TREND: Corset Style Bodice

One trend we’ve seen a lot of the past few years and is continuing to gain popularity is the corset style bodice. This look is characterized by exposed boning in the top of the dress to create the illusion of a corset. Some of these dresses have a lace up back, much like a real corset would, but many of them have a zipper back instead. This look is great for creating and defining an hourglass figure because the boning in the dress creates a structure that is flattering on everyone!

TREND: Mermaid Dresses

We saw a lot of the mermaid shape last year and will be seeing even more of it this year.  A mermaid dress is set apart from other styles by its unique shape, a fitted dress that flairs out below the hips, anywhere between the mid-thigh and the knees. Mermaids are great for accenting or creating an hourglass figure and highlighting curves. Make sure to stop in and see a Mestads Stylist to find the right mermaid for you.

TREND: Ruffles

One of our favorite trends this year is ruffles. They are showing up on just about every shape and style of dress and we LOVE it! The great thing about ruffles is that they accentuate everyone’s best feature. For example:

A full skirt of ruffles helps accentuate the waist giving it a cinched corset look.

A ruffle mermaid accentuates the hips, helping them appear firm and sculpted

and a full ruffle skirt with a drop waist makes the torso appear longer, and the hips appear fuller.

Make sure to stop in to Mestads so we can help you find the best ruffle dress for your figure!

DIY Beauty - Prom Abs

Tuxedo Vocabulary

Bow Tie: a short necktie tied into a bow at the neck

Collar Types:
Wingtip: a collar style that points down in the
front but does not lie down around the entire
neck, generally worn with a Bow tie
Lay down: standard wide, pointed collar of a
dress shirt that lays down flat, generally worn
with a Windsor tie


Cuff Links: a fastening used in place of a button on the cuff of a shirt

Cummerbund: broad waistband worn with a dinner jacket instead of a vest

Lapel: the folded back collar on a coat

Lapel Types:
Notch: a notch cut out of the lapel of the coat
Peak: the lapel will form a “V” or a peak
Shawl: rounded, smooth lapel


Pocket Square: a folded square of fabric put in the breast pocket of a coat for decoration

Stud: a fastening used in place of a button on the shirt front

Suspenders: supporting bands that go over the shoulder and clip or button to waist of pants to hold them up

Tailcoat: a tux coat which is shorter in the front and has two tapering tails in the back

Tuxedo (Tux): outfit consisting of a tuxedo coat, pants with satin strip down the side, cummerbund and bow tie, or vest and tie and polished shoes.

Vest: a sleeveless garment worn over a shirt

Windsor Tie: a wide necktie tied with a slip knot with both ends left hanging

HOW TO - Choose a Neckline

Some necklines work better than others, depending on body type. Read on to see what might work best for you!

Strapless:


Dresses without straps WILL stay put; they just need to fit correctly. Many women mistakenly think that the gown needs to be tightest at the top, or that they have to have a chest like Barbie to keep the gown up. In reality, anyone can wear a strapless gown. If the dress is tight enough just above your hips, your hips will actually hold the dress up, the weight of the dress will rest on them – even if it’s too big in the top. If the waist fits you correctly and the top is too big, the top can be taken in. Many prom dresses are being made with a corset-style back. The lace-up feature allows the wearer to tighten it until the top fits, which cuts back on a LOT of alterations!

Strapless dresses are either straight across on the top, or have a sweetheart top, which looks like a heart. Both are great, but some people find that they like one or the other better on their body. Petite girls may find that a sweetheart neckline will make them look taller, because it will give a longer line from the top of the dress to the chin.

Plunging Halter:


For plunging necklines, you may think that its best to have a large chest, but the opposite is actually true. If you are smaller on top, your parts won’t be trying to “escape” from the gown, and tape will easily secure you all night.

Halter:


This universally flattering neckline has a strap that goes behind your neck, but doesn’t “plunge” like the previous example. Regardless of chest size, this neckline is supportive, flattering, and stylish. Usually the neck straps are too long (even if you ARE six feet tall!), so expect to have to shorten it!

Spaghetti Straps:


Most strapless dresses come with straps that can be added. Sometimes you can have your seamstress add hooks or snaps, so they can be added later in the evening if you feel your dress slipping when you start dancing (although if you’ve had it altered – this shouldn’t happen). Some dresses come with straps already sewn on, and they are usually fairly easy to remove, or just tuck in if you want a strapless look. If you plan to wear the straps, expect to have them shortened to fit you!

Modest:


Some prom manufacturers offer gowns that are created specially for those who value modesty. Given enough time, we can order these in, with high necklines and sleeves. If we don't have time to order something, there are lots of ways to modify what is in the store to meet your needs. You can add fabric to raise a neckline, create wider straps or sleeves, lower or close a slit, or add a jacket or shawl over the dress to give more coverage. Please let us know your specific needs so that we can help you in the best way possible!

Undergarment Secrets

Judging by how busy we've been, I'll assume that lots of you have purchased your homecoming dress. If not, we still have tons here for you to choose from!

Here are some secrets to make you look your best for Homecoming:

Dress Tape

This helps keep your dress where you want it, either stopping slipping in the front, holding your deep V in place, or keeping straps on your shoulders! After the dance, use it to keep a buttoned shirt from gaping, hold your bra strap in your shirt, or tape a fallen pants hem.

Sticky Bra

This bra is perfect for all of the open back dresses that girls are wearing. It sticks to your sides, and as the label suggests, it "gathers the girls" to support where you need it.

Sew-in Bra Cups

These cups are sewn right into the dress, and hide perfectly in any gown. They also provide a little "lift" if that's what you're looking for...

Spanx

For those of us who want a smoother look under our gown, or to avoid a wardrobe malfunction in a short dress, Spanx are the perfect solution! They slim and smooth, and provide coverage too!

As seen on Dancing With the Stars this week, Bristol Palin's Spanx doing their job:



Gown Trend - BANDAGE DRESSES

Bandage dresses are NOT for the faint of heart. They leave almost nothing to the imagination, but are certainly a red carpet staple! For prom, pair yours with some fierce shoes, dangly earrings, and you’re set to go!

Here are a few of the latest from Heidi Montag, Victoria Beckham, and Amanda Bynes:

HOW TO - Wear a Tuxedo

Its prom night and you’re all set to go; reservations for dinner are confirmed, you have your parents’ car for the night and you are headed to pick up your date in an hour. Only thing is you still need to get dressed. Wearing a tux would seem simple enough, you throw on a shirt and some sort of coat and you’re all set, right? Not quite. There are a few things to remember when wearing a tux that are different from your casual, every day wardrobe of jeans and a t-shirt.

To begin, wearing a tux correctly starts when you get fitted. You booked your tux a couple of weeks ago after a bunch of measurements and decisions on colors and styles. Pick up your tux at least 2 days in advance so any adjustments can be made. At this time a consultant will help you into your coat and assure the proper fit and look of everything. If you have any questions on how something is fitting, or you are not comfortable, speak up. Consultants can only see what you look like, not how you feel and we all want you to be as comfortable as possible.

Now that we’re back to prom night, let’s get you dressed!

It’s often a good idea to wear a plain white undershirt under the tux shirt. The tux shirts are stiff and uncomfortable and the added barrier of a nice cotton layer will make the night more pleasant.

Your tux shirt should be completely buttoned, including the annoying little collar button, which you may need some help getting buttoned. Make sure your shirt is tucked into your pants!

Pants are worn at your real waist. Do not sag tuxedo pants, they are not made to wear low and will make you look unkempt if you do. When shoes are on, the pants should be about ½ to 1 inch off the ground, or hitting the top of the sole of your shoe. They should not drag on the ground. On the flip side, they should not be so short that your socks show when you stand.

Be sure you wear black socks if you have black tuxedo pants, or white socks if you have white pants!

If you need to tie a tie, make sure you know how before the big night so you’re not fumbling at the last minute. Many rental ties or bow ties are pre-tied so you just need to adjust the size. The tie is worn tucked inside the vest. If you’re wearing a bow tie, a nice detail is to wear the studs, a special removable button, instead of the white buttons that come on the shirt. Ask your tux consultant how to use these if you don’t know.

Now for the coat. When you have a tux coat on, it should fit well on the shoulders, meaning the shoulders should not make you look like a linebacker, unless you are one, and they also shouldn’t be stretching or puckering. The sleeves of the tux coat should hit your wrist when your arm hangs straight down and ideally the shirt sleeve will show a little beyond.

When buttoning the jacket never button the bottom button. Same with the buttons on the vest, button everything except for the bottom button.

Finally, check your pocket square and make sure it’s still folded nicely in your pocket.

Comb your hair, grab the corsage for your date, keys, money and you’re set to go!

Make sure the full tuxedo is worn for grand march and any pictures. During dinner and dancing, feel free to remove the coat for comfort and ease of movement. Be sure though at the end of the night you take the correct tux coat so there are no mix ups when trying to return the rental!

Ladies, don’t be afraid to take a good look at how your date is dressed and make sure everything is tucked in where it should be and he’s up to your standards!

If all else fails, take your style cues from Rob Pattinson:

Gown Trend - BACKLESS

If you’ve got a toned, smooth back, why not show it off? Backless gowns are still one of the hottest styles available. Mestads has plenty to make sure that you can wear the trend while still being unique! Did you know that we register your gown? Once you buy your gown from us, no one else from your school can buy it from us, even in another color!

Here are Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, and Miley Cyrus showing off their toned backs!

HOW TO - Choose the Right Undergarments

Under every great dress are great undergarments – regardless of the occasion – prom, wedding, or pageant – the right undergarments can make or break your big night look.

Spanx – Great under slinky, clingy dresses! These power panties slim and smooth from the ribs to the knees. Let your lumps and bumps be your little secret.

Sticky Straps – Double sided tape created specifically for use with clothing. The stick’em won’t irritate your skin, and these strips can help hold your dress to your body (think J. Lo!), keep a hem in place, hold buttons together, hold your bra strap in your dress, or hold a wrap closed.

Smooth’em - Thanks to superior coverage from Smooth 'em nipple covers, there's no reason to be shy. (As if you are a wallflower anyway). The re-useable circular silicone discs, worn discreetly under a form-fitting halter dress, gently adhere to the breasts for a natural and seamless silhouette. Now, all that's left to do is ditch that bulky jacket, stand tall, and look nothing but dazzling on the red carpet.

Gather-the-girls - Whether it's a major cleavage boost for that slinky black halter, or a sassy, pulled-together look in form-fitting cashmere, Gather-The-Girls will help you keep your assets perfectly aligned. Silicone cups stick to your body and clasp in the center, giving you the lift you’re looking for!

Sew in cups – My first choice for comfort! These can take the place of a strapless bra, and often cost less. They usually come in cup sizes, and are sewn directly into your gown. They are great for giving coverage if you need it, lifting, and filling the front of a gown with fewer alterations! These are great to replace a strapless bra in today’s backless styles. Since they aren’t gripping your skin like a strapless bra, they don’t hurt after hours of wear!

Strapless Bra – The classic standby. This can also give you lift and help you feel more comfortable. You can use Sticky Straps to hold your bra into your dress – then it won’t come peeking out!

Plunge bra – This bra often has convertible straps. Since it plunges in the front, so it can be concealed under a plunging halter neckline.

Seamless thong – These undies are made of microfiber and have a laser cut edge. They lay smoothly on your body, and hide very well, even under clingy silk charmeuse gowns.

How to Dress for Your Body Type

First and foremost – this blog post has everything to do with the PROPORTION of one body measurement to the other, and how to best balance what you have to get the look you want. SIZE is a number, and the dress you choose doesn’t relate much to it. Wearing the right dress can create illusions to fix any body issue, real or perceived. Mestads sells dresses in size 0-30, and believes that EVERYONE should look beautiful on their special night! Consultants at Mestads can assist you in choosing something that will work to your best advantage – please let us know how we can help you!

Triangle: People who have this shape have a larger hip measurement than their bust measurement. To create balance, you should emphasize the top half of your body. Wearing something that’s fitted in the top and flowy in the skirt will minimize the hip area. A sweetheart neckline can really flatter a small bust line.

Triangle

Heart Shape: People who are heart shaped have larger bust measurements than their hips. You should ensure that the dress you purchase supports you in the top in a way that you feel comfortable. You might like that a more full skirt will balance your top and bottom, and create the illusion of an hourglass. A halter top can help give you comfortable support and coverage, while still being stylish.

Heart

Square: This person has measurements that are fairly similar in the bust, waist and hips. You may find that ruching or details at the waist or slightly higher will create the look of an hourglass shape. A full skirt can also create an hourglass illusion.

Square

Hourglass: People with this shape have similar measurements in the bust and hips, and a smaller waist. You can choose to emphasize what you have, or choose one area to focus on.

Hourglass

Tall: Tall girls who want to flaunt their height can choose a bold print, a curvy mermaid style, or any exaggerated details. At Mestads, you’ll find that the gowns will be long enough, and if you shop early, some may be orderable in extra length for girls over 6’ tall (subject to availability).

Tall

Petite: Petite girls can create the illusion of height by choosing vertical details such as a leg slit, halter neckline, a train, or beading in an up and down pattern. An empire waist, which is tightest right under the bust, can create the illusion of long legs. Petite girls can wear ball gowns, mermaid styles, and dropped waistlines, but should keep proportion in mind. Alterations can almost always shorten the length, or change the dress proportions to suit your body. My general rule of thumb is that you can take fabric away from a dress, but you can’t ever add it.

Petite