Formal

Formal. Or Prom, whichever really. But, to us Aussies, it’s Formal. (Though there is the occasional ‘Prom’ said now and then).

Year 10 Formal. Kind of like the rehearsal for the big Year 12 Formal. Even though, it won’t be as big and not everyone is going, it’s just as important. Formal is the night for girls to dress up and dance with the boy they like. Or at least that’s what the girls hope for.

I would tell you how the boys view formal, but (no offence to guys or anything) I have no idea how their brains work and I’m not gonna risk the headache I’ll get trying to figure it out.

There are all sorts of things that are important when planning Formal, like what dress or hairstyle, how your going to show up, how to do your makeup, what shoes or accessories? But the most important one that everyone tends to focus on is, Who am I going to bring as my date?

I’m gonna tell you right now that it shouldn’t be the most important thing on your mind. Rocking up without a date is okay. Actually it’s a bit of a stress reliever. Without a date you don’t have to worry bout matching your clothes, or anything like that. Rocking up to Formal by yourself or with a group of friends is perfectly acceptable. Also, you don’t have to worry that your date won’t like your dress. Not worrying about a date means that you don’t get disappointed when your crush doesn’t ask you. But if they do, hell girl, don’t you say no!

Now, my Formal is coming up, almost a month away. One thing that I want to tell every girl out there is this, no event (even formal) is worth tearing a friendship apart. I’ve seen so many friendship groups fall apart just because of Formal. Is it really worth it? So what if you have the same dress, style it in your own way so that no one will even recognise that they are the same. If that’s too much work then get some fab accessories and rock that dress!

One of the most important things to do at Formal, or anywhere (unless your an actress/actor), is to be yourself! If your not yourself then how is your crush going to like you for you. If you act like someone your not then you’ll have to keep up the act, and is that what you truly want? And if your crush doesn’t like who for who you really are then I can guarantee that there is someone out there who does.

Choosing dresses. Always a tough decision, whatever the event. It has to be the right length, right colour, right shape. When I went shopping for my Formal dress with my cousin (who is older and already gone to Formal, always a great idea) we didn’t find my dress until we got to the last store we went into! Take your time, don’t rush it, you will find your dress, though I do recommend going a few months before Formal that way you have heaps of time. But, before you plan your trip there is one thing you need to do. Look online. See what styles you like, what type of colours your interested in. You could even buy it online. Always have some type of look that your going for before you start shopping.

Once you’ve found your dress you can look for the perfect shoes. I personally suggest heels, but if you have some difficulty in heel I’d try wedges. Though there is nothing wrong with wearing flats or even Converses. Whatever you feel comfortable with. Wear shoes that your not afraid to dance in. And if you do get heels, word of advice, wear them around the house that way you’ll break them in and your feet won’t be as sore by the end of the night.

Next, we go for accessories, my advice, go with something simple, a necklace, a pair of earrings, and a bracelet. Don’t be afraid to mix things up. For example, my dress is a coral colour so I’m gonna dress it up with some silver bracelets, a pair of earrings. My friends dress is purple and I have no idea what accessories she’s planning on wearing but what I’d wear is a nice charm bracelet or a ring, and a necklace. Like I said, you don’t need to do too much to look great when it comes to accessorising. Less is sometimes more. If your not sure want you want then you can always look online to see the latest trends in makeup and see which you like best.

The same goes with makeup. Whether you plan to get it done professionally or do it yourself, don’t make yourself look like a barbie doll. Nobody’s perfect and it’s your flaws that make you beautiful, trust me. Go for the natural look, or make your eyes pop. Go for something simple. Your not playing dress ups, this is Formal and if you wanna look your best in front of your crush then don’t make yourself look like a barbie doll, for all our sakes.

Your hair, I’m not going to lie, how you do your hair can make or break your outfit. First things first, look online. See what kind of styles YOU like. See how celebrities have theirs and please, for the love of everyone going to your Formal, do not go as Miley Cyrus. Get pictures of the internet if your going to the hairdresser so that they now how you want your hair done. This is your best option because if you just describe something the hairdresser could see it a different way. When it comes to your hair, it is always better safe then sorry.

Okay so you’ve now got your dress, shoes, accessories, hair and makeup out of the way, all you have to do is figure out how to get there. Now, if your like me and don’t have your licence yet, or your mum or dad don’t know the way, don’t fret. There are a lot of options you can take to get to your Formal. You could grab a ride with a friend, you and your group of friends can split the money you need to hire a limo (which is always fun!), you could catch a taxi. But, don’t go up to your friends a few days before your Formal and ask for a ride. Always ask in advance, who knows how many other people need to be carpooled to the Formal? Don’t worry about getting there on time, as long as you get there and have the time of your life on the dance floor with your bestie(s) you’ll have a great night!

Don’t forget, Formal is supposed to be one of the best nights of your life, don’t start worrying about the if’s and but’s, and always be yourself no matter what!

I’ll be sure to let you guys know how my Formal went and please tell me about yours, I’d love to hear. Now, I don’t now about you but my Formal is really soon and I still don’t have any shoes! I’ll talk to you guys later because right now I have got to go and do some serious shopping! Bye!