Any asymmetrical element will also be hot, so look for

Prom Dresses What To Consider When Choosing Your Look

Prom night is a once in a lifetime experience, one last celebration before graduation and a chance to party with friends who will be moving far away to college in a few months. One of the best parts of prom is in the planning and anticipation. You want to get all the details just right for the special night and there's one purchase that's probably the most important element of all and that is the prom dress.

It can be overwhelming trying to decide on the right dress, but it's also a chance to have fun and let your personality shine in a big way! By taking a little time to plan out your purchase, you can save yourself tons of stress and make the shopping process much easier.

Promtourage is an innovative chiffon bridesmaid dresses application from David's Bridal's that acts like your personal virtual prom shopping assistant. Every girl needs a little help when it comes to prom dress shopping, and Promtourage comes through with exclusive online tools that allow you to plan nearly every facet of prom night even before the limos roll up. All you'll need to do is find the right date!

Promtourage offers an interactive virtual shopping tool that lets you create models that replicate you and your friends by choosing the right skin tones, facial features, hairstyles and body sizes. This way you can find the most flattering look. Think about how long it would take to try on hundreds of dresses, in different colors and with various accessories.

Now imagine how quickly you can narrow down your choices to just the right look using this virtual dressing room. Guys aren't left out here either, so you can perfectly coordinate with your date. With message boards, shopping lists to email and the ability to share designs with friends on Facebook and MySpace, there's no limits to the fun and function of this program.

When it comes time to browse styles, an easy way to narrow down your choices is by first browsing by color and then by available sizes. Online, David's Bridal allows you to click on a color and see all the dresses available to you in a specific color and you can also browse through traditional size offerings as well as special sizes for fuller figures.

Once you've narrowed down your selection, it's time to let the fun really begin with a host of accessories to choose from to bring your look from divine to dynamite! Coordinating and choosing the right shoes, jewelry, lingerie, handbag, hair accessories and gloves are all important finishing touches and will add the icing to the cake to any outfit.

When choosing your prom dress it's important to be in the know of the hottest trends and latest fashion happenings. There are some exciting styles being introduced for the new decade and taking one or two of them and making them your own can create a truly modern and fashion-forward look.

Prints take center stage with a wide variety of styles, from exotic and daring animal prints to modern florals and bold geometrics. Another hot look that will suit anyone's prom style is the gorgeous glam look. Here embellishments, transparent fabrics and classic cuts combine to create prom dresss that look straight off the red carpet.

But you don't need to go with an entirely trendy dress to look modern chic. Prom dresses can also feature small touches of hot trends. Be a little bold with a cut out feature that shows off a little back or waist. These flirty features add a sexy surprise to sophisticated looks. Bows and ruffles are also big and can add a vivacious touch to prom night, while bejeweled necklines come in all shapes from round and halter to keyhole and sweetheart.

Any asymmetrical element will also be hot, so look for straps, necklines and drapings that add architectural elements to the evening dress design. Don't forget to be trendy with your accessories. Load up on rich jewelry (that doesn't have to cost a lot!) and add a glittering handbag for a burst of excitement. Extra-high heels, whether they be platforms or simple strappy styles will give everyone supermodel height. And finish the look off with a beautiful sparkling hair accessory, like a bejeweled headband or crystal comb.

Of course there are a lot of elements to consider when creating your prom night look. But by taking some time to browse at the options available to you and checking out all the hot trends of the moment, you'll be able to make an informed choice. It pays to take into account your body type and skin tone to select a dress that truly flatters your figure and face. After years of school, prom night is the ultimate time to shine, and by picking the best dress for you, the night will truly be a memorable experience.

Prom Dresses From Overseas Auction Sellers Five Things You Need To Know

Browse online auction sites and you're sure to be amazed by the number of bargain prom dresses being advertised. However many people fail to factor in shipping charges, customs duty and VAT before purchasing a gown and end up with a prom dress which costs more than they expected. In addition to this, buying overseas may make it harder to get a refund if you receive a gown that does not match the description.

The purpose of this article is to highlight some of the things to bear in mind when buying prom dresses from overseas auction site sellers.

1. They may be making money on the shipping charge, not the purchase price

Does the price of the gown seem too good to be true? Many sellers offer a very low price on prom dresses and make their money from charging very high shipping charges. They do this because they know that many consumers will focus on the purchase price, treating the shipping price as an incidental cost. In some cases, by the time you've added on shipping costs, you can end up paying more than three times as much as you expected.

What to do: Many people focus on the bargain purchase price and try to put the postage price out of their mind. When ordering a prom dress from overseas the cost of shipping becomes part of your cost of purchasing the item. Always check the postage price and calculate the total amount that ordering this dress will cost you before making the decision to buy.

2. Overseas Prom Dresses will cost you 30% more than you think

If you're importing a prom dress into the UK from a county outside of Europe you will be charged VAT and Customs Duty by HMRC if the amount you pay (for the item, shipping included) is over ?0. VAT and Customs Duty are calculated based on the shipping and purchase cost. Once added on these taxes will normally increase the price of prom dresses by around 30%. This means if you pay ?0 for the dress and ?0 for delivery the total you will end up paying will not just be ?20, it will be close to ?60.

What to do: Contact HMRC for advice on how to work out the VAT and customs prom dresses maternity evening dresses cheap attract.

So let's say you receive a gown and wish to return it. What are your options with regards to prom dresses which don't fit or dosn't meet their descriptions?

3. It will cost you money to return the Dress

If the seller agrees to let you return your prom gown then don't forget that you'll be the one who has to pay out for international postage to send it back to them.

What to do: Ensure that you bear this risk in mind when purchasing your gown.

4. You may find UK law unenforceable designer flower girl dresses

What happens if the factory refuses to allow you to return an item? If you were buying from a UK seller you have the options of contacting Trading Standards or taking the seller to small claims court. However, while UK law is enforceable in the UK, you may find it very difficult to enforce if you've bought prom dresses overseas.

What to do: Be aware of the risks involved; the greatest protection you have are therefore the threat of negative feedback or using a protected payment method.

5. Raising a dispute may not be successful.

If worse comes to worst and the seller won't refund your money for a dress which doesn't match the description then you have two options. You can either threaten the seller with negative feedback or (if you've used a secure payment method) you can raise a dispute. However do bear in mind that such disputes are often difficult to settle and it is by no means a guarantee that you will definitely get your money back.

Buying prom dresses overseas from online auction sellers not only has hidden customs and VAT costs, it also has inherent risks. Be aware that buying abroad often means paying high shipping costs, customs duty, VAT and can affect your ability to return an item with which you are not satisfied. With this in mind you will be in a position to make an informed decision about whether the costs and risks involved in buying from an overseas seller make it lace knee length dress a good option for you