Prom night is one your special night. To look your best, pick out styles that are beautiful, yet comfortable to wear. You're going to have to be able to last through photos, dinner and hours of dancing so you'll want to be as comfortable as you can while looking stunning as well.

When shopping for your dress, don't procrastinate, do your homework. Start going through magazines and catalogs to find the look you want. You can go for the celebrity look or even be original. I know of a girl who created her own unique style. She was able to take an everyday skirt, she matched it with a dressy top then accessorised so well, she drew a lot of positive attention. Some of the girls were pretty jealous of her.

A simple dress can work very well as long as you accessorise well with it. If you have a very flashy outfit, try to keep accessories to a minimum so it doesn't overshadow your dress. Avoid trendy stores that mass produce prom dresses because nobody wants to walk in the door on prom night and see three or more people with the same dress you're wearing. It's really embarrassing. You want to stand out on prom night as stunning and gorgeous, you don't want to look like a clone.

After you've found your dress, or outfit, shoes are the next most important item. Try to find something comfortable that you can walk and dance in without stumbling around. make sure they match your outfit for the night. Never make prom night the first time you've worn your shoes. Sometimes what feels comfortable in the store can make your feet hurt after only an hour or two. Painful shoes can wreck your whole evening and have you walking odd. We've all seen those women who while at social engagements will slip their shoes off while sitting at the table. This looks really bad.

Be sure to get the shoes well in advance and wear them around the house to be sure they don't cause any foot pain. You'll also be breaking in the shoes as well. This will add to the comfort on prom night. Also if you discover they hurt after an hour or so, you can still exchange them for another more comfortable pair.

Because prom is a photographed event, you'll want to be sure you have your make up done right. A lot of department stores offer free make overs for customers. Well before prom you may want to go have a few done so you can see which style suits your style then follow the advice given. Don't go too heavy on the make up, but don't go too light either. Use enough to cover flaws yet highlight your good features. Be sure to bring the makeup with you so you can touch up throughout the night.

If you have a digital camera, you can use this to test your make up. Take pictures and work on your look until you can look perfect in front of the camera. Digital cameras are great because they tend to show more flaws in advance so you can correct them before they're taken on prom night.

Handbags can make or break your outfit. Opt for a small clutch that you can carry just the essentials. A monster purse no matter how fancy can take away from your outfit. You want people to notice you, not your monster sized purse.

Hair, our crowning glory. Take time to find the perfect style to go with your outfit. the right hair style can make or break your look. Start trying styles well in advance. Avoid making drastic changes to your look too close to prom night. If the look fails, you may need time to correct it. The night before prom is no time to test new colors or a new perm. If you've never had a perm before you won't know how your hair reacts to it and you could end up looking like a clown, or worse.

If your hair reacts badly to the perming solution your hair could become spongy and basically break off. hair dressers are supposed to do a strand test before giving a perm but some are in such a hurry to get the job done they'll over step this and just start perming. This happened to a girl I know and she had to have all her hair cut off. She got her money back, but she should have sued the salon for the incredible damage. She looked hideous for months. It broke off an inch and a half from the roots. Before having any hair styles done that require use of chemical processing, ask for a strand test first if they don't already do it.

With a lot of planning and time you will not only look gorgeous on prom night, but you will shine!