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Fashion for men, women at prom

By Jeff Baughan 5 min read

PARKERSBURG -- It's getting to be tux and formal dress season which means it is soon to be prom season.

But times, or in this case, fashion has began to swing towards change in the women's and men's formal wear.

According to Michael Roten, formal wear manager at Hornor and Harrison, "there is the option of the tuxedo rental or a suit rental," he said. "What we recommend is if the woman's dress is more formal, they should be too."

Kristina Davis, the owner of Elizabeth Michaels, stated "while the bling and crop tops are still popular, we starting to see a lot more of the classic, almost red carpet look. The red carpet look is simplistic and yet sophisticated. It can have a defined shape, interesting neckline and beautiful color. And the necklines are not as plunging as they used to be. The dresses are rising in the front with a low back which is really better for the ladies. They are much more comfortable and don't have to walk around pulling up the front of their dresses all night. It's really a bit more age appropriate.

"The classic look never dies," she said. "The long trains and prints are becoming popular again with the color of choice being burgundy. There are some really beautiful dresses on the scene using burgundy."

Roten remarked suits and suit rentals allow the male to match the female's dress and dress color with ties and other accessories. "If she can bring in the dress or just a swatch of the dress, we can pretty much match a vest and/or tie. We can match over 200 colors through our companies."

The difference between the suit and the tux "is the detailing," said Roten. "Typically it's in the satin lapel and satin trimmed pockets."

The style for the guys in 2017 is "a lot of slim and ultra slim rental wear," he said. "We can fit just about anyone into that," he said. "The key is, as with all rental wear, to get the correct measurements. That is why everyone should be measured before they select an tux or suit, and why they should try it on before they leave the store with it."

Roten added "it's never too early to be measured. The sooner one can get in to be measured, the more of a choice they're also going to have as far as styles go. The companies we deal with rent nationwide. Eventually, they will run out of the more popular looks and colors. But even if they come in the week of the prom, we can match a guy with a sharp, fashionable, well dressed color. Black always looks good."

Davis echoed what Roten said. "Lots of times prom gowns will run smaller sizes and different designers might design a dress which isn't cut the same as another," she said. "Right now, our weekends are just slammed with people as prom approaches, although it's still a couple of months away.

"It's better to get in here and at least start looking," she said.

"We're an exclusive dealer for Sherri Hill. We've got 250 dresses from her here now. With us, you get our seamstress."

And she cut to the chase with outside purchases. If you buy somewhere else, then you would have to find your own seamstress because she doesn't do outside alternations.

"You buy here and we register your dress to your high school," she said.

"You go outside of the area to get your dress and you may see someone at the prom wearing the same dress as you."

With the classic look making a strong reappearance for the ladies, the bow tie is making a tux comeback according to Roten, who added the windsor tie is always fashionable.

"But we are starting to see a lot of skinny ties being ordered this time around," he stated.

The shirt, however, is moving towards more microfibers than cotton. The reason? "Microfibers are more breathable, therefore, the shirt will allow a person to remain cooler," he said. "It's the difference in fabric which makes microfibers preferable over cotton."

The week of the big event is when individual attention becomes more intense according to Roten. "If the event is a Friday or Saturday, which most proms are, then the tuxes will start arriving early in the week," he said. "Then we call the students directly to tell them the tux or suit has arrived and leave a voicemail if we don't speak to them.

"And even if they don't get an early in the week call, they shouldn't panic," Roten remarked. "It's a very heavy time of usage. Turnover of clothing is high. A company has to clean and repackage the item and then ship it to us.. But they do need to get to be proactive. Get out and get the measuring fitting done now."

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