The current COVID-19 situation has really forced us all to rethink a lot of elements of our lives; jobs have been moved from the office to the living room, social gatherings have gone virtual, and prom night has turned into a solo celebration at home.
The fashion industry has reported a large drop in sales with many shops closing. All non-essential businesses closing has been suffering the effects of the pandemic, with the bridal dress being at the top of the list. Many bridal stores closing down during what it is normally considered pick season. As recently reported: “Employees at Designer Loft on West 37th Street called brides to tell them to take the dress for the big day, or leave it until who knows when. Sarena Becker of Bensonhurst, Brooklyn was one of the last future brides to meet with the tailor before the doors were locked. Her wedding is scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend”.
However, when it comes to prom dresses there are certainly ways you can make the most of that amazing dress you’ve already bought, as suggested by Sherri Hill.
Here are some ways you can embrace your own prom in the comfort of your own home:
1. Make your dream playlist. One of the upsides of throwing your own prom at home is that you get to be the DJ. That’s right- no tunes you don’t enjoy, no unnecessarily cheesy slow dance songs (unless that’s your thing). You control the music and the vibe. It may also be a good idea to create a playlist for getting ready so that you can get in the mood for dancing and virtually chatting to your friends!
2. Give a make-up tutorial. If serving fierce looks is your forte, your skill might just be worth sharing with the world! The best part about doing your own make-up at home is that there is no rush: no car to hop into at a certain time, no rushed photos- just you and your mirror (and that amazing playlist you made earlier!). Practice a couple of days beforehand, and decide on your color palette. Film a couple of practice runs to get yourself in the mindset of your favorite make-up artist, and then when the night comes, you’ll be ready to share all your best tips and tricks with your friends and followers.
3. Prepare your home for prom. Maybe put up some balloons and cute decorations in your school’s colors, or even create your own theme- after all, this is your prom now, and you can celebrate it however you want! If you want to go all out, you could even make some prom-themed snacks and prepare a little buffet so that when you’re chatting to your friends online, you can all feel as though you’re munching on treats together, just like you had planned!
4. Go ahead with the big reveal. Just because you’re not physically with all your friends doesn’t mean you can’t still show off your prom dresses! The new trend of videoing yourself recreating the Grammys Glambot video has become extremely popular, and for good reason; it’s inventive, celebratory and fun. Plus, it’s something to look back on and remember how well you handled this new and unexpected turn of events. Why not organize with your friends to reveal your prom dresses this way? It is a great way of celebrating your success in making the most out of a bad situation, and as a memoir, for when you want to look back on how fabulous you looked!
5. Remember that your dress is always there. You and your friends may not have had the chance to wear your dream prom dresses the way you expected to, but you’ll always have this dress, and you can wear it whenever you want, just as soon as normal life resumes! Just like the photos and videos, you’ll have taken; this dress will be proof that you made it out the other end!
Hosting prom nights at home and sharing them on TikTok has become so popular that TikTok decided to cater to its largest demographic by hosting their own virtual prom. These events took place from April 21 to April 25, and the company partnered up with some of the app’s top creators to feature ways to prep for your virtual prom, including DIY tutorials and beauty tutorials.
During the pandemic – for most of us – luxury fashionable items have been out of our shopping list. However, earlier this year since the beginning of the pandemic, luxury brands to compete in the market have started to interact more with their clients, in some ways, have become humbler. That hasn’t included only more interactions, but also an invite to participate, labelled with the hashtag #AtHome.
At-home campaigns have become very popular in social medias, and have included luxury brands such as Roxanne Assoulin, Bottega Veneta, Isabel Marant, R13 but also non-luxury fashion brands non-luxury fashion brands like Urban Outfitters, Free People, and Building. With more consumers at home spending more time on the internet, social media have become extremely important for fashion brands.
This situation can be frustrating, and it may seem a little sad to be wearing your prom dress at home without your friends. You may not be able to hang out and dance with your friends just yet, but who’s to say you can’t all get together and have another prom in person soon? When it’s advised, get together with your favourite people, make the most of your beautiful dress and use your second prom as an excuse to wear it all over again! Who knows, you may appreciate that dream dress, even more, the second time around.
