Types of Prom Dresses That Are Trending Right Now

Every iconic high school movie has a prom; name one show that focuses on high school students that doesn’t include a big episode just about the dance. What are we getting at here? Prom is an important high school ritual that should involve dancing and smiling and all kinds of fun with your best friends.

So tickets finally went for sale and you snagged yours before the first period. Now it’s time to get into the details, starting with your dress. The dress sets the tone for the type of vibes you go for with your accessories and shoes and really makes prom feel real. Just like Cinderella couldn’t go to the ball without a gown, prom wouldn’t be the same without the right ensemble.

Picking your look can be overwhelming; there are so many styles and colors and designers to choose from, how do you know what’s right for you? Well, if you’re anything like the rest of us at Queenly, style and fashion forwardness are a top priority. That’s why we’ve gathered all the latest and greatest trends for prom to help guide you on your journey to prom night. Think of us as your personal fairy godmother, just without the mice!

This year, it’s all about being bold. That idea extends to your dresses and formalwear. Traditionally, you expect darker or neutral tones for formal occasions, but if quarantine taught us anything, it’s that anything worth celebrating should be done so as loud and merrily as possible.

Bright yellows, bright pink, and electric blue are seriously trending this year for all the right reasons. Not only are the colors beautiful and probably have been sidelined a little too long, but they look great on women of all shapes and skin tones.

If you’re unsure of that statement, think back to the short neon green dress Katy Perry wore to an American Idol taping when she was pregnant. It’s already hard to look cute and be upbeat when pregnant and she wore a bold color to boot. Now compare that to the floor-length neon green wrap dress Lizzo wore on a red carpet. Both artists wore the same color, in different styles of gowns of course, but they both killed.

Ok, not all your skin, but peek-a-boo cutouts and plunging necklines are definitely on trend for this year, and thankfully got a tasteful facelift from trends past. Now when we see these styles, we expect a little more coverage in other areas, so you still feel like you got dressed for prom.

Traditionally, gowns were floor-length and big, but these days we are seeing more and more mini options for formal evenings. If you feel comfortable showing some leg, we say rock it sister! We love a deep v neck on a blazer dress; it’s a shorter style but long sleeves keep a lot of skin still covered so you’re not completely revealed. Plus we love the androgynous mix of a masculine style (blazer) with a very feminine touch (dress).

If these sound like too much skin for you, don’t worry. You can still rock the trend but do so with a two-piece set instead. The crop top and skirt combo will show a bit of waist off, but still offer a full skirt and top combination. If you’ll remember in 10 Things I Hate About You, Bianca wore a two-piece set to prom and it went down in history as one of the most iconic movie prom outfits to date.

Velvet ruching is a hit this year, and it’s a trend that will have gained some serious momentum by prom. The look offers dimension and texture and makes your dress pop. It’s a luxurious feeling fabric that is comfortable to wear, so dancing the night away won’t be an issue.

The best part? Ruching is a great look for all body types. It cinches to the middle so draws focus away from your hips and stomach and allows you a camouflaging effect to areas of your body that you don’t want to highlight.

If you’re looking for style inspo, Kim Kardashian donned a one-shoulder gold velvet ruched dress in 2019 that drew attention to all the right places on her body. The gold color was beautiful against her tan skin and she looked killer. Demi Lovato also rocked a velvet ruched gown but did so with a plunging neckline and shorter cut. They chose more of a pale pink color, also complementary to their skin, and the ruching gave them a great waist and shape.

Jumpsuits and women’s tuxedos are killing the style game right. We love that not all women want to wear a dress to prom, and if Carrie Bradshaw taught us anything, it’s that we can look just as beautiful in a suit and tie.

These styles are still formal and dressed up enough for prom night, but offer fashionistas a chance to be edgy, not just trendy. They’re a serious break from tradition but look great and figure-flattering no matter your shape. If you are looking for something totally unique and different for your prom night, this could be the look for you.

We hope you found some inspiration for yourself today with all our top trends for the upcoming prom. As long as you find the right trend that works for you, we know that your prom night is going to be one to remember.