Prom trend 👗: Corsages are out, small bouquets are in
Checking in with local retailers on the 2024 prom scene
The following article appeared in the April 22, 2024, edition of The Charlotte Ledger, an e-newsletter with smart and original local news for Charlotte. We offer free and paid subscription plans. More info here.
Charlotte-area businesses say patterned prom dresses are gaining in popularity — and there’s a shake-up in flowers
Charlotte-area high schools are in the midst of prom season, and with a new year comes new trends as teens prepare for the big night.
Halter top dresses are in style this year, according to Sophie Matz, marketing and advertising manager for Poffie Girls, a high-end bridal and formal dress shop in Gastonia. Printed fabrics, particularly florals, and ruffles have also been a popular choice. And for the color, Matz said black, gold and champagne seem to be what girls are gravitating toward.
Poffie Girls has some “out of the box dresses” on the racks this year, Matz said, including holographic, reflective dresses from designer Ellie Wilde called “supernova.” The fabric changes color with light, like a camera flash.
Other metallic-fabric dresses, like ones from designer Sherri Hill, have been popular. Matz said her customers spend between $300 and $800 on prom dresses.
For the flowers: Corsages are taking a backseat this year, says Midwood Flower Shop designer Alisha Elliott. The shop, located on Central Avenue, has received an influx of requests for nosegay bouquets, which are small, hand-held bouquets typical for bridesmaids in weddings.
Elliott said she thinks small bouquets might be more popular this year because they are easy to hold and don’t hide any bracelets girls may wear. She also said girls seem to prefer how the bouquets look in photographs compared to typical wrist corsages.
The nosegay bouquets can range anywhere in price from $50 to $100 depending on the type of flowers that are used and the size of the bouquet, Elliott said. —Lindsey Banks
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Executive editor: Tony Mecia; Managing editor: Cristina Bolling; Staff writer: Lindsey Banks; Business manager: Brie Chrisman