Trend Report: All About Prom

The month of April is rolling around and we all know that means Prom season! You asked your guy in the cutest way, memorized the date and bought your bid. Now all that’s left is the most complex element for girls to execute perfectly: their outfit! Though you may be freaking out about what kind of dress to buy, what shoes to wear and how to do your hair, don’t have an emotional breakdown quite yet. The Voice has all best ideas to make your outfit (and night, of course) one to remember.

Dresses: there are only so many in our area and thousands of girls. No one wants to show up in the same dress as someone else, but even if you do, at least you’ll be confident in the dress you chose. The first dress trend is bright and colorful. Make yourself stand out and look striking while doing so. This is different from typical black and will show your date you’re confident and comfortable being bold.

If bright isn’t for you, another trend this prom season is gold dresses. Gold is timeless and very elegant. Whether your dress is full gold sequins or a faded gold shimmer, the color will make you look more mature.      

If you are not into the long prom dresses, you’re in luck. 2010 prom is welcoming short dresses. You will gain more attention in a short dress, since a long one is classic for prom. It will show you are more edgy and are not afraid to stand out and show a little leg. No matter what kind of dress you decide on, the number one most important factor is that you feel comfortable in it.  All dresses can be tailored for a low price to fit your exact size, so if one area is not fitting correctly, you don’t need to change sizes. Also remember that the size does not matter because all designers use a different scale. Just keep in mind that confidence goes a long way, so if you’re happy in your dress, everyone else will love it as well!

Shoes: You found your dress, but now you need some matching shoes. The first step to finding your perfect shoes is to take into consideration the type of dress you have. If your dress has a design already on it, a simple colored shoe is the way to go. If your dress is a solid color, feel free to go as crazy with your shoe design as you want! Just don’t overdo your look and make your appearance too busy. Sparkled shoes are in this season and bring a little pizzazz to your feet (they also help show off your new pedicure)!

If you are a shorter girl or just want to look taller, buy shoes that are similar to the color of your skin tone. This elongates the look of your legs and is very in this season. If you wear stockings, make sure to take them into consideration when picking your shoe color. Finally, if your dress allows you to show off your shoes, you may want to consider heels with straps that wrap around the leg. They draw in immediate attention and are not only in on the runway, but for prom as well. Many of these types of shoes come with the bonus that they help support your feet so that you are more secure in your shoes. Consider these elements when you are shopping for your prom shoes.

Hair: Your look is almost complete, but now something must be done with the un-brushed, knotted ponytail on the side of your head. A total transformation can be made by yourself, your parent or a professional hair stylist. If you are looking for an updo style, messy buns are very trendy this spring. When properly executed, they look elegant yet not to showy. The runways are especially fond of the side bun, so feel free to remain with your lopsided, Pres hair ways.

As many of us have seen, another hair trend is braids. Whether they wrap over your head, are only in your bangs, or reach the back of your head, braids are one of the most popular looks for prom this season. They are easy to do and keep the hair out of your face. 

Finally, the half-up look is always big for prom. You can have the best of both worlds with your hair up and down. This will keep the hair out of your way, but still display your beautiful head of hair which is usually covered by a hoodie. Again, no matter what you do with your hair, make sure that you like it. If you don’t like one element of your outfit, you can wind up ruining your entire night! Don’t be afraid to try something new or ask your hairstylist for a few changes.

Pres girls, you are now ready for your 2010 Prom. With a lovely dress, perfectly matching shoes and a hairstyle to complement them both, you will surely be a star of the night. Remember when finding these elements out for prom to stay calm, breathe and most importantly, have a good time!

A Collection of Thoughts from Black and White

By Tanya Padgaonkar, Special Sections Editor

A Perspective from a Chaperone…

Hey everyone, Mr. Mumper here. I’ve dreaded it for all of October, and now it’s finally here. Black and White. Someone please rescue me? Actually, no, it’s alright. I can do this, with this handy-dandy checklist in hand. Okay, so…

Flashlight: check.

Detention slips: check.

Protective gear…? Er, check?

I think…I think I’m ready.

But the moment I walk into the Hollywood themed gym, I know I’m in for a long night filled with sweaty teenagers, but (hopefully?) maybe a little bit of fun for myself too. I’d have to say though, the coolest thing I’ve seen all night was the crowd of boys and girls jerking and break dancing to the song “You’re a Jerk.”

Well, I guess people seem to be having fun. Standing atop a large ladder with a flashlight isn’t exactly my ideal Saturday night… I wish there was some Hawaiian music on. But at least the kids seem to like the DJ since they are singing along with almost every song. I’m not sure why the majority of the people seem to be in the middle of the gym though, since the foyer has spiffy looking card tables and there are refreshments outside. CI and NAHS really managed to incorporate the Hollywood theme into everything, from the decorations to the movie of old Hollywood films in the background, they thought of everything.

But apart from that, the whole experience is making me a little bit sad. I’m not in high school anymore! I can’t dance or even go to these things without a legitimate alibi. You know, I’m actually pretty impressed with all of these girls though. I’m supposed to be checking for drugs, alcohol, etc. and I haven’t found anything! Hey, these are actually some pretty good quotes. I’ll have to be sure to keep these and other positive Pres-related thoughts in mind in case one of those yearbook or newspaper students comes to interview me. Mr. Case warned me about them before I left. Now, where’s that checklist of mine?

By Angelia Tran, Business Manager

A Perspective from a Pres girl’s date…

Name:  Jonathon Stutchman

High school:  Saratoga High School

Grade: 12

Mission: Black and White Charity Ball at Presentation High School

Thoughts: Presentation is a typical private school, small, only females, and not too exciting.  The dance will be kind of boring, not many people will be dancing, and there will be chaperones patrolling. But I told Ivy Nguyen I would go since she’s a senior and it’ll be her last Black and White.

October 24^th 2009: It begins…

Preparation: 30 minutes to get ready and dressed. I must remember to wear something that matches lots of things to be safe since Ivy isn’t sure which dress to wear.

Mission begins: We are meeting at one of Ivy’s friend’s house for pictures and such. Perhaps I will meet other dates. I have a feeling I’ll be with them for the rest of the night. Then time for dinner! Ivy says we’re splitting the bill at Pasta Pamadora.

7:45 PM: Dinner is done and now at Presentation. The beginning of this dance is awkward since no one is dancing. This is typical of dances though, so, hopefully, things will improve. For now there are other things to do, like take professional pictures and play blackjack. How nice.

9 PM: For the most part, the music is pretty good.  The DJ isn’t too amazing, but I’ve been to dances with much worse. Actually, this dance isn’t too bad and not too different from the ones I have gone to before.  The only difference is, typically at schools like mine, there aren’t so many cops…and the chaperones usually aren’t so strict about the dancing.

11 PM: Time to leave. Wow, they really want us off campus fast. That’s different.

Notes: I didn’t think that the gym would be so big, and didn’t know that the school was really nice looking.  Also there was a lot more sports awards in the gym than I thought would be at a private girls school.  I really like the people though; they weren’t at all how I pictured.  They seem a lot more real and fun than previously thought.  Also there were more of them than I had thought.

A Perspective from a Police Officer…

Matt Christian and his brother are police officers, but their high school alma mater is Mitty. Still they came to Presentation, teenage stereotypes put aside, to chaperone the Black and White Charity Ball, the first for Matt who has only chaperoned other Presentation events such as the Mother-Daughter Breakfast. Unlike his experiences at Mitty, Matt found the Bellarmine boys to more well-behaved than he had thought and the Pres girls pretty decent. He was even further impressed with the charity aspect of Black and White as the proceeds of the night are given to Sacred Heart. Also, there were no incidents as he checked the parking lots and the rest of the campus for any criminal activity, critical or minor, to keep those on campus that night safe. The only safety breach came when some local neighborhoods kids hiding out at St. Chris managed to soak some students with water balloons as they were leaving the dance. While he and the other officers had rushed over, there was no one there. So, sadly, while the night had gone well otherwise, there was a casualty that night – a girl’s chic dress.