Off The Shoulder Dress

How To Run A Fashion Show For Prom Dresses

A fashion show intended to showcase prom dresses is different from an ordinary high street fashion show. Not only will it take much longer for models to get into their outfits (which rules out quick changes) but the value and delicacy of the items means that a great deal of care needs to be taken.

Timing your show

You need to green evening gowns allow around two minutes per model. This is enough time to walk down the catwalk, pose and walk back down the catwalk.

In terms of back stage timing you need to allow ten minutes for a girl to get a dress on for which she will need at least one helper.

Boys

If you can, its great to have male models accompany your female models down the catwalk. A local hire company may be willing to lend you suits if you give them a call.

Announcer

Ask someone with good presenting skills to compere the show. Their role will be to announce the name of the model and give a commentary about the dress that they are wearing. For example 'This is Amy, she is wearing Bella, one of our pink prom dresses. This dress features stunning genuine crystal beading with a flowing tulle skirt'.

You should provide your compere with a script for each model/dress. This script should be organised in the same running order as the show.

Music

You should choose music which is both popular with the students in the show and appropriate for the occasion. Pay attention to the bpm (beats per minute) of the music. Your models will walk in time to the music and if the beat's too fast they may end up half jogging down the catwalk (ruining your timings!).

Vet all music before hand to ensure that it doesn contain expletives.

Walk Through

It a good idea to have a walk though of your fashion show. While it is common to do a full dress rehearsal (wearing all the outfits), you should think carefully about doing this. Every time a prom dress is handled it runs the risk of being damaged. It is therefore not advisable to do a full dress rehearsal.

Backstage help

You will need at least one person to help when a girl is trying to get into her dress. If you can stagger the girls putting on their dresses then you won't need as many helpers.

You also need a stage manager and an assistant stage manager. Both of these people should have a clipboard with details of the order in which the girls will go down the catwalk.

The stage manager stands in the wings and is responsible for ensuring long sleeve dresses for juniors that the right people go on stage at the right time.

It is there responsibility to make sure the girl starts putting the dress on in time and to make sure she is down in time. They need to be female so they can go into changing rooms.

Changing rooms

Ideally you need two rooms close to the stage. At least one needs to ensure privacy.

As prom dresses are worth hundreds of pounds each it is important to ensure they will not get damaged in the course of a fashion show.

One way to ensure that this doesn't happen is by ensuring that no food, drink or make up is allowed into the changing rooms. Only the girls themselves and people helping them to get ready should be allowed in the changing room.

Ask girls to take responsibility for dresses

Begin by explaining to the girls involved that they will be personally responsible for taking care of their dresses. Each girl should formally 'sign out' the dress when she takes it off the rack. At the end of the show, someone needs to be appointed to check the dresses back on to the rail. A girl's name should only be checked off the list when they have brought their dress back.

Enjoy it!

Running a fashion show can be great fun so finally, have a great time!

Picking Jewellery To Match Your Wedding Dress

Sometimes your dream necklace and your dream wedding dress will unfortunately not make the perfect bridal outfit. The following is a list of popular wedding dress styles, with jewellery suggestions to match them.

Off-the-shoulder Dress

There is a lot of dolletage on show with this style of dress so you don really have much for your jewellery to compete with. You could therefore go for any style you wish. However, always bear in mind the level of detail on the dress. For a very simple dress with little or no embroidery, we would recommend a delicate necklace teamed with matching earrings to compliment the simplicity of the top of this dress.

Scoop neck Dress

A scoop-neck on a dress is another versatile choice when it comes to choosing your Bridal Jewellery, as all necklace shapes will compliment the neckline. Our favourites for a scoop-neck dress would be a dramatic pendant drop necklace teamed with a single-strand pearl bracelet, which will complete your wedding look perfectly and very elegantly.

Sweetheart Dress

With a sweetheart neckline, the neckline is almost an accessory in itself and flatters the bride's neck and shoulders beautifully all on its own. Therefore you need to be careful not to over-accessorise it with elaborate Bridal Jewellery, and instead complement the shape. A sweetheart bodice looks stunning with a pendant necklace and matching earrings, which mirror the shape of the neckline.

Open Backed Dress

A great way to show off a backless dress is with a Bridal Choker with a hanging emellishment on the back. Bridal chokers give you an edgier look while still embracing the classic, elegant look.

V Neck Dress

When a bride is wearing a v neck style wedding gown, Y-drop necklaces are a very nice touch for bridal necklace jewellry. The Y-drop necklace takes the same angles as the v neck wedding gown line. Bridal chokers are also a great selection for the bride that is wearing a v line dress. The choker gives clean lines and does not distract from the v neck style of dress. Regular simple and double strand necklaces also work very nicely for this style of wedding gown, as they provide a simple but elegant style that compliments the v neck.

Square Top Dress

For the brides that select a very traditional square top wedding gown, simple, single strand and double strand bridal jewelry necklaces are a great way to finish off the neckline. They bring contrast and attract the eye towards the cut of the dress. For a very clean lined look, bridal jewelry chokers are the most perfect style of bridal jewelry necklines for the square top dress. The bridal choker has become more and more popular as the years pass, now with so many options available; brides are finding it easier to select the perfect bridal jewelry choker that fits the style of their gowns.

Off The Shoulder Dress

When wearing an off of the shoulder pink evening dress dress, any style of bridal jewellry necklace works. A regular single or double strand necklace can frame out your entire bridal look with simplicity. If you choose to wear a bridal jewellry choker, that brings the eyes up to the face with ease as it finished off your bridal look. Y-drops work great with the off the shoulder dress. You can't go wrong with what ever style of Bridal Jewellery you choose for this dress.

Asymmetric or One Shoulder Dress

With the asymmetric gown, it is best to choose a great bracelet and pair of earrings, as a necklace will look unbalanced and unnatural. The one shoulder dress is a bold move; match it with a bold Bridal Bracelet and glamorous Bridal Earrings.

Scoop Neck Gown

When wearing the scooped neck gown a simple one or multi-strand necklace is perfect. A necklace such as the simple one to five strand bridal necklaces will frame out the top of your wedding gown perfectly. A bridal jewellry choker is also a really nice selection for this style of dress. It is a simple and evenly tops off the scoop neckline.