Spring is just around the corner! Do you know what that means? The snow will melt and there will be proms, weddings, graduations and pageants!

Now’s the time to start shopping in order to get the best selection of dresses.

This past weekend, my three daughters and I had the pleasure of not only meeting Heather French Henry, fashion designer and Miss America 2000. She graciously spent time helping my three daughters select their gowns and here are tips from Heather.

Is there a difference between pageant and prom dresses? Yes!

• To accommodate the 4-5” heels that pageant contestants wear, the pageant line of dresses are constructed several inches longer than the prom line of dresses. So petite ladies, look in the prom line of dresses, too. That way you might not have to cut off a decorative bottom to make your dress the correct length.
• There is more fine detail in the construction of a pageant dress than a prom dress. In a pageant dress, there are usually multiple layers throughout, particularly in the bodice to provide proper support and ensure a snug, smooth fit. Higher quality crystals are usually added to pageant dresses so they really sparkle under the stage lights. The quality of the fabric between the two lines is different as well. For example, pageant dresses will be made of real silk where the prom line of dresses won’t. The quality and weight of the material used determines how the gown will fit and flow with your body when walking on stage. This is why pageant gowns are more expensive than prom gowns.
• Every designer uses different measurements to create their dresses so don’t get hung up on what size the tag says. You need to try on every dress because a Heather French Henry size 2 may be different from a Sherri Hill or Johnathan Kayne size 2. Forget the numbers. It’s all in the fit.
• Avoid cutting your body in half with the line of the dress. As a guide, think of the body in thirds. Notice in this Heather French Henry pageant gown, about 1/3 of the dress is focused on the waist up and 2/3 from the waist down, thus creating a longer line. The 2/3 to 1/3 ration is a great guide for petite ladies. For petite ladies,it’s better to wear one color from head to toe to create length and be very careful not to have too much volume in the skirt as this will shorten you and look too overwhelming on your frame.
• To have a custom made gown, expect to spend $3000- $5000 and allow plenty of time for the gown to be created.
• Try on a number of different colors and different shades of the same color. Your perfect shade is the color that makes your skin look radiant, healthy and glowing when you put it on. For all three of my daughters, the colors we went into the store THINKING we wanted to buy were not the colors we walked out with. You have to be open to trying on a lot of dresses. When you find the perfect one, you’ll feel it and know it!
• Try on different necklines to see which one brings emphasis not only to your chest and shoulders, but draws the eyes up to focus on your face. Halter, sweetheart, scoop, off the shoulder, v-neck, straight…try them all on. See which neckline accentuates your positive assets.
• Be open to trying on different cuts of gowns to see which style line creates proportion, symmetry and curve for your body type. Empire waist, mermaid, Grecian, wrap around, gowns with a drop waist… designers are having so much fun, you have fun too. Try on everything to see how your body looks in it. Take pictures of yourself in the gowns and look at them later. After awhile, you can lose perspective and get burnt out trying things on. Expect to go out several times and allow at least 3 hours per shopping trip.

Size doesn’t matter, shape does.

The silhouette, or outline, of your body doesn’t change with diet or exercise because it is based on your skeleton and genes. Your weight may fluctuate throughout the years, but your basic body line cannot be altered. In the book, Color Me Confident by Veronique Henderson, they explain there are basically seven different body shapes. It’s important to know your body type so you can shop for clothes that emphasize or diminish certain physical features. See if you can identify yours.

1. Hourglass
   • Wear the same size top and bottoms.
   • Have a clearly defined waist.
   • Have a curved bottom.
2. Full Hourglass
   • Buy a slightly larger top for your bust.
   • Waistbands are often too large.
   • Straight skirts rise up on you.
   • Feel most comfortable in more fluid fabrics.
3. Triangle (pear shaped)
   • Wear a larger size on your top half than your bottom.
   • Have a clearly defined waist.
   • Have narrower shoulders than hips.
   • Carry weight on your hips and thighs.
4. Inverted Triangle
   • Wear a larger size on your top half than your bottom.
   • Have wider shoulders than your hips.
   • Have a straight ribcage.
   • Prefer an uncluttered look.
5. Lean Column
   • Wear the same size on your top and bottom halves.
   • Have a minimal bust
   • Little waist definition.
   • Flat hips and bottom.
6. Rectangle
   • Shoulders and hips in line.
   • No waist definition.
   • Flat hips and bottom.
   • Extra weight around your middle.
7. Round (apple shaped)
   • Rounded shoulders.
   • Fullness in the tummy area.
   • Wonderful shapely legs.
   • Feel uncomfortable when clothes are tucked in.

The aim in choosing clothing is to create the illusion of having a neat hourglass figure and look proportional. That means:

• Shoulders and hips in line
• A defined bust
• A waist (even with a softly curved tummy)
• A curved bottom

To emphasize a physical trait you like, look for a gown, or clothing, with stones, a style or a special feature to bring attention to that part of your body.

Heather French Henry is one of my favorite Miss America’s. I vividly remember watching the 2000 pageant and falling in love with her personality and style on the TV. Ten years later when I finally met her in person, I can see how she won the hearts of the judges. She’s every bit as energetic, gracious, humble and service oriented now as she was then. The woman makes the title, not the other way around. She continues to walk the talk she spoke on national TV ten years ago. There were neither TV crews nor news reporters around the day we met her in the dress shop. She was just being herself.

This week, be aware of what you do when no one is watching. Are your actions consistent with your words? If there is a difference between how you are acting, and who you want to be?  Perhaps you’d like a little help. Feel free to contact me and we can explore this area of your life.