Fashion Blogs

Prom fashion can change at the drop of a hat, and it's up to stores to change stock as quickly as boys and girls change outfits.

Jon Smith, one of the owners of Renaissance Bridals in York, knows how fickle teenagers can be when it comes to dressing up. Part of his job takes him to fashion shows around the country to keep up with the latest trends. But Smith also knows that the next time a Kardashian posts what she's wearing to Instagram, it could mean that girls will visit his store the next day with very different expectations.

But, as of Monday, Smith thinks he's got a good idea of what this year's proms will look like.

For girls, it's crop tops, which is a two-piece gown that shows off the midriff, he said. Black's a popular choice this year, but there are some teenagers who have gone for bold, dominant colors such as red and burgundy.

"It's all the fashion," he said. "These young ladies are seeing it on all the social media, from Instagram to last night's Oscars. A lot of stars and starlets are being pictured in crop tops."

Floral print bridal dresses are also making a comeback, Smith said.

The dresses at Renaissance Bridals can run anywhere from between $350 to $800, he said. Two of the store's most popular brands are Sherri Hill and Jovani.

Since many of their dresses have the "sheer illusion that the top is just jewels all around the neck," Smith said that girls have done away with necklaces. Instead, they've gone for bigger, bolder chandelier earrings, which range from $29 to $59.

"If they want to go for this whole glam look, they want high heels or sparkly shoes," he adds.

Guys have gone for navy and gray suits this year which, based on what Smith's seen, will probably be paired with bow ties and suspenders. The cost of renting one of their suits range anywhere from between $79 to $129.

If he had to give a ballpark figure, Smith said that girls spend about $500 and guys fork over about $150 on average at his store for prom.

"We start selling literally in the fall," he said. "Christmas break (is when) it kicks into full swing for us, and we've already seen thousands of girls... we see girls, because of where we're located, from Baltimore, Washington, Philly and, I heard the other day, from New Jersey."

Over at David's Bridal in Harrisburg, store manager Eileen Creedon said it's the cut-out wedding dresses brisbane that have flown off the shelves.

The popular colors for that kind of dress are bright blue and red, though pastel colors have had a strong showing as well. Most of these dresses also have their own embellishments and beading.

"It's sexy but still offers coverage," she said.

Those selections at David's Bridal can run anywhere from $149 up to $349.

Creedon doesn't see necklaces being a big sell this year because most of their popular dresses have illusion necklines, which are see-through. Instead, girls have chosen to accessorize with bracelets, earrings and shoes for prom.

Some of the more popular items include smaller and heavily-embellished bracelets or wider ones with rhinestones. Girls have also opted for stud earrings more so than dangling ones. Most of these accessories can run from $10 to $40.

For shoes, Creedon said that girls have often gone with sequined or metallic ones.

Creedon has been working at David's Bridal for the last eight years. With proms coming up, she sees anywhere from 30 to 40 girls a day over the weekend and 15 to 20 every other day. One of the biggest differences she's seen in prom fashion over the last few years is how much more in tune girls are with the latest fashion.

Smith said that's because teenagers are always glued to their phones.

"That isn't the way this industry used to be, but it's gotten to the point where I have to find a lot more merchandise and the hottest trends and what these girls are looking for," Smith said. "(It's) a year-round of planning, purchasing, buying and then selling."

Smith's already booked through September for fashion shows throughout the country, and he's already getting started on next year's travel plans. But if he had to guess, he said that prom fashion will move away from the sparkles toward a sleeker look.

"I certainly see that trend coming of, like when you watched the Oscars, of the very elegant, very old Hollywood look," he said.