Winter Formal? Check Out These Styles

I LOVE reader mail. It makes me totally happy because I love being challenged to help you guys find “the perfect thing”. In this case, over the weekend, I got a note from a reader (Hi, Katie!) about to attend her first winter formal. But her school had some pretty strict guidelines. Check them out:

1. It must be a dress or nice skirt & shirt (Nobody asked, but my vote is for DRESS!)
2. The straps must be as wide as 3 fingers (Hmmm! Picky, picky, picky!)
3. The skirt must be no shorter than 3 inches above the knee (No problemo here!)

So Katie is wondering what kind of look she could get away with that would be both affordable and something she could wear again. Here are some options I came up with:

Pleated V-Neck Dress from Macy’s, $54.

This great dress from Macy’s is fun and flirty, but not too provocative. I love the vibrant green color, but it also comes in Royal Blue. And at $54, it’s a great price for a dress that can definitely be worn again.

Jewel-Neck Dress from Macy’s, $23.99

A super-steal, this dress is on clearance for only $23.99! I love the forgiving shape and fun neck detail. This dress lends itself to a sophisticated and demure look, or can be Rocker-Girl’d up, like in this pic. A great choice – love it!

Bubble Dress from Macy’s, $48

Bubble dresses are all the rage, and this one’s brilliant color is fantastic against the black tights and shoes. This is such a fun look that can be worn again and again by mixing up accessories and adding sweaters/wraps. And it’s only $48!

Tuxedo Dress from Macy’s, $40.60

The always classy black and white takes a mod twist here with the contrasting belt and deep v-neck. I love how flowy this is and I love the re-wear potential. And with a price tag of only $40.60, this is a real bargain.

That’s it for Round 1 of Winter Formal 101. I’ve got more to share from other stores coming soon, so stay tuned!