Winter Formal Ideas: Theme, Makeup and Hair

In the middle of planning your school's winter dance? Whether it's a standard winter formal, a Valentine's Day dance or a holiday celebration, you're going to need a theme. Weather Themes: The Snow Ball, Frosted Formal, The Snowcoming Dance, The Big Freeze, Flurries and Frostbite, Winter Wonderland, The Icicle Dance, and The Snowflake Dance are all great places to start for themes. Be creative and combine your favorite wintry words to come up with a unique theme that's all your own! Holiday Themes: Thanksgiving Throwdown, New Year-coming, Gumdrop Gala, The Nutcracker Dance, The Gingerbread Gala, The Sleigh Ball, Peppermint Party, Dark Chocolate Nights, The Merry Mistletoe Dance, Winter Solstice Dance are all fun holiday themes.Valentine's Day Themes: If your winter formal falls in February, it would make sense to use Valentine's Day as the anchor theme. Instead of just naming it The Valentine's Day Dance, try some of these lovely themes: Queen of Hearts Dance, Candy Hearts Dance, Pink and White Semi Formal, Cupid's Arrows Dance, Epic Romances, XOXO Dance.

Makeup

Winter Dance Makeup Looks: For your winter dance, almost any kind of makeup goes. Play up your natural beauty by using barely-there hues, or highlight your gorgeous lips or sparkling eyes by drawing all the attention towards them.

Winter Formal Makeup Ideas: Winter makeup is all about using deep, rich tones. Check out these awesome celebrity inspired looks to wear with your winter formal dress, and you'll be the belle of the ball.

Hair

Your bangs are cute... but how to wear them for a formal? Taylor Swift has taught us many things... how to write a revenge song, how to rock red lips, and that sparkly dresses are always in season. Now, let her teach us one more thing: the best way to wear a formal updo with bangs.

Things to Consider in Choosing Your Prom Dress Color

Colors Can Make or Break Your Style.

Prom is a chance to show of a sense of personal style in a way day-to-day clothing simply can't do, and by choosing the right set of colors for your prom dress and ensemble, you can make not only your figure and your dress look fantastic, but your face, skin and hair as well.

Determine your skin tone.

Before choosing a prom dress color, you must first know your skin tone! Traditionally, skin tones are broken down into two groups - warm and cool undertones. If the white shirt and paper experiment reveals yellow, beige, brown or olive undertones, you're considered to have a warm skin tone. The colors that will be most flattering to you will be tones in the earth tone family, including yellows, reds or browns. On the other hand, if you discover undertones of blue, pink, rose or purple, you're considered to have a cool skin tone. Blues, purples, or greens will best flatter your skin tone. The right metal will make your face appear glowing and healthy, while the wrong color will make your skin look grayish and washed out. Your skin tone probably is the most important factor in determining what dress colors would look best on you. Try different colored dresses while standing in the most natural light possible, and note which ones make your skin look bright and not washed out. If you still can't decide, then think about the clothes in your closet. What color or colors do you wear most often, and what colors are you drawn to when shopping for new items? You know what looks good on you, so use that knowledge to pick your prom dress color.

Find Out Which Season You Are.

Once you've determined whether your skin tone is warm or cool, you'll need to find out which season you are.  Winter colors are stark and vibrant, think of a bare tree against the snow, showing the bright berries underneath, the bouquet colors of spring, the pale shades of summer and the muted colors of autumn are all easy to imagine.

1. WINTER and you look best in cool, vivid, icy colors with blue undertones. Your prom dress could be crimson, purple, grey, black, white, red or shocking pink.
2. SPRING Your colors are clear delicate or bright. You look good in peachy pinks, camel, golden yellow, but for evening, do violet, coral, periwinkle or turquoise.
3. SUMMER and you look best in cool, soft colors with blue undertones. You will look wonderful in mauves, greens, lavenders, pearl grey or roses for evening.
4. AUTUMN You look good in moss greens, golds, oranges and browns, in the daytime, but you will want your dressy night time look a little richer, like periwinkle, teal, jade or russet.

Other Things to Consider.

1. The dress's color can match the colors of the school—if the school's colors are black and white, the dress can be black and white—or the prom dress can match the color of the prom—spring formals can be pink and pastels, ocean themes can be blues and greens, etc.
2. Think ahead to how you can accessorize your prom gown or formal dress. You'll need shoes, jewellery, hose, possibly a hairpiece, a handbag, and other accessories. Be sure the colour and style you choose can be easily matched with other items.

How to Plan a Successful Prom

Planning a prom? First, you'll need a group of people you work with, along with the assistance of teachers and other school officials who can offer 'been there' advice to help along the way.

 

Choose a Location

Find a venue and book it, sometimes as far as a year in advance. Bring a checklist with you to determine the following: How is the venue's sound capability? Can it handle a large band? Is there adequate parking? Are food, decorations and security included? Be sure to get a specific price quote. Some sites will include security, but in most cases you must provide your own.

Entertainment - Very Important!

If you decide on choosing a band, consider at least three. Try and listen to them in person.You can talk to last year's committee and see if they have any suggestions. Choose a versatile band that can play several styles of music. If you decide on using a DJ, confirm what type of sound and lighting equipment is included in the price quote.

Decor

The decor choices you make have only one major limiting factor: finances. If your budget allows you to create a virtual movie studio, then by all means go for it. If your budget is more limited, then you must figure out what part of your budget you can spend on decorations and make sure you do not exceed this amount.

Security

Some sites chosen for prom will include security, but in most cases you must provide your own. You could hire a security company or off-duty police officers. Check with the local school board and police officials for guidance in this area.

Theme

Waltz Under the Blue Moon

I Believe

Our Treasured Night

Springtime in Paris

Paint the Town Red

Show Me the Meaning

Everything You Want

Never Let You Go

Simply Forever

I will Remember You

Waiting For Tonight

Larger than Life

In the Still of the Night

Big Band

Order invitations, tickets and any extras such as programs about three months before the prom. To cut costs, make your own invitations (for online sources, type "invitation kits" into a search engine) and tickets. Mail invitations and start selling tickets six weeks in advance.

One to three months in advance: Start looking at fashion magazines and stores for the look you want. Begin shopping for your prom dress, shoes, and purse. Once you have chosen your dress, be sure to schedule any necessary alterations.