A wild jungle of sparkles and frills sits on the horizon of the mall. Sophomore Katie Scanlon opens her eyes to the sight, bewildered and bemused as the chaos unfolds in front of her. The jungle that she’s speaking of? Windsor.
“Looking for dresses is always a hassle for me,” Katie said. “I never find it fun; it’s always super stressful. Especially in a busy store; I went to Windsor last year, and there were crowds of people knocking over dresses and running around.”
All of the warfare that students go through in order to feel and look their best for the dance pays off; this year, the gratification will come on Feb. 10, at 8 p.m., as students arrive at the school, prepared to enjoy their night.
For most students, appearance is considered a crucial part of their night. Winterfest is a special occasion that requires a special look to accompany it. Traditionally, students take pictures together before attending the dance to commemorate the night; this is one reason why Katie believes it’s important to put extra effort into getting ready: looking her best in the photos as well as at the dance.
Senior Mahta Poostizadeh agrees with this sentiment and has even experienced the problem of not looking at what she considers to be her greatest. The dress one chooses can ultimately make or break how one feels throughout the night, which places a greater importance on the decision.
“[Attire] plays a huge part [in my Winterfest experience] because if it’s a dress I don’t like or I don’t feel good in, my night is very affected by it,” Mahta said. “I didn’t like my homecoming dress, and it affected my mood the entire night. I also think attire is a form of expression, and if you can’t properly express yourself, you won’t feel like yourself, nor will you feel comfortable.”
Finding the perfect dress is often seen as a battle. For Mahta, the process has always been frustrating; her dresses need to be long-sleeved, not backless, and modest in the front, and the overall slim selection of dresses has led to her searches often being futile.
This Winterfest, Mahta’s dress is long-sleeved, burgundy, and velvet with a square neckline. The struggle to find a dress that Katie and Mahta experienced was not the exclusive experience for all, however. Senior Nora Blok was able to enjoy the social aspect of shopping for a dress and managed to have fun in her search.
“I like [looking for dresses] a lot,” Nora said. “I definitely have fun going out shopping with friends and trying on dresses. Last year, me and my friends each picked out about two dresses for each other to try on, and then, we just went from there; it was a lot of fun doing that.”
Nora’s dress this year is baby pink, strapless, and has ruffles. She makes an effort to wear different dresses each dance; this is the second strapless dress that she’s worn, but other aspects of the dress demonstrate her branching out. For example, last year, her Winterfest dress was tight-fitted, which is different from this year.
While branching out is a way to ensure the unique looks of each dance, it’s still important to love the dress they choose. Another thing to remember is how the dress will look specifically on the person, as every person has features that can and should be highlighted.
“[Something to keep in mind is] whether you genuinely like what you’re getting or if you’re only getting it because others like it,” Mahta said. “I also think taking skin tone and what colors match your undertones into consideration is important because a lot of colors can either bring your features out or they can wash you out. Also, take into consideration what hairstyle you want to do because a lot of hairstyles don’t go with certain dresses.”
What people love is not only dependent on their individual style but also the bias that trends produce. Mahta has noticed a lot of satin, sparkles, feathers, bustiers, and floral patterns. She’s also noted that Winterfest dresses have their own trends that stand alone from other dance dress trends.
Winterfest dresses tend to be darker colors and have long sleeves; this reflects the wintery aesthetic of February and the dance. Nora has noticed the long sleeves as well and additionally sees the popularity of tighter-fitting, sparkly dresses with square necks. Katie has noticed these trends as well.
“I’m not sure if it’s as trendy this year as it was last year, but I remember last year I saw a lot of glittery and sparkly dresses,” Katie said. “I personally don’t like a lot of sparkles on my dresses, but they looked great on other people.”
Katie’s attitude toward this trend can be reflected in the dress she chose this year: a simple, all-black, short dress. As for accessories, Katie plans to wear silver jewelry. Both minimalist and maximalist dresses work perfectly, and the minimalist perspective is demonstrated through Katie’s stylish accessorizing that will complement her classic dress.
While the several elements of choosing and buying a dress are all crucial, there is one that stands out above them all: staying true to yourself. Winterfest attire is a key part of the night, and looking and feeling as good as possible enhances the night and all of its fun activities.
“Stay [true] to your style,” Nora said. “I feel like there’s so much [of] ‘you don’t want to do this,’ or ‘you don’t want to do that,’ but it’s important to find a dress that you like, you’re comfortable in, and makes you feel confident and good about yourself. I think that’s super important.”
