A Girl’s Guide to Two Piece Prom Dresses

Nazy Rafaeil
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Last updated 5 months ago.

Prom season is a special time of the year. Young women everywhere are dreaming up the perfect night, the perfect dress, and the perfect date. Prom is a time to celebrate youth and freedom, all while dressing up in the fanciest of clothes and having the time of your life on the dance floor.

Buying a prom dress can be the most stressful part of the entire prom experience. With so many styles, colors, fabrics, and details to choose from, it’s hard to know which dress is really the right dress for you. The perfect prom dress is an important part of the “perfect prom night” equation. So, we’ve created this guide for buying the two piece prom dress of your dreams. You may also use this guide if you’d love to wear a two-piece to your Sweet Sixteen party.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about finding your dream dress!

When to Buy

While many girls wait until the month of prom to purchase their two piece dresses, it can be less stressful to get it out of the way ahead of time. Another benefit to getting your shopping done early is that there is usually a wider selection available since they haven’t been picked through yet. If you shop outside of prom season, you might even stumble upon some great deals for prom dresses 2020!

Buying your dress early leaves plenty of time afterward to plan the many other aspects of an amazing prom night, like arranging your date’s matching outfit, booking a limo, and reserving a spot for dinner. Get ahead of the curve this year and secure your dream dress now so you can relax leading up to the big night.

Get Inspired

Getting inspiration for the dress you want is the first step to finding the right look. You can gain ideas for the two piece outfit you want by looking online at sites like Pinterest or flipping through magazines. You can even revisit the red carpet style of your favorite celebrity!

Look for inspiration on color, cut, neckline, length, details, or just the aesthetic that you want to invoke on prom night. All of this information will help you make an informed decision when you have to choose the winning dress. Staying focused on your inspiration will ensure you don’t get off track during a stressful day of shopping, too.

how to choose a two piece prom dress

Popular Dress Styles

There are many popular dress styles you’ll see at prom this year. From mermaid fit to off-the-shoulder dramatics and everything in between, you’ll see it all on prom night. While you want to remain on-trend, you also want to find something that stays true to who you are and represents your personal style well.

We suggest focusing more on what you like rather than what’s popular when shopping around for a prom dress. This way, you’ll feel confident about your purchase even after the trends assuredly fade away. And besides, who wants to wear what everyone else is wearing anyway? Don’t be afraid to stand out! For curvy girls, you can find a full range of on-trend plus size prom dresses by Jovani.

The Two-Piece Trend

The 2 piece prom dress is a trend that has become increasingly popular in recent years. The unique separation of the outfit not only creates a sexy sliver of skin on the stomach, but also positions it to work for future occasions as a skirt, a top, or both!

One of the best things about a two piece set is the range of styles that you can find it in. You’re not limited to a traditional long gown or a specific neckline — you can choose the details that suit you! Some great prom dresses are two piece outfits that come with a short skirt to make dancing comfortable and easy. Other gorgeous ones are long and flowing with a strapless top to stand out among the more traditional cuts.

The crop-top look is here to stay, and you can join in on the trend by finding a gorgeous two piece set to rock to prom and for many other special occasions afterward.

Picking the Right Color

Once you’ve picked your inspiration and style of the dress, now you must consider the right color for your prom night look.

To decide which color is right for you, you should consider a few things:

  • Your skin tone
  • Your date’s skin tone
  • Your hair color
  • The theme of the prom
  • The inspiration for the night

Finding a color that looks good on you is the first step. Lighter complexions look great in jewel tones and darker colors. Medium skin tones can look gorgeous in olives, neutrals, and metallic colors. Darker skin tones stand out in white, gold, and pastels. Also, consider your hair color because that can make a big difference in the final look.

Finding a color that suits your date is important as well. Make sure they’re comfortable with matching the color you choose. You don’t want a grumpy date ruining photos or your night!

Then, you’ll want to consider the theme of your prom and the inspiration you’re going for. A James Bond-themed night would be great for a slinky black or gold dress, for example. Keeping all of this in mind will help you land on a color that is perfect for you and the evening.

After finding your dream two-piece dress, the next exciting step is coordinating your outfit with your date. This will ensure that you both make a stunning, harmonious appearance that’s bound to capture everyone’s attention!

The Importance of Material

Material is crucial for a prom or homecoming two piece dress. You’ll need to find a dress made with material that feels comfortable, keeps you secured on the dance floor, and lasts beyond your one magical night.

For something comfortable and a bit stretchy, consider jersey material dresses. This soft, flexible material moves with the body to allow for full mobility and confidence throughout the night.

For something that gleams both in photos and on the dance floor, consider something like silk or satin. These soft, feminine fabrics create movement within the dress and look as elegant as they feel.

Fun fabrics can draw attention to you and make the night feel that much more celebratory! Consider tulle, lace, or chenille for something a little bit different that help you to feel special on the most special of nights.

Consider how you plan to spend prom. Will you be on the dance floor, at the snack bar, or hanging with friends? Find a fabric that suits that.

Keeping Budget in Mind

Budget is crucial to keep in mind while shopping for two piece formal dresses. These dresses are gorgeous, but sometimes the two-piece aspect can hike up the price. Before you begin shopping, it’s a good idea to figure out where your budget stands so you can then filter out dresses that won’t fit into that plan.

There’s nothing worse than falling in love with the perfect dress only to learn that it’s twice as much as what you can afford. Save yourself some heartache by filtering your online results by price range. Or, let the sales associate know what you’re looking to spend for your outfit.

how to wear a two piece to prom

Thinking About the Future

An additional consideration you may want to make when prom planning is future events that you may be able to re-wear your two piece prom dress to. As we mentioned before, the versatile nature of a two-piece set lets you wear one piece at a time to create new looks. If you’d prefer to keep it matching as a set, you can do that as well.

For homecomings, weddings, and other special events in the future, you can re-wear it the same or reinvent it with a new top or bottom. If price is a big factor for you, you should consider how you can get additional value out of the dress by wearing it in the future.

The Shopping Experience

The shopping experience can be whatever you want it to be now. The beauty of the online marketplace is that you can do everything from the comfort of your own home – browsing, buying, trying on, and returning. There are also many brick and mortar retailers that sell beautiful prom dresses if you prefer to try things on in person before buying.

Whichever route you choose, you can make the experience easier by filtering your results into smaller categories that fit your needs (or, by doing the equivalent of this in the store by speaking to an associate about what you’re looking for). For example, if you know you want a gold 2 piece prom dress with a sweetheart neckline, you can shop online for dresses that fall under these categories. You can also have an associate pick out dresses that may suit you and then browse from there.

Dresses by Jovani

If you’re in need of the perfect prom dress this year, look no further than Jovani. Since 1980, Jovani has been producing gorgeous formal gowns for all occasions, from proms and homecomings to weddings and galas. Our quality and breadth of selection make us the top prom dress online retailer out there. For the dress of your dreams, visit our website and start shopping by checking out the two piece prom dresses page to find the one for you.

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