How to Select a Sweet Sixteen Dress

For teenage girls, a Sweet Sixteen party marks a coming of age. Even if you are not a debutante, your Sweet Sixteen serves as the most essential of social ceremonies--your introduction to the world of adult society. At the center of this ceremony is your first appearance and your dress. Take time to select your Sweet Sixteen dress and you will have plenty of happy memories to look back on in the years to come.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Seamstress or tailor
• Fashion magazines
• Measuring tape

Select a Sweet Sixteen Dress

1. Select a theme for your party, if you want to have one. Depending on the theme, your choice of dress may change. For example, if you are planning around a Renaissance theme, you may wish to have a dress that reflects the original fashions of this romantic age.
2. Ask a trained salesperson or seamstress to measure you or enlist the help of your mother or sister. Correct measurements of the bust, waist and hips are essential for purchasing a dress that fits or for commissioning one to be made.
3. Start shopping early, preferably about six to eight months in advance. If you are special ordering a dress or having one made, it may take as many as five or more months for the dress to be completed. If you plan on buying "off the rack" or from a department store, you should still start your shopping process early as formal dress selection changes throughout the year.
4. Browse through current fashion magazines and even bridal magazines before hitting the stores. Rip out pages featuring dresses that you like or which feature specific elements that you are looking for. If you visit a gown shop, your salesperson can help guide you to a designer or a specific dress which has the style you are looking for.
5. Know that white is still the most common color for a Sweet Sixteen dress, particularly for more formal affairs. However, many girls are selecting light pastel dresses or other colors with more frequency.

Tips & Warnings

• A great way to get the dress of your dreams and still stay within budget is to shop at a sample sale. Here, sample formal dresses from the current or past seasons are available at a fraction of their original price. They are typically only available in a limited size range but most have been made to be easily altered up or down two sizes.

Who Can Help:

• Find Decorators & Designers Here. Compare Up to 4 Quotes, Free Service & No Obligation.