Insider’s guide to finding the perfect ball gown.
Special occasion dressing can be really tricky but knowing where to shop definitely takes the hard work out of it. Last weekend I attended a ball and found the perfect dress at Auckland’s GLAMOUR so thought it was a great time to share some of my top tips for finding the perfect ball gown or any formal wear for that matter.
#1 Do your research
Before you even head out your front door whip online and do a little research. If you don’t know where to start google: where to find ball gowns – this will usually give you a selection of formal wear options in your location. Then you can take a look at their websites and see if they stock the sort of dresses you’re looking for. It’s also a great idea to google: red carpet fashions to see who’s wearing what and get some great ideas.
#2 Try, try, try
Shopping for formal wear can be a little like shopping for a great pair of jeans – you need to try on as many dresses as you can. Often the gowns you least expect to love will be the ones that come out on top. Take a quick look at my short video below to see a few of the dresses I tried on at GLAMOUR in my search for the perfect ball gown.
#3 Start looking early
Don’t leave it to the last minute to shop for a ball gown or any special occasion wear. For starters, when you’re spending a decent amount of money on a gown you don’t want to settle for anything less than you love. Also you do need to allow some time to make any necessary alterations and shop for accessories too.
#4 Take photos
It’s often easy to get swept up in the moment when you’re shopping for formal wear so it’s a great idea to take photos of each gown you try on and then you can take your time to make your decision. It’s also a great way to show friends and family a few of your choices and get their input too.
#5 Ask for help
If you go to the right places the staff will be your biggest allies so ask for their help. The team at GLAMOUR are all experienced stylists and will help you find the perfect dress for your body shape and type. So don’t ever be too shy to ask for help. If the staff don’t bend over backwards to help you then you may need to vote with your feet.
#6 Choose your colour
Colours and patterns say so much about your personal style so take the lead from some of the colours and styles you feel most comfortable in. I always feel my most stylish wearing black which is possibly why I chose a black dress so start looking for a colour or pattern you love and then get a little adventurous from there.
I felt absolutely amazing in my ball gown and had an incredible night.