Spring is one of the most optimistic times of the year; winter has finally come and gone, and summer is looming on the horizon. This also means it is finally time to put away the winter wardrobe of dark, heavy clothes which reflect the mood of the cloudy, drizzly days, and revisit lighter, brighter pieces that celebrate the changing of the seasons.
And, since spring is a time of positivity and excitement, there’s often plenty of exciting events to commemorate it. One of these might be a spring dance, whether it’s at school as an end of term prom or dance, something with family and friends, or even in celebration of Easter time. What’s more, spring dance events mean an opportunity to get dressed up in the spirit of the special occasion, and whether you’re young or old, toddler or teen, everyone deserves to feel beautiful in an outfit that speaks to their own personal style.
With that in mind, we’ve picked some of our favourite girls’ summer dresses to help give you some inspiration for any type of spring dance event you might be attending. Whether your priority is something big and eye-catching, perfect for twirling around the room in, or something simpler to make a subtle, low-key impression, we’ve got it covered.
The Maximalist
Dances, balls and proms, whichever it may be, are often thought of as the stuff of fairy tales. We look forward to them with great anticipation and plan our outfits weeks or even months in advance, looking for inspiration wherever we may. If this sounds like your thought process, then you might be a maximalist when it comes to dressing for the occasion.
Maximalists aren’t afraid of experimenting with their style and making daring decisions that make them stand out from the crowd. One type of dress you can wear to demonstrate this attitude is something like this pink jacquard ball gown.
In a pale, pastel pink, it’s the perfect shade for spring, but its impressive details are what make it stand out. Featuring a wide boat neckline, frilled cap sleeves, a textured fabric and a gold floral motif on the skirt, it makes an impression without being too much or over the top. This statement piece will suit any formal dance or prom thanks to its high-end, couture look, but make sure to go easy on any accessories to avoiding overdoing it.
The Minimalist
On the other hand, if making big statements isn’t your thing, then you might be more of a minimalist. However, by no means does this mean you might dress any less excitingly or stylishly. Style is personal can mean a range of things to different people after all.
If you want to keep things simple, try something like this pale blue jewelled shift dress for minimal effort but maximum impact. In a cool, icy blue, this shade is the ideal transitional shade for going from winter into spring that you can wear it at various times of the year.
The subtle, textured brocade fabric comes with a scooped cut-out back, a ruffled empire waist and sparkling jewels down the front of the bodice for a touch of glamour that’s refined and elegant. Top tip: if wanting to stay on the simple side of things, opt for these straighter silhouettes and focus instead on details on or in the fabric itself.A short history of the shift dress.
Florals for Spring
Floral patterns are typical of spring wardrobe, embodying and reflecting the blooming nature around us, and although florals might be a stereotypical staple of spring dressing they are by no means boring.
If this is your favourite time of year, then a floral spring dress might be just the thing for you. It’s fun, feminine and classy, and can be interpreted in a number of ways. One of our favourites is this ivory dress with a pink floral design.
The timeless fit and flare silhouette is one that will never go out of style, while the chiffon cap sleeves are just the right amount of extra detail to jazz it up a bit. If this is something you might consider for your spring dance dress, team it with plain and simple accessories to allow the dress to stand out and do the talking.
Alternatively, you could take a slightly different approach to the floral trend with something like this ivory gown.
Though plain for the most part, the stark white of the body of the gown is clean, crisp and eye-catching, with a sleek and elegant A-line silhouette. Then, on the shoulder, is the intricate floral detail; tiny colourful petals bring the piece alive in an edgy, unique way that’s totally different to the standard floral style. Give this look a go if you’re looking to experiment or try something new.Read Vogue’s take on wearing florals.
Accessories
As we have shown you, there are many different ways you can interpret a spring dance dress. However, one thing that all dress styles need are the perfect accessories. For some gowns this will be more and for others, less. It completely depends on the details of the dress and the personal tastes of the person wearing it.
At a dance, it’s unlikely you’ll be wanting to a carry a bag around with you. But if you do, make sure it’s something easy to carry and wear.
A piece like this ivory pearl bag would work perfectly; the long strap means you can wear it across your body so you don’t need to hold it in your hands or on your shoulder, meaning you’re free to dance the night away. Practically, the pearl material is also lighter in weight than something with metal in it.
The most ideal accessory for a dance though is perhaps a headband or hair tie. Stylish and on-trend, hair accessories are also practical as they’ll keep your hair off your face and out the way, which is one less thing to worry about.
Try this pearl pink rose Alice band to continue the floral spring theme, or this jewel green hair tie if you’re planning on showing off an elegant up-do at your event. Whichever it is, it’s a quick and easy way to elevate any outfit and complete your look.
That, then, concludes our spring dance dress style guide. We hope that it’s been useful for you in helping you decide what kind of look you want to wear for your special occasion. Whatever you choose, make sure you’re comfortable, confident, and above all, ready to dance until dawn.
