Something New from Something Old

A real fashionista knows that as soon as you clean out your closet, those old styles you're giving away to charity will be coming back into fashion. Whether it comes back as retro or returns as something brand new most likely will depend upon how long it's been out of fashion.
One trend that's been making a comeback the past couple of years as something brand new is the off-the-shoulder look. Off-the-shoulder blouses and dresses permeated the fashion scene in summer 2016 and the trend has carried onto the prom dress runway for Spring 2018.
Off-the-shoulder dresses are everywhere, from gigantic ballgowns to slinky fitted jersey dresses. They are adorned with jewels or stripped bare. They vary from skinny straps to straight across long sleeves. They drape or hug the arm.
While they have adorned the red carpets and filled the racks of your favorite ready-to-wear outlet, off-the-shoulder styles have not come without controversy. This is largely because the original off-shoulder looks were in Victorian fashions of the early 19th century, representing the restrictions women faced, not only in their fashion choices, but in their very movements. These pesky sleeves would only stay put for women who performed no tasks more rigorous than sipping tea or embroidering.
As women gained a place outside the home, they needed sleeves that allowed them to work and move with comfort and convenience.
But each time the off-the-shoulder sleeves come back, they appear to do so by sending a message from women that they can be strong and sexy. And exposing those bare shoulders provides that hint of allure that is perfect for the prom season.
As Brooke Jaffe, fashion director for women's ready-to-wear at Bloomingdale's, told the Washington Post, “I don’t know many women who hate their shoulders.”
If you're looking to show off a little shoulder with a fun off-the-shoulder dress this prom season, come see all the various options our designers have for you.