By MIKE CHAIKEN
CTFashionMag.com
Roll out the red carpet in your mind when you begin shopping for your high school prom gown for 2018.
Prom dress superstar brands like Sherri Hill (http://www.sherrihill.com), Jovani (http://www.jovani.com), and Mac Duggal (http://www.macduggal.com)– as evidenced by their spring 2018 runway shows– clearly have had their eyes on the Hollywood award season when imagining their latest selections.
Silhouettes this season are sleek and confident, with column, Grecian, trumpet skirt, and mermaid silhouettes dominating. For a girl seeking more volume, the silhouettes still are more restrained with a-lines and princess silhouettes standing out.
Adding to the Hollywood feel of prom 2018 is the use of a lot of bling on the gowns. There were all sorts of decorative touches using beading, stones, and glimmering fabrics that captured the light from the flash of paparazzi or smartphones.
Aside from the red carpet, designers also offer a nod to fairy tales and princesses in their collection.
Mac Duggal for one has visions of Cinderella in mind.
In an emailed response about this season’s trends, Mac Duggal representatives said, “Prom dresses with a ball gown look and feel are surging in popularity this season. In particular, soft hue colors like rose gold and powder blue are on trend this year, to the point where these colors have become equal in popularity to red and black dresses. For a bold look in the red spectrum, burgundy prom dresses are in vogue this year.”
Huge floral prints, which have become popular with designers and prom-goers in recent years, continue to be a popular alternative to the solid color blocks or champagne and gold fabric flavors of prom, as seen on the latest runways by the three designers.
In its blog (http://www.jovani.com/blog), Jovani cited the “Top 5 Prom Dress Trends for 2018.” These are: Metallic Magic; The Open Back; Soft Pastel; Cutouts and Strappy Details; and Velvet.
Overall, this season for prom, girls should expect romance, glitz, glamour, and a chance to shine for photographs on this celebrated eve.
For this fashion editorial, Laurye Natale, owner of Dazzle Boutique, 300 Oxford Rd., Oxford (http://www.dazzleboutiques.com) selected dresses from the latest Sherri Hill, Mac Duggal, and Jovani collections, representing some of the top trends for the 2018 prom season.
Models: Morgan Mancini, Kaliegh Garris, Lindiana Frangu
Photographed on location at The Palace Theater, 100 East Main St., Waterbury (www.PalaceTheaterCT.org)
Photographs by Mike Chaiken
