Saying ‘yes’ to the dress
Prom shoppers favoring crop tops and bright, glittery fabrics
In only her second stop on a prom gown shopping spree, Jessica Friedel discovered a gem that is at the top of her short list: a hot coral, full-length, two-piece gown dotted with sequins.
Accentuating the bling is corset-like lacing in back.
“I like sparkles and bright colors,” said the Carrick teen, who is shopping for her prom.
The gown at Sasha’s Babette’s in Bridgeville was priced at $599 and was in the range her mother, Sharon Friedel, was willing to spend.
It’s prom season, and the shopping has begun.
Kelsea Hogle, assistant manager at Babette’s, said the shop has been making dreams of “the dress’’ come true since teens began rooting among its 5,000 to 6,000 gowns in January.
The most popular are the full-length, two-piece dresses with crop top in colors of peach or mint, costing between $500 and $800.
Traditional one-piece, fulllength gowns start at $350.
Both styles offer the so-called illusion top, with see-through mesh material on part of the bodice.
Shannon Connors purchased a one-piece, turquoise gown with sequins, open back and single shoulder strap at Babette’s for $500.
The Port Vue girl said the
most challenging aspect of prom shopping is choosing from among so many available styles and colors on the racks.
Another recent Babette’s shopper was Tori Hart of Highland Park, who was in search of two elegant gowns for two proms she will attend. “I don't like fluff or too much beading,” she said.
“If we could get two today it would be a home run,” said her mother, Laurie Hart.
She said the pressure is higher for the current generation to pick the right dress because the girls post photographs of themselves in their new attire on social media.
“'Teenagers don’t want to feel they are missing anything,’’ she said.
Young women in search of evening wear have been shopping at Zelenski’s Bridal & Prom Shoppe in Charleroi since 1923 when fringed shawls, hats and below-the-knee hemlines were popular.
A crowd-pleaser today is the two-piece gown with a crop top and floor-length detached skirt for $400 to $600, in popular colors of red and royal blue.
A new, prom-friendly shoe supplier at Zelenski's delivers satin shoes with gems on 4-inch heels and platforms in a range of colors for $90.
Shoes in champagne or silver, covered in imitation gems go for $59.
Friends Ashley Fine and Katie Wilson of Port Vue chose to shop closer to home: Century III Mall in West Mifflin.
The friends will be attending the prom in a group of five girls.
Ashley bought a dark purple gown with sequins at Deb Shops, while Katie's light blue and purple gown with sequins and fake gems in front was a steal at $150 at J.C. Penney.
Katie’s gown will need alterations, and she said the hardest part of prom shopping is finding the perfect gown to fit her petite frame.
At Jezebel in the Galleria of Mt. Lebanon, fit is a top priority for sales consultant and teenager Rachel Dodson, who administers the socalled “sit test.”
“One needs to be comfortable,’’ she said.
The Bethel Park girl discovered her dream gown for her prom at the boutique from among 100 formal dresses by designers like Faviana, Scala and Clarisse: an aqua, full-length Terani gown with beads, sequins and gems that flairs out at the bottom mermaid-style.
“I wanted something form-fitting to accentuate my curves,” she said.
“She offers the teenage perspective,” manager Sandy Ciaramella said.