for all the right reasons. It takes a bit of forethought to make the evening a success, including finding a great outfit, a charming date and the appropriate flowers.
Advice from family and friends is helpful, but so is assistance via your iPhone. There are scores of apps designed to make sure that prom, or any other formal event, meets your expectations. We have scouted the best of the bunch, so stop sweating the details and focus on practicing your dance moves in front of the mirror.
One key to any great night is the date of your dreams. But asking him or her out via a simple telephone call might not cut it. The Ask 2 Dance app ($1.99) includes dozens of creative ways to ask someone out, and get your prom night experience started on the right foot.
The free Prom 360 app will expose you to a prom subculture you never knew existed. Designed by prom dress company International Prom Association, it includes features such as the winner of the 2010 International Prom Association awards. It also offers helpful advice such as how to avoid knockoff prom dresses.
The iFrockUp app is a great, free tool for those preparing to attend multiple formal events. If, for example, you have five weddings to attend this summer, this app will keep you organized. Simply enter the dates of all the events, and the outfits you are planning for each. The app will help you mix and match shoes and accessories, so you don’t have to bust your budget trying to change things up.
For women strictly looking for fashion inspiration, the free Flirt Prom 2011 app is a good bet. It includes slide after slide of dresses, with every cut, fit and color imaginable. Want to look like a princess? They’ve got it. A 1940’s Hollywood film siren? They have that too. You can mark and save your favorites, and search for nearby stores, thereby cutting down on your sopping time.
Similarly, Night Moves Prom 2011 is a free app also chock-full of great style ideas. Dresses are categorized by style, including ball gown, A-line, fit and flare, pick-up skirt and sheath. There is also a feature dedicated entirely to shoes. And if you are feeling nervous and need a quick tutorial in everything prom, this app includes a “Prom 101” lesson.
After the dress, the second most important detail that needs addressing when preparing for a formal event is your hair. Up-do or down? Do it yourself, or go to a salon? The Wedding and Prom Hairstyles app ($1.99) allows you to try a dozen different dos without having to spend hours in the salon chair. Snap a quick photo of yourself, or pull one from Facebook, and then use the app to apply different hairstyles. Some are pretty, some are god-awful, but all are highly entertaining.
