Ask Fashion Girl

Dear Alex:

It's great that you're excited about Prom, but if your Prom isn't this school year it is far too early to be thinking about buying a dress. While some dresses are somewhat"timeless"in design, dress styles do change from season to season, and you wouldn't want to be caught at a future Prom in last year's dress! Dress fads come and go, and you don't want to fall victim to one and spend a lot of money on it, only to find that an entirely different style is in when Prom time comes around.

There are a couple of things that you can do. One is to window-shop during each Prom season, looking at what's in and what's changed since last year. Our sister site, PromAdvice.com, is a great resource for trends and info on Prom. Another idea is to start assembling a scrapbook of pictures of dresses that you like, or that have elements that you like, such as a sleeve or a neckline. Then, a few months before your Prom, start shopping seriously for a dress, or plan to have one made utilizing all the ideas you've gleaned from your"research."

This will help ensure that when it comes time for your Prom, you won't be one of those girls shopping at the last minute and crying,"I don't know what I want!"

Sincerely, Fashion Girl