This is the last dance of the school year, and for many, the last dance of their High School career. The current movement for evening dresses is to go the vintage route, and prom is the perfect occasion to do so. Chances are that most of the girls in prom will go for the long shiny or sparkly evening gown. By going with the 50’s dress, your dress will not necessarily be full length, but still maintain elegance. This retro style will be an unexpected hit.
Think about all the great prom scenes of movies filmed or based in the 1950s. “West Side Story,” “Grease” and “Back to the Future”-to name a few- all provided epic scenes and memorable 50s prom dress styles that are so related to that decade, yet remain beautiful and sexy for today. The characteristics of these dress styles include a tea length –or shorter- skirt, chiffon, tool, lace or ruffles. The top cut is often halter or short sleeves -that may slightly fall off the shoulder- or strapless. Another aspect is the color of the dress, which is usually in pastels, ivory or gold.
Today, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren and so many more celebrities of Hollywood’s golden age continue to inspire fashion, whether on the runway, weddings or at school dances. This is because these glamorous women, in a sense, made 50s fashion -including tea length dresses- timeless. By turning to such style for an event such as prom, women and teens are seeing past the long evening dresses and gowns and in their own ways revitalizing retro fashion. Whether encouraged by films or movies, or by the women who are currently dawning 50s fashion as cocktail attire or as a Sunday afternoon outfit, any occasion suggests an opportunity to dress up with a tea-length ruffled dress. Sure, you may feel the urge to do the hand jive, but the 50s style prom dress lends itself to either being a full blown inspiration for an entire look that night –hair twisted up on the sides, pearls or t-strapped small-heeled shoes- or even your own modern touches included.
There are plenty of places you can find these mid-century fashion gems.
Dress shops, neo vintage boutiques, vintage stores and online stores all offer an assortment of fashion flashbacks -finding a 50s dress won’t be as difficult as you may think. This fashion is all over the place right now -sultry retro or pinup styles have certainly made a comeback. Try pinupgirlclothing.com or modcloth.com for dresses or inspiration.
Take a chance with a style that may go back six decades. You don’t have to be an enthusiast of the era to kill it at prom with a 50s dress.
