We’re going to show our age here, as we used to call it our graduation ball, but hey… call it what you will, it’s that time of year, the rite of passage for young people leaving school and becoming adults, and it starts with “the prom”. Freedom… for now; time to breathe a sigh of relief and let your hair down after months, no, years of hard work and study, and celebrate. You choose a date, get picked up in style, and dance the night away and, well… Anyhow, we’ve jumped the gun; first, you must choose the dress. Mission Catwalk just dedicated a whole episode to it, and window displays everywhere have gowns on sale, but so, too, are fabrics, so if you can’t find a dress to suit you… Rock The Cloth.

The thing to remember when dressing teens is that the look MUST be age-appropriate, playful, fun, fresh and trendy. We’re making a few suggestions and have put together some looks:

Look 1 is short, fun and flirty. This playful LBD is great for a teen, and would be great in any colour. Funky accessories can really help to transform the look to really make it your own. Your choice of shoes is also a great way to achieve your own style and really define your look. Cathene chose some really cute Mary-Janes for her look.

Look 2 is really on-trend…the trend of pairing a casual tank top with a dressy skirt. A dramatic multi-layered necklace and stacks of bangles and bracelets complete the look. To make this skirt, you will:

1. Cut a 3-4 inch waistband

2. Cut front and back of skirt, 2 1/2 times the width of your waist to allow for the pleats

3. Join front to back

4. Make 2-inch pleats and stitch them closed

5. Attach skirt to waistband

6. Insert zipper at the side

7. Hem

Look 3 features the same skirt, but it is now worn with a lace bustier and a sequined belt to achieve a dressier look.

Look 4 introduces a classic silhouette. This formal, more mature dress is probably more fitting for the older graduate… leaving sixth form. If this silhouette is made in a bright colour or a bold print it will be perfect for your teen. Playful accessories and hair styling will complete the age-appropriate look.