Spring formals are quickly approaching and that means there is one thing that every girl must find either online or in the depths of her closet: a formal dress. Casual clothing is largely the dominating trend for fashion at Dartmouth. Formals in general are the rare occasion on campus when formal attire is expected or even "appropriate."
"I love getting dressed up for formal, whether that means putting on a dress I'd never wear out to, let's say a frat, or accessorizing a dress I'd wear regularly to make it feel a bit more special," Mary Cromwell '12 said.
For someone who enjoys dressing up, various "formals" hosted by Greek and non-Greek organizations on Dartmouth campus provide the few opportunities to do so. But what should one wear to a Dartmouth formal, without spending a fortune, feeling overdressed or feeling uncomfortable? Of course, the most important part is feeling comfortable and having fun in whatever you decide to wear.
"To be honest, some of my favorite formal dresses are $17.80 from Forever 21," Lucretia Witte '10 said. "Plus, I always feel like if something isn't going to stay up or be comfortable when you put it on, you won't have fun on the dance floor."
The Spring in particular is an ideal time for formals to take place. Without the need for a heavy winter coat and the beginnings of warm weather girls can be even more creative in their selection of formal attire.
"The weather is getting so much better, which for me means that I have more options," Cromwell said. "I don't have to worry about my dress matching my coat for instance, and don't feel the need to wear leggings, or something that I won't freeze in if I go out afterwards."
With fewer clothes to keep track of, Spring formal fashion is more spontaneous. Because formals happen at least three times a year it is also common for many affiliated students to mix and match accessories with a dress you might have worn before.
"It's fun to accent with bright colors, mix and match a little bit to avoid having to buy a new dress," Elizabeth Molthrop '12.
No one is keeping tabs on each dress that you choose to wear to the formals throughout the year, but making sure you don't make a mess of yourself is a must. Of course, you don't want to wear anything that could lead to a disaster.
"Make sure your dress is not see-through, or if its really tight don't have a very visible panty line. Stay away from strapless," Caroline Barnhart '12 said.
Molthrop added that short dresses and dresses with slits are also best to avoid.
Knee length dresses, bright spring colors and creative accessories seem to be the consensus for this year's Spring formals.
"A silver or gold clutch for your phone, ID, lip gloss and flask will go with almost any dress," Witte said.
Now all you need is a date
