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#Post#: 14885--------------------------------------------------
High School Fall Formal
DIR By: Kimberami
Date: September 30, 2018, 8:26 am
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My DD (15) will be attending a fall formal. We are shopping for
dresses, and we need some impartial opinions (aka help us
please). These are the styles that appeal to both of us:
HTML https://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_off-the-shoulder-faille-mermaid-gown-59517d_all-dresses
HTML https://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_long-halter-lace-dress-with-illusion-cutout-21434_homecoming-dresses
HTML https://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_soft-pleated-mesh-gown-with-illusion-back-130240_long-prom-dresses
Are these appropriate for a fall formal? We live in the South,
and fall does not equal freezing weather. I would expect that
the temperature may be in the 50s at night. What type of wrap
would work the best? DD will be in a pre-cotillion group for the
next few years, and we expect that she have several occasions to
wear a formal. IMHO these dresses are classic enough that they
could be recycled in the future. Please correct me if this is a
misconception. I was never into this as a teen, and I am over my
head.
#Post#: 14887--------------------------------------------------
Re: High School Fall Formal
DIR By: MinMom3
Date: September 30, 2018, 9:22 am
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I think they all look really nice. I personally prefer #1 and
#3, but that's JUST my personal opinion. All 3 provide
coverage, don't leave your daughter at risk of boobage falling
out and look good. And yes, none of them are 'extreme', so
could easily repeat!
#Post#: 14888--------------------------------------------------
Re: High School Fall Formal
DIR By: Thitpualso
Date: September 30, 2018, 10:16 am
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Old fogey speaking. They’re all lovely dresses but I’m not
thrilled with the high skirt slits for a 15 year-old.
Still, any of them would be easily wearable in the future.
#Post#: 14893--------------------------------------------------
Re: High School Fall Formal
DIR By: jpcher
Date: September 30, 2018, 2:13 pm
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They are beautiful dresses but in my opinion a bit too
adultish/sexy for a 15 year old.
#1 -- I'd be afraid of the top slipping down to easily
especially when dancing and DD having to hoist it up all evening
long. I guess it depends on how well fitted it is.
#2 -- I'm not crazy about the deep plunge. If they could alter
it a bit so the plunge stops at the top of the breasts instead
of below then that would a very nice dress for a 15-yr old.
#3 -- Of the three, this is my choice.
Think about 15 year old boys seeing your DD in dress #1 and #2.
Hubba! Hubba! Is that how you want to present your young
daughter? Again, just my opinion.
I'm thinking something more like this:
HTML https://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_caviar-beaded-tulle-gown-with-open-back-x35691dtgq_all-prom-dresses
Classy, elegant, even sexy in a way, but doesn't call attention
to the breasts.
As far as a wrap -- I think that unless the wrap is made
with/for the dress then I think you should go with a shawl. If
you're going with Davids, I'm sure they would have suggestions
for you that would match the dress of your choice.
Have you looked at dresses with matching jackets?
HTML https://www.dillards.com/p/alex-evenings-a-line-mock-jacket-dress/508057942?di=05391903_zi_navy&categoryId=676403&facetCache=pageSize%3D96%26beginIndex%3D0%26orderBy%3D1
HTML https://www.dillards.com/p/emma-street-2-piece-set-long-lace-jacket-dress/507689782?di=05252723_zi_lavender&categoryId=676403&facetCache=pageSize%3D96%26beginIndex%3D0%26orderBy%3D1
Just some food for thought . . . Enjoy shopping with your
daughter! ;D
Please let us know your decision!
#Post#: 14895--------------------------------------------------
Re: High School Fall Formal
DIR By: OnyxBird
Date: September 30, 2018, 3:01 pm
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This may be more practicality than etiquette, but I suggest that
your daughter test each dress she tries on for the kind of dance
movements she may be doing in them, preferably with a helper
like you seeing how it looks from an outside perspective. I
don't think formal dresses these days are necessarily designed
with that activity in mind.
How does the skirt behave when she does a fast spin or takes a
large step? Is a narrow skirt with a slit still sufficiently
covering and flattering under those conditions? It probably
depends on the weight of the skirt fabric and how fast she
spins, but in a sufficiently fast spin, I suspect everything
below the slit will swirl outward, exposing much of the legs,
and the centripetal force of the lower part of the skirt may
make the upper part ride up, revealing even more. How secure
does a strapless or off-the-shoulder dress feel when she moves
with some energy, moves her arms, etc.? You don't want to have
to keep hiking up your dress in general, but you especially
don't want to have to do so in the middle of a dance! Does the
dress allow her to raise her arms all the way over her head
without either constricting her motion or causing the dress to
shift in problematic ways? (Dress #1 in particular, while
beautiful, makes me wonder how well it would accommodate raising
the arms without dislodging anything, which could be disastrous
in an off-the-shoulder outfit.)
Also keep in mind where her dance partners hands are going to
need to go on her back and side. For #3, for example, his hands
are probably going to be on her bare skin. Would she be
comfortable with that? Etiquette-wise: Even if she is
comfortable with her partner's hand on bare skin, is her partner
likely to be? IME, even adult men leaning to dance can be really
nervous about where their hands need to go in correct dance
positions, without the added weirdness of having no fabric in
between--I would imagine that may be even more problematic for
teens. And if doing a lot of active dancing, she may be
sweating--touching each others' bare hands can be "damp" enough
without bringing back sweat into it (dance gloves are a
wonderful idea that should come back, BTW :P).
She might also want to consider how different skirt types, for
example, feel in a dance. Personally, I love dancing in a skirt
with enough flare to swirl outward in a turn, but not so much
that it can swirl out near-horizontal and expose too much.
The one jpcher linked to is gorgeous and either it or #3 looks
like it would allow freedom of motion, a fit with straps that
unlikely to slip off, and a solid skirt that would allow a
reasonable stride and flare nicely in a spin without risking it
riding up too high. Jpcher's find also provides fabric between
her back and the partner's hand. The really thin straps on #3
also make it look slightly "flimsy" to me, although that's
probably an illusion.
#Post#: 14912--------------------------------------------------
Re: High School Fall Formal
DIR By: gramma dishes
Date: September 30, 2018, 6:27 pm
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--- Quote from: jpcher link ---
>
>
> ... I'm thinking something more like this:
HTML https://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_caviar-beaded-tulle-gown-with-open-back-x35691dtgq_all-prom-dresses
>
> Classy, elegant, even sexy in a way, but doesn't call
attention to the breasts. ...
>
>
--- End Quote ---
None of us have seen your daughter so we can't know anything
about her body build. But as a mother I'd be far more
comfortable with my fifteen year old in this one than the
others. Very feminine, but not overtly sexy.
#Post#: 14915--------------------------------------------------
Re: High School Fall Formal
DIR By: VorFemme
Date: September 30, 2018, 6:44 pm
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I've seen several photos of my nieces in high school dance
dresses - that they are buying used off other high school
students - who do not have a 6' tall mother and a 6' 3" or so
father (so everyone in my brother's family runs into the "taller
than average" range) - the girls always spend time tugging their
skirts down because most of the other girls run four to six
inches shorter...which makes a huge difference in how far down
the thigh a miniskirt goes...
Mom (and I - when I was there for one of Mom's chemo sessions)
have been asked to alter dresses to make them a little bit less
"exhibitionist" - but there's only so much you can do with a
needle & thread but no fabric to spare.
I love the Caviar beaded dress...if I knew the graduating
senior's dress size...I might have it sent to her....wonder if
Mom could get them for me...?
#Post#: 14919--------------------------------------------------
Re: High School Fall Formal
DIR By: Kimberami
Date: September 30, 2018, 7:43 pm
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--- Quote from: gramma dishes link ---
>
> [quote author=jpcher link=topic=713.msg14893#msg14893
date=1538334831]
>
> ... I'm thinking something more like this:
HTML https://www.davidsbridal.com/Product_caviar-beaded-tulle-gown-with-open-back-x35691dtgq_all-prom-dresses
>
> Classy, elegant, even sexy in a way, but doesn't call
attention to the breasts. ...
>
>
--- End Quote ---
None of us have seen your daughter so we can't know anything
about her body build. But as a mother I'd be far more
comfortable with my fifteen year old in this one than the
others. Very feminine, but not overtly sexy.
[/quote]
We like this one, too. Thank you for all of the advise. I would
have never thought to tell her to do any dancing or moving
around like that in the dress. I didn't like the idea of going
shopping without a game plan, and I feel much more comfortable
about it now.
#Post#: 14929--------------------------------------------------
Re: High School Fall Formal
DIR By: jazzgirl205
Date: September 30, 2018, 10:31 pm
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I like the dress that jpcher suggested. I would not suggest a
slit for a 15 year old. My dd is 20 and has had a few
opportunities to wear gowns and she will have many more. I tell
her, "Only wear gowns that Grace Kelly or Audrey Hepburn would
wear." If you could find out what the other girls are wearing,
that would help. I think a fuller skirt would be best. Good
luck and I hope your dd has a great time.
#Post#: 14962--------------------------------------------------
Re: High School Fall Formal
DIR By: Hmmm
Date: October 1, 2018, 10:26 am
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Get your DD to go look at the Instagram pages of her friends who
attended last year. It'll giver her a better idea of how formal
the girls go. In my area, most of the girls wore short dresses
for the Fall Formal.
I agree 2 is too plunging for a 15 year old. You'll have 4 more
years of this, so my advice is start conservative as a freshman
or you'll end up with a near naked DD by senior year.
I personally don't think the slit on dress 1 is that high. It
looks like it comes mid thigh which makes it easy to move around
without fear of over exposure.
As far as a wrap, unless the girls were going someone with a
coat check (which is pretty unheard of in my southern city and
only offered at the country club) the girls were just cold when
going from car to location.
Shoes are going to be one of the biggest expenses. I was so
happy that we bought DD a really expensive but beautiful pair of
neutral dressy sandals. She wore them for at least 6 occasions.
And speaking of shoes, the girls usually get rid of their shoes
(they would have a shoe check but no coat check at the proms)
within the first hour, make sure the dress is hemmed to a level
that will make walking and dancing barefoot ok.
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