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Styled Out: Prom season planning

In the same vein as last week’s post, I’m sticking with a discussion on formal wear — however this time I’m addressing our younger readers. When I was in high school and attending all-girls Catholic college prep, I was in complete denial about my own sexuality, but that’s not always the case in this day and age.

Granted it’s only been eight years since I strutted my stuff at my very own senior prom (with a boyfriend on my arm, I might add), but with a much more accepting and diverse generation on our hands (dependent on what part of our country you happen to dwell in, of course), you might be lucky enough to have that special lady on your arm as you proudly display your corsage at one of the most memorable events in your high school career.

Suit or dress? This may be something you have not even thought about as you enter into this relatively new stage of your life — and by that I mean formal dating. How often has your average 17 or 18-year-old had to contemplate what to wear when dressing to the nines? Chances are you haven’t, but you probably know if you prefer to wear the pants or the skirt at this point in your life. Banana Republic and my old go-to for classic looks, J. Crew, have amazing suits tailored for women’s bodies.

If you try and go the department store route, you might run around trying to mix and match pants and suit jackets yourself, which can be a bit of a challenge to the less-than-well-versed lesbian. Color and variety are not lacking at either of the two places and they will alter suits for free. It will fit you like a glove and be specific to the brand, which is so important when you’re investing that much in something. Your dad was right and so am I — you will keep a good suit for years, so you might as well go balls out.

Corsage etiquette is something I got very familiar with through the myriad mixers I attended in my teenage years, and from what I’ve researched, not a lot has changed. The wrist corsage is still ultimately preferred to the boutonniere but for a classic lady, you might need to go that route.

Since prom falls in the prime of spring, it’s a great way to express your affection and it might seem trite, but they really do look nice and it cinches the ensemble together. To this day, I’m a huge fan of coordinating with my dates when dressing up, and if you can’t match your bow tie to her chiffon, a floral adornment is a great way to do that. Afraid of sticking her as you pin it on? Check out this tutorial that I found on ehow.

Have long locks but don’t feel like “doing it up” as many of your classmates will spend half of the day in the salon doing? Fear not. A well-groomed young lady can be defined in many more ways than with a curling iron set and half a bottle of hairspray. If you’re opting out of the up-do but still want to look sleek, I suggest booking a “style” with your regular hairstylist. They really do just have that magic touch, and even if you want it slicked to the side and pieced out “just so,” they can do it and you can face the evening fresh-faced and confident that your coif won’t budge.

The other big pressure issue during prom time is those fancy air-brushed nails, but you don’t have to go there if it’s not your cup of tea. Admittedly they’re cool, but a good manicure doesn’t have to entail as much garnish as one might believe. Go soak your digits at the salon and let them file away, but you can always opt out of the polish or even go for clear to accomplish a well-groomed look.

So, does anyone need a prom date?

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