At this point, prom is looking like less and less of a possibility for many schools around the country — but that shouldn’t stop any teens from dressing up and feeling special. Plenty of high schoolers are organizing virtual prom parties, allowing everyone to see each other and celebrate with one another from a safe, healthy distance. That means regardless of how the pandemic develops over the coming weeks and months, you need to be able to put together a stylish prom look.
Prom fashion is opening up for guys, meaning you can’t expect to look fly by throwing on an ill-fitting, rented tux. You can visit Gentleman’s Guru online to find the best attire, not only for prom but for different events. Here are some elevated outfit ideas for your prom night:
Two-Piece or Three-Piece
This isn’t homecoming or the winter formal — this is prom, and you need to go all-out. Instead of throwing on any dress shirt and slacks, you need to invest in a real, true suit. Your suit should be either two or three pieces, meaning it should at least have a matching jacket and pants with the option of a matching waistcoat, as well. If you want to go super formal — not to mention flashy — you could dress in a tuxedo, instead, which has more accessories, like a cummerbund, vest and suspenders. As always, you should work with your date to choose the style of your suit, so you look like a cohesive unit (even if you are only dancing over Skype).
Skinny Fit
Bulky, oversized clothing is coming back fast, but it isn’t ready for applications in formalwear. In fact, tuxedos and suits that are overly large tend to make teen boys look especially young and immature, like they raided their fathers’ closets but don’t yet fit into men’s fashions.
A much better look in formal wear, especially for young men, is the slim fit. You should be careful renting a skinny suit because you want it to fit quite snugly in your legs and shoulders. It might be wiser to invest in a quality suit that you will own — not only because you can personalize it to your aesthetic but also because you can get it tailored to your unique measurements.
Casual Shirt
Though a suit is mandatory for prom, you have a bit more flexibility when it comes to the shirt you put on underneath your jacket. While a slim fit white button-up will always be a good look, you can inject a bit more personality into your prom look by going with a more casual top. For example, a graphic tee adds a bit of nonchalance; a plain crew-neck sweater looks put-together and preppy; a patterned button-up is fun and funky. You should spend some time sifting through young men’s clothes to find the right prom shirt for you.
Embellishments
Finally, your prom look isn’t complete if you don’t embellish your outfit in some interesting way. These days, men’s fashion is pushing the envelope, trying to stretch guys’ sense of style and create unique looks that better suit the wide variation in masculinity. You might consider differentiating your prom suit from everyone else’s in one of the following ways:
- Leopard. Cat prints have long been hot — and the popularity of the Tiger King is making them even hotter. Small leopard spots make for a fierce pattern that looks pleasantly neutral from far away.
- Florals. If you maintain a soft boy aesthetic, you might consider investing in a floral suit. Large and small floral patterns can work, as long as you pair it with a neutral shirt.
- Subtle camo. You don’t want to blend into the background at your virtual prom, so you don’t want a traditional camouflage print. However, if you love the military/hunter aesthetic, you can find subtle camos, like all-white or all-black camo prints.
- Velvet. Believe it or not, velvet tuxedos go way back to the 1880s, and they make for a delightfully sophisticated retro look today. A more traditional velvet tux is black or deep red, but you can find them in any color under the sun.
- Sequins. You need a big personality to pull off a sequined suit jacket, but if you have the confidence — and if your date agrees — you should go for it.
This new coronavirus isn’t going to take away the major milestones of your youth if you don’t let it. Spend some time collecting your thoughts about how you want to look for prom, and make it happen.