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Corsage Inspiration: BLUE!

It’s PROM SEASON! Time to get with your local florist to create a fab, one-of-a-kind corsage creation. Today’s prom corsages are nothing like they used to be — that’s for sure. These days florists capture the spirit of youth with playful, exciting and dramatic wrists corsages that match modern fun and funky prom dresses and other trendy accessories. Today we’re using BLUE as our muse as we take a look at last year’s hottest designs.

Blue Prom Corsage

Beautiful blue corsage with a fun rainbow rose as it’s focus.

Teal Prom Corsage

This fun and feathery prom corsage uses blue orchids and shimmery blue wire and mesh.

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Prom Inspiration: Fun & Funky Style

Although for most, prom has come and gone, still teenaged girls everywhere are planning their ensembles for next season. We had the wonderful opportunity to meet up with a group of teens right before prom and snap some photos. So enjoy all the craziness and color of prom 2012!

Prom Corsages

Colorful Prom Corsages

Prom 2012 was all about COLOR and FUN!

2012 Prom Corsages

Gotta love the vibrant colors of these prom corsages!

Pink Prom Corsage

This prom corsage was created by Alvin Taylor’s Flowers in Paragould AR. It features a large Gerbera and is highlighted by mums, delphinium, gems, wire and feathers — perfect for her multi-colored dress.

Blue Prom Corsage

Another of Alvin Taylor’s creations, this features a rainbow rose and all sorts of blue accents and feathers. This corsage perfectly compliments her sequined dress!

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Prom Time! What Is Your Prom Style?

It’s almost time for PROM again! Time to find flashy dresses, sparkly jewelry, the perfect shoes and, of course, the right corsages to bring it all together! Let’s take a look at some of this year’s trendiest styles.

Fun and Playful Prom Corsage Trendy Prom Hair Accessory

Fun & Playful
Unlike a wedding, and most other occasions to wear formal attire, prom is about happiness, hilarity and hoopla. This prom goer picked her favorite flower – Gerbera daisy – and the florist has enhanced it with additional white petals, wire and charms. Choose flowers and colors that match your dress.

Anther prom going teen has used daisies in a different way – LOVE those feathers! The big gem in the center is also a great look! Your florist can do way more than just a corsage at prom! Be sure to ask about matching hair accessories and other prom flower accessories.

Color Focus Corsage

Color Focused

Use your corsage as an accent to enhance your prom look. If possible, show your florist a photo of the prom dress you are wearing and have them create a corsage to bring out the colors and features of the dress. For instance, in the photo above, this prom goer is wearing a super-fun, blue zebra print dress. The florist has done a great job of choosing flowers in colors that really POP, but also perfectly match and compliment the dress!

Classy Corsage

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Frequently Asked Prom Corsage Questions — ANSWERED!

What is a prom corsage? A prom corsage is a small flower arrangement that typically adorns a girl’s wrist or collar and is bought and given to her by her prom date. Most prom-goers, these days, prefer the wrist corsage. Flowers and accessories usually match or accent the girl’s prom dress.

What is a boutonniere? A boutonniere is the floral design worn by guys on their lapels. The boutonniere is bought for the guy by his date and often matches the colors and style of his date’s corsage.

What wrist do your wear your corsage on? It is generally recognized as proper etiquette to wear the wrist corsage on the left, although a left-handed date may prefer her wrist corsage worn on the right arm.

Do the corsage and boutonniere have to match? Not necessarily, but it usually looks more stylish and put-together that way. Talk to your local florist about your choice of formal wear for prom, both for the guy and the girl, and discuss what corsage/bout options would work best for your combined look. (Also check out: Matching Prom Dress to Prom Corsage!)

Matching Your Prom Dress To Your Corsage Polka Dot Prom

How do I get my guy to buy the perfect prom corsage for me? Make sure the florist sees your dress. Your florist is sure to make something that accents your specific style. Seeing the dress ensures your flowers and prom accessories will match perfectly. Give your guy pictures of prom corsages you like to get him heading in the right direction. He can also show these to his florist. Why not go into your local flower shop together? You can buy both the amazing corsage and boutonniere together!

If I wanted something special, would a florist work with me? Absolutely! Florists love a challenge! If you’ve got something special in mind, talk to your florist about how they can customize your corsage just for you! May you’ve got a dark dress and are thinking of a Black Swan style? No problem! Love bright and playful? Your florist can fix you up with wire swirls and colorful daisies. Just don’t be afraid to ask!

Many florists are starting to offer Corsage Bar events in their store. This is a buffet-like setup where prom-goers can go down a row and pick out all the separate elements of their corsage. No guessing as to what it will look like when YOU’VE picked it all out!

Prom Corsage Bar

When do I need to order my prom flowers? Order right now! It’s always good to plan ahead and get your order in as soon as possible. The spring is a very busy time for florists, with wedding season just beginning and Mother’s Day right around the corner. At any rate, order at least two weeks in advance.

Why do I need to use a florist, can’t I make my own DIY corsage? Not only do corsages have to look great, but they must hold up throughout the night of dancing and celebration. It’s always a good idea to buy a corsage from your local florist, rather than try to create one yourself. Corsages are not easy to make; the flowers have to stay ON the corsage, and stay looking fresh for long periods of time. Just talk to your florist about your budget and your options, it might surprise you what they’ll come up with!

What if I’m on a tight budget, can I still get a great-looking prom corsage? Yes, talk to your florist about your situation and ask what suggestions they might have. Often times by using seasonal or flowers your florist might have in excess can cut down on costs and still give you a great-looking corsage!

What do I need before I visit my local florist? Be sure to bring a picture of the dress you are wearing. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, even a picture from a cell phone will do. Bring any pictures of prom corsages you like from the internet or magazines for your florist to look at.

What are the hottest prom flower trends to date? Bright and bold colors that really make a statement, mixed with a variety of textures and details. We’ve seen a lot different uses of wire and other accessories. Another prom accessory we just love this year is the reusable wristlets. Instead of a cheap corsage holder for the wrist, invest in a beautiful corsage bracelet. Not only will your corsage look amazing, you can wear the bracelet for years to come and always be reminded of your big night.

Creative Prom Corsage

I also have to talk about body flowers! Florists can do WAY more than just wrist corsages, ask your florist what body flowers would look best with your dress! One of our favorite looks is a strapless dress with over-the-shoulder flowers — a stunning look! You can also have flower rings, necklaces and even flowers for your shoes created! It’s all about using flowers to add color and style to your prom look.

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This post is brought to you by local Casper WY florists.
Not in Wyoming? No worries, Flower Shop Network makes it easy to find your local florist with our real local florist directory.

Trend Alert: Pocket Squares Taking The Place of Boutonnieres?

The boutonniere and the pocket square have long been part of a gentleman’s formal attire. Creative florists have recently began to combine the fresh-flower look of the boutonniere and the placement of the pocket squares for something new and festive!

But Honey…. do I *have* to wear a boutonniere??

The biggest complaint we hear from guys about boutonnieres is that they don’t want to wear flowers that close to their face. Most men are just picky, but some have allergies that genuinely prevent them from wearing a bout’. Having flowers farther down in the pocket can be a big relief for men with this problem.

Often times the groom’s boutonniere gets practically destroyed during the activities of your wedding reception. Pocket squares tend to be a little more sturdy than boutonnieres because they aren’t pinned to your tuxedo. The bride is able to comfortably wrap her arms around the grooms neck without fear of crushing flowers or getting pin stuck.

Floral Pocket Squares — Boutonniere Alternative For Proms & Homecomings

Not only will the pocket square stand up to all of the festivities of a wedding reception — just think how perfect this trend is for teens going to homecoming or prom! I don’t know what it is about boys, but they love to take things apart. By the end of prom night, a guys boutonniere is often in 5 different pieces and the pin is stuck in his buddy’s arm. (Hopefully not, but you get the idea.)

With the floral pocket square, there are no pins. The design is attached, usually with glue, to a long insert that fills the pocket. Prom-going teens tend to leave them alone because they are further down on their chest — out of side, out of mind. The pocket square is a great boutonniere alternative, especially for prom, homecoming and other teen events.

Replacing Boutonnieres?

A boutonniere has long been part of the fashion-forward gentlemens fashion. Although the floral pocket square is a trendy up-and-comer, you will never replace a good, old-fashion boutonniere. The key is to find the style that is right for your look and your attire. Consult with your local florist, they are the BEST place to turn when it comes to this decision.

If you are looking for pocket squares, boutonnieres or corsages, contact your town’s local florists. She will help you choose the right floral accessories to fit your event!

This post is brought to you by local Independence MO florists.
Not in Independence? Use Flower Shop Network’s handy directory of real local florists to find a florist near you today!

FSN’s 2010 Prom Recap

Unique Orchid Masterpiece

Do you LOVE prom? We do! Flower Shop Network has really got the school spirit this prom season! We have gone to several proms to take corsage photos. We have interviewed, videoed and photographed florists all over our area doin’ the prom thing. We have also written lots of articles in our blog about prom! (Check here and here.) Not to mention all the [Read more…]

Match Making: Matching Prom Corsage To The Dress

Friday night, we visited a local prom to get the scoop on this years hottest 2010 Prom Corsage trends! The result? Matching, matching, matching!

A prom corsage is an accessory just like jewelry, shoes, purses, etc. Why would you want a boring, red-rose-and-babys-breath corsage when you’re prom dress is super-fab psychedelic colors? (Which they were. The biggest trend in prom dresses was bright, bold colors!) Fashion savvy girls have really gotten involved with their own prom corsages by attending corsage bar parties.

Another great way they’ve been using technology to help their prom coordinating, is by using cellphone cameras. They can easily go to their florist and show them a picture of their prom dress on their phones. Many florists even let the girls text them the picture so they will have it when they are ready to build their corsage. (Most people now have free picture texts with their phone plans, make sure you are able to receive multi-media messages at no charge before you try this.)

You can see from the above picture, the florist knew her color theory! Blue’s complement is orange, however with the addition purple, the best choice for this vibrant, bright dress was yellow. Love that orchid corsage!

This florist went ALL out for this wild prom corsage! The girl is wearing a pink with black, sequin, polka-dot dress. Obviously, this girl has a [Read more…]

Prom Trends: Prom Accessories and Flowers

Prom Flowers: Traditional Meets Up-and-Coming

In the past, trends for prom flowers have been limited to the prom corsage or prom boutonniere. 2009 brings new creative ideas for not only corsages and boutonnières but for other accessories as well. This year, corsages and boutonnières will be as important as always, but florists all around are gearing up for the endless possibilities of accessorizing with flowers. “How do you accessorize with flowers,” you ask? Well, I’ll tell you.

Traditional Prom Corsages

Red Calla Lily Boutonniere

Red Calla Lily Boutonniere

Traditional prom corsages and prom boutonnieres were created using roses or mums and adorned with a thin silk or satin ribbon for decoration. Boutonnieres and corsages were both worn on the shoulder of the prom-goer, which for a girl in a prom dress is very uncomfortable and inconvenient. Over the past couple of years prom corsages have made a transformation. Florists now create prom corsages to be worn on the wrist, making it easy to take on and off and much more suitable for a teenage girl.

Modern Prom Corsages

As for prom corsage and boutonniere decorations, 2009 is the year of accessories. Forget the ribbon. Rhinestones, feathers and just about anything you can think of can be incorporated into your corsage or boutonniere. Most florists these days even have a “create your own design” option, so you can pick out all of the flowers and decorative details you want for your corsage or boutonniere.

Prom Wrist Corsage

Prom Wrist Corsage

Modern prom trends are all about embellishment; not only with the wrist corsage and boutonniere, but with other accessories as well. For so long prom flowers remained limited to the traditional corsage or boutonniere. With more accessory options and creative assembly, flowers now can be incorporated into a multitude of prom accessories. Small flowers such as mini-roses and button mums are being added to simple and boring hair pins to make beautiful and elaborate hair accessories.

Don’t Stop At Corsages – Prom Accessories Are In!

Don’t stop at just the flowers though, add some rhinestones for extra sparkle and maybe a little ribbon as well to create that trendy adornment for your hair. Florists and hairdressers are working together to create new and unique prom hairstyle trends. One such prom trend is to match the ribbon length to the girl’s hair length. Prom tiaras can also be embellished with flowers and other accessories as well. Beautiful sparkling tiaras can be woven with strands of miniature flowers adding some delicacy and feminism to a bright and shining tiara. Not wearing any hair accessories this year? You don’t need to wear an up-do just to incorporate flowers into the hair. Flowers can be bound together in small groupings or just singly wrapped to simply stick behind your ear on prom night.

Prom Flower Jewelry

Flower Ring For Prom

Flower Ring For Prom

Embellished flower jewelry is a trend for prom 2009 as well. Florists are making wrist corsages look more like bracelets. They are also creating rings, earrings, and necklaces with flowers for prom as well. Prom flower rings are the cutest and most unique idea for 2009 prom trends.

Prom Flower Rings

Florists simply take a flower of your choice and make it into a ring. Miniature flowers like spray roses look the best and most size appropriate for the finger. These rings can be adorned with rhinestones and other materials just like any other prom accessory. Prom flower necklaces are also a big trend for this year. However, depending on the prom dress, a flower necklace may or may not be appropriate. Strapless prom dresses are the most suited to the flower necklace trend. As with the other prom flowers, you can work with your florist to decide which flowers and embellishments to use.

Prom Flower Earrings

Talk to your prom florist about creating matching earrings. Creating flower earrings for prom is a rising trend for 2009 and beyond. Although prom earrings are a new floral creation requiring special florist tools, they are extremely unique and rising in popularity. As with the flower rings and flower necklaces, petite blooms also are more appropriate for the prom flower earrings. This trend requires a little more planning and discussion between the customer and the florist since special earring hooks are necessary. Once the florist has the hooks they can then create the actual earrings with whatever blooms and embellishments the customer chooses. Personalization is the key to these trends and florists have responded with the “create your own design” service. Many florists are offering customer the option of creating their own personalized prom jewelry in a convenient setting.

Prom Flower ..Shoes? Yes!

This year like last, prom flowers are also being incorporated into shoes. Yes, I said shoes. It seems like a crazy idea. However, the final product is quite beautiful and discretely fabulous. Not many people think to accessorize shoes, but especially with the extra-strappy heels that are being worn these days, incorporating flowers into prom shoes is effortless. Shoes can be embellished in a couple of different ways. Tiny blooms can be glued into the shoe straps, creating a “band of blooms”. This makes the shoe look as if it were made out of flowers, and is guaranteed to turn heads on prom night. Flowers can be grouped to just one part of the shoe as well for more of an impact . These are dainty and discrete embellishments that just add a touch of glamour to an already fabulous pair of shoes. Endless opportunities abound when you incorporate flowers into your prom accessories.

Making prom your own is as simple as creating a personalized look with your accessories. If you have a new idea or have questions about incorporating flowers into other prom accessories, you can contact your local florist for ideas or suggestions. Who knows? You and your florist may start a new trend!

Amazing Prom Flowers, Dresses, Formal Wear And A Hummer Limo

Things sure have changed since my prom days. My sister-in-law just sent me pictures of my nephew’s prom. Oliver went to prom last week with his girlfriend, Courtney, and as is custom these days, it was a group affair with a Hummer limousine to boot.

When I say things have changed I mean everything: the hair styles, the prom dresses, formal wear for the guys — even the prom flowers!

When I was in school the pin-on corsage was the only option we had for prom flowers. Now, prom flowers are a fashion accessory, not just a nice gift from your date. Prom-goers embellish their purses, shoes and necklaces with flowers for prom. They use the wrist corsage like a piece of jewelry! In fact, one of the girls in my nephew’s prom group had a flower ring. Not a ring in the shape of a flower, but a flower ring.

Flower Ring & Prom Wrist Corsage

I have never really wanted to relive my youth, but I wish I could go to prom just so I could wear one of these cool wrist corsages and flower rings.

Prom Transportation

The transportation to prom is another thing that is completely different. I rode to prom in a Toyota Corolla, not the most prestigious of vehicles in 1983. Now, they arrive in limos and not just any limo, but a Hummer limo!

Two Couples Departing For Prom In A Hummer Limo

My nephew, Oliver, is on the right side with his girlfriend, Courtney, and his friends, Whitney and Dustin, are pictured on the left. I think the colorful prom dresses, fantastic tuxedos, amazing prom wrist corsages and the limo are a huge part of the whole prom experience, but the most important thing last weekend was the memories Oliver and friends made that will last him a lifetime.

If you want to see more pictures of the gorgeous prom dress and prom flowers, I know that several are posted on Wedding and Party Network. If you have prom pictures you would like to share, Wedding and Party Network lets users submit pictures to their site!