Red carpet glamour for debutants

AT this time of the year, there is one huge event on the cards for a lot of young men and women. It is of course the single most important event of the school calendar. The debs’ season is fast approaching and the excitement is building.
Some girls have already purchased the dress or at least have seen the dress they want, while others are still shopping around. It’s the first red carpet event of your life, so I have put together some styling tips for you as a guide to help you prepare your overall look for the big night.
The single most important thing on the list is that you want to feel fabulous in your dress so get the fit right. Make sure the dress emphasises the positives and plays down the negatives. If you have a curvy figure, the best styles are dresses that will have structure on the waist and skim over the hips, also empire lines will look great on you. When you have a larger bust, Grecian styles with V or cowl neck lines work well. Also pay attention to the shoulder straps, making sure they are in proportion to your frame. Girls with petite frames look great in spaghetti-strapped dresses, while girls who are broader on top will require wider straps.  Revealing the midriff is a trend and is a difficult look to pull off successfully so approach with caution. Just bare in mind that sexiness doesn’t mean nakedness.
For any red-carpet event, you can expect a lot of posing for the cameras and your grad night is no exception. Friends and family members are armed with cameras eager to get a shot of you in all your glory, so with this in mind, the colour is important.
If you want to look great for the camera, avoid wearing colours that are too close to your own skin tone.  Fair skins should avoid nudes, champagne and creams or at least accessorise with a strong colour, which will contrast with your natural complexion. On the other hand, dark or tan-skinned people look great in olive champagne, white and gold.  Gray tends to wash skin out, while rich colours work for almost all skin tones.  Colour blocking is a trend at the moment so you can always experiment with colour this way.  A bag and shoes in contrasting shades can lift a neutral dress and also look very fashionable.
When accessorising a formal look, you have to be very careful not to over kill. When a dress has a lot of dazzle, keep the jewellery simple.  Statement earrings or a large dress ring will be just enough.  Don’t fall into the trap of wearing bejewelled bag and shoes with a multicoloured dress. Pick out an underline shade in the dress and accessorise accordingly. Remember, the less-is-more philosophy works best for formal wear.  When wearing bright colours, pay attention to your make-up also. Iridescent eye shadow will reflect the light and will stand out in pictures while bright-coloured eye shadow should be used sparingly to enhance your look. When you are wearing heavy eye make-up, go for a natural lip shade and vice versa. Never wear strong eye and lip colours together as it will overpower your natural features.
For most of us, wearing 6” heels is a challenge. If you are wearing heels for the first time, put them on around the house to get used to them before the upcoming event. This way your feet will not suffer on the big night. Another idea is to pop a pair of flat pumps into your bag so you can dance throughout the night without any foot trouble. When purchasing your evening bag, think about its size and what items you will be bringing with you on the night. Luckily, oversized clutches are still in vogue so leave the slouchy big bag at home. Some of the experts of debs dresses in  County Clare are Breda’s Boutique on Parnell Street, Forever  Young  on Abbey Street, both in Ennis town, while Vermillion located in Ballyduff, Barefield or on line at www.vermilliondresses.com  are worth a visit. In West Clare, pop into Linda’s Fashions in Kilrush and the Bridal Emporium on the main street in Milltown Malbay, while East Clare has Amore Mio on Church Street, Killaloe, which stock a beautiful range of formal wear coupled with stunning accessories.
With the recession in full swing, it’s not always possible for parents to splash out on an outfit but don’t despair as there are alternatives. Check out www.secretchic.ie, an online store where you can rent a couture dress at the touch of a button. Also the Ivory Closet located on Shannon Street in Limerick city offers an amazing range of formal wear for rent. I am also a big believer in recycling so if you are using a pre-loved dress, try adding that stand-out-in-the-crowd piece. Allure in Lahinch has an extensive choice of one-off costume jewellery pieces, which will instantly update your look.