How to dress up to a celebrity-inspired theme prom

Having a celebrity-inspired prom is always a great idea since there aren’t many occasions in life where you get to feel or dress up like an A-lister. However, replicating looks that cost thousands of dollars and have been put together by an entire team of fashion designers, stylists, and makeup artists with years of experience in their respective fields is not exactly an easy task, assuming you probably can’t afford to spend a small fortune on your look and don’t have an army of people at your beck and call to help you out either.

Then there’s also the overwhelming amount of options that you could choose from, making it hard for you to decide on one particular style or design for your dress. This means that the search for the perfect prom dress can easily turn into an overwhelming and nerve-racking struggle.

However, you can’t settle for an average attire. After all, the prom is a one-time experience that marks an important moment in your life, and wearing a stunning outfit is one of the most exciting things about it. Donning a gorgeous dress like the ones celebrities wear when attending high-profile events will give you an instant boost of confidence and make the occasion all the more memorable.

Fortunately, where there’s a will, there’s a way, so here are a few tips on how to create an outfit worthy of the red carpet and get the celebrity look for less.

Pick your favorites

While your budget may be limited, the sources of inspiration are anything but. There’s certainly no shortage of spectacular celebrity outfits to get ideas from, but since you can only wear one dress at your prom, you need to narrow down your options a bit. We suggest taking a deep dive into the latest red-carpet events and see what catches your eye.

This year’s award season has been more than generous in terms of fashion inspiration, serving us some stunning looks in a variety of styles, from classic Hollywood gowns to edgy attires that challenge the fashion norms. Obviously, you don’t have to wear the exact same dresses, but you can reinterpret them to get the celebrity look.

Creating a vision board can also help a lot, as you can collect all sorts of images, cutouts, drawings, color palettes, and even material samples to capture the vibe you have in mind and then look for a dress that matches your vision.

Popular styles

Another way to make the search go a bit easier is to have at least a rough idea of the dress style you’d like to wear. Here are some popular styles that celebrities frequently adopt at industry events.

Mermaid silhouettes

Mermaid dresses have been all over the red carpets at nearly every high-profile event for the past years and continue to be a favorite among celebrities and their stylists and for a good reason. The form-fitting structure around the waist and hips that accentuates the curves combined with the flare at the end that resembles a mermaid’s tail makes for a very feminine and dramatic look.

A mermaid dress crafted from a luxurious fabric like silk, satin, lace or tulle is going to make you shine like a star. However, keep in mind that the fitted silhouette of these dresses can sometimes be quite restrictive, so make sure you choose one that allows you to move freely if you plan on being on the dance floor all evening.

High slit dresses

The red carpet has also seen a fair share of high-sleet dresses. A high slit dress – be it a flowy gown, a body-hugging fit, a simple A-line silhouette, a voluminous frock, or a layered design – with a pair of high heels is a classic combination that will instantly elongate your legs and add a touch of glam to your look. It’s up to you to decide how much slit you’re comfortable with, but if you opt for a flashy tight-high slit dress, you might want to keep the rest of the ensemble pretty simple to ensure a balanced look.

Ball gown dresses

While celebrities are no strangers to the minimal aesthetic, more often than not, they tend to embrace the more is more philosophy when they attend big parties and award ceremonies, so you might want to mirror their boldness and go for an over-the-top outfit for your prom. Case in point: ball gowns. Think floor-length voluminous dresses, intricate designs, sparkling fabrics, and all the embellishments you can imagine. These types of dresses are sure to turn heads and turn you into a real-life princess on prom night.

Iconic red-carpet outfits

Dressing like a celebrity doesn’t necessarily mean you have to rock the latest fashion trends. You can also refer to glam moments from the past and choose one of the many iconic outfits worn by movie and music stars over the years. These legendary dresses not only look fabulous but they also changed the fashion world, shaping new trends and influencing the style landscape in Hollywood and beyond.

Marylin Monroe’s flowy halter dress in The Seven Year Itch, Julia Roberts’ red dress in Pretty Woman, Princess Diana’s revenge dress made of black satin, Jennifer Lopez’s famous Versace dress from the 2000 Grammys or Elizabeth Hurley’s black Versace dress are some of the outfits that have made fashion history and deserve to be recreated and reinterpreted when the opportunity arises. And what better opportunity to pay homage to these iconic gowns than a celebrity-inspired prom?

The fascinating world of celebrities gives you ample opportunities to up your style game and create a stunning attire for your prom night. But in the end, you need to pick a dress that flatters your natural features and reflects your personality if you want to look and feel your best. So, choose wisely, and you’ll certainly have a blast rocking that Hollywood vibe.

Author Profile

Adam Regan

Deputy Editor

Features and account management. 3 years media experience. Previously covered features for online and print editions.

Email Adam@MarkMeets.com