Prom dresses and formal gowns for 2013

Soft, shimmery colors are all over the 2013 prom dress market, as are an equally soft array of materials. Darling pinks and blues are the hues to choose, or you can go with silvers, neutrals or even white.

Slinky, lightweight fabrics compliment the color selection. Tulle, chiffon, satin and lace all mingle for one delicate and truly delectable selection. Jovani in particular has combined the soft and silky colors and fabric to create prom dresses that shimmer.

Short vs. Long: Either One Goes!

Prom dress designers have already graced the 2013 prom dress lineup with dresses that are long and flowing as well as those that are short and sweet. Both are equally elegant and gorgeous!

Short prom dresses raged into fashion for 2012, and the look is definitely sticking around for at least another year. This style works with a variety of tops, from strapless to long-sleeved. It also works for giving you plenty of leg room to kick up your heels on the dance floor.

Long prom dresses can make an aristocratic, or even a somewhat playful, statement based on the cut and material in a gown and its skirt. Long, lean and luxurious gowns come with a skirt that drapes gracefully down to your toes. A more playful but no less classy look can come from a mermaid gown, with a body-hugging sheath topped off with a polished cascade of iridescent tulle.

The Cocktail Dress

If you’re going for the short list, definitely check out the cocktail dress. Jovani hit the scene early with this one, featuring a short, strapless gown popping with iridescent, metallic beads. A strapless neckline and translucent skirt add to the prom gown’s allure and mystique.

Celebrities have long rocked the cocktail dress on the red carpet. Their variations on the theme include asymmetrical cuts on the bodice and skirts, shimmering sheaths and short, full-skirted taffeta gowns.

The Baby Doll

Baby doll prom dresses are a silhouette that compliments nearly every type of build, with a form-fitting bodice and full, fanciful skirt. Mix in its adorable factor and you’ve got yourself one sweet prom dress. Celebs spotted in baby doll gowns range from Vanessa Minnillo to Sandra Bullock, proving it is truly a style that can compliment everyone.

Prom dress designer Clarisse kicked into high gear with an all-white baby doll dress that goes glam without losing the cute. The gown plays on the asymmetrical trend with a half-beaded bodice that features appliqués on its other side. Additional beadwork and crystals are peppered throughout the gown’s tulle skirt, creating a prom dress that is as dashing as it is sweet.

The Short Sheath

Short sheath dresses rocked into style on the 1960s mod scene, making for one of fashion's timeless styles. Sheath dresses can feature an a-line shape or they can be bold and daring with a body-hugging style.

Jovani went for the body-hugger with a prom dress that glimmers with sequins in strategic places over a neutral background. Long sleeves further develop the body-hugging look and add one more arena for a collection of sparking beads. This short sheath, which also falls into the cocktail dress category, is certainly not for the wallflower!

Vanessa Hudgens and the ever-fashionable Bullock have both strut their stuff in sheath dresses on the red carpet. The sparkly sheath is also a natural on the dance floor, especially when the glimmery beading hits the light.

The Long Sheath

Plenty of short prom dresses are swirling about, but that doesn’t mean long prom dresses don’t have their proper place in the 2013 prom dress lineup. Long formal gowns are a forever staple on the red carpet. Their eternal appeal did not go unnoticed by prom dress designers for the upcoming season.

Jovani’s long sheath dress mimics the same glimmer and grace as the short version, but with a few extras. A graceful tulle skirt extends from the bottom hem of the mermaid gown, adding an extra layer of elegance to an already super-glam gown.

The Full-Length Formal Gown

Jovani also took the silver and neutral combination to a formal, full-length and full-skirted gown. Silver stripes accent the strapless gown, hugging the body at the top and gently cascading into drop-waist. The long skirt flows naturally from there, continuing with silver stripes on a nude backdrop.

Although the full-length formal prom dress is a bit less daring than the body-hugging sheath, it is no less of a wow! Majestic is a good word to use for the full-length formal gown, a staple on the red carpet for too many celebrities to count.

The same trends hitting other prom dresses for the 2013 season can often be found on the long gowns, too. Asymmetrical cuts on both the top and bottoms of the gowns continue to emerge, as do multi-tiered layered skirts, and intricate beading and appliqués.

Another trend that’s sticking firm is the sheer material beneath that intricate beading and appliqués, a trend on which Jovani has capitalized for the new season. Other designers are expected to expand their prom dress selections. Watch for new creations by Tony Bowls, Clarisse, Terani, Alyce Designs and Sparkle Designs, a division of Emme Bridal.