One of the most frequently asked questions that we receive from our clients is how to choose the right color of the juvenile dress (or as it is sometimes called “pre-teen”). While it may sound so obvious when it comes to choosing the right color for a regular daily outfit or a party dress (you just pick the one that compliments your personal combination of hair color, eye color and skin tone, and accentuates your personality), it is not that simple when it comes to ballroom or Latin dance dress, especially for competitions.
To help you with taking the right direction, American Ballroom Couture has put together a few DO’s and DON’T’s for you to keep in mind when you think of the dress color for the juvenile dress.
But before we get there, we want to share our NUMBER ONE rule when you choose the dress for your daughter – make sure that SHE likes the dress and the color, because most important is that she feels like a queen, that she will step onto the dance floor and will conquer the world! That’s what she needs to feel when she puts that dress on.
DO NOT try to pick a dress color that would be different from other girls’s dresses on the floor. Pre-teen dress regulations across the world are pretty strict and we don’t have a ton of options in terms of dress design. As you know, color combinations are not allowed, the dress must be of a single color. Designers can only use different types of fabric of the same color when they create a new model (for example, combining lace and lycra). So the chances your daughter will be unique on the dance floor with her fluorescent red dress are relatively minimal. And you never know what color will dominate on the dance floor at any competition. We’ve observed four competitions within the 2-months period. One competition was flooded with red dresses, another competition was dominated by turquoise and greenish dresses, the third one was as colorful as it could be, and the forth one looked like everyone received a Memo about black and white party theme. So don’t try to be unique in the dress color. Unfortunately, you won’t, so choose color based on the following four DO’s.
DO think of your girl's personality: is she energetic, active, open-minded, very social and outgoing? Then she will obviously feel absolutely comfortable wearing a bright color dress (tropic lime, fluorescent red, bright green, bright yellow etc) and pretty much any design. Or is she more reserved, introvert-like, or even shy? If that’s the case, then consider getting something more subtle, delicate, classy yet beautiful and charming (bluebell, forest green, sugar pink, white, black, lilac).
DO keep in mind her body shape: if she looks the way that makes your grandma willing to feed her, then any bright, light , intense color will work just fine. If she is taller for her age and somewhat more big-boned, then our recommendation for the color will be forest green (darker shade of green which looks absolutely stunning and so noble!), navy, black, cherry red or burgundy, saffron yellow (beautiful deep darker shade of yellow), darker shade of purple. Our dresses are made of luxurious Chrisanne Clover fabric, and whether it is a fluorescent , almost acid green or deep darker forest green – both will look absolutely stunning on the dance floor. Velvet fabric has its own shine, emphasized by the spotlights.
DO keep in mind your girl’s skin tone and hair color. As you may have heard, there are four main color types) based on the skin tone and hair color – Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. Each type has its own color palette that fits the best and not only compliments but also highlights the person.
A girl with very light and fine skin and blond hair (Spring type) will benefit from wearing a dress in colors like peach, orange, tan, light pink, aquamarine, lilac, soft yellow, classic red, salmon. We do not recommend black, white and purple colors for this type.
A girl with light skin but dark hair (Winter type) will not be subject to the same rules, instead rich colors like hot red, white, black, burgundy, rich shades of blue and navy blue, yellow, fuchsia, magenta, mint, emerald will look beautifully on her and will make her look impressive and confident. We do not recommend orange, caramel, tan, olive, lilac colors.
If your girl has a combination of darker skin tone yet relatively light, fair hair (Summer type) our recommendation for the dress color will be bluebell (light blue) and navy, turquoise, pastel yellow (like Buttercream color of Chrisanne Clover fabric), mint, raspberry, cherry red, soft light pink, ivory, lilac. We do not recommend bright fluorescent colors, black, magenta, purple, bright yellow, emerald, orange.
The combination of darker skin and dark or red hair (Fall type) will be accentuated by bright colors: purple, emerald, saffron yellow, orange, pretty much all shades of red, olive green. Avoid colors like white and black, hot pink, lilac, aquamarine and cold shades of blue, mint.
DO remember that latin and ballroom dance dresses in general have different “preferred” colors: you probably have already noticed that latin dance dresses are usually bold, rich and hot colors – red, yellow, green, turquoise, hot pink, while ballroom dancers frequently wear something more subtle and classy like white, black, aquamarine, cream, ivory, mint, soft yellow.
This is a lot to keep in mind, right? We are here to help you! Contact us if you need any advice.