Jewelry-Making Articles

Prom Night: Bring on the Bling

by Lisa Coen, Exclusively for Fire Mountain Gems and Beads®

It's that time of year again ... prom season is right around the corner and young females all over are planning the perfect dress, hair, makeup and jewelry. Prom isn't just about the excited preparation, dress shopping and constant phone calls (or texts) about who's going with whom, it's also the anticipation of that one big night where every teenage girl wants to shine--and show off their bling. Get ready to dazzle with creative lines of customized prom jewelry and accessories.

Prom events originated at the beginning of the 20th century and by the 1950s had become quite extravagant. Most likely inspired by high society debutante balls, a prom (short for "promenade") involved elegant dresses, tuxedos, nice cars and limousines, corsages and dinner dates--and finally a super-charged school dance complete with the crowning of a Prom Queen and King. Picture Marty McFly's dorky dad and ditzy mom at the "Enchantment Under the Sea Dance" immortalized in the '80s film Back to the Future. Other teen movies from the '80s encouraged the appeal of prom--that is, the John Hughes-type like Pretty In Pink , not horror flicks such as Carrie or Prom Night . Prom (or as many of us called it in the '80s, "The Prom") is the first formal event many teenagers will experience--a rite of passage filled with friends, fun and dancing.

Some standards are changing, like the obsession with popularity gradually being replaced with the opportunity to show off individuality and fashion sense. But one prom factor remains constant: bling, bling and more bling. It's easy to design unique pieces that not only flatter individual style and dress choice perfectly, but also allow the girls to show off customized jewelry that no one else will be wearing. Jewelry that sparkles is still as popular as ever when it comes to prom. It's easy to create dazzling designs that will make your young customers look and feel like Prom Queens.

Complete prom design lines with glittering hair fascinators, tiaras and headbands. Today, anything goes when creating jewelry and accessories for prom. Have fun with the following design ideas:

Emulate the dazzle of diamonds in jewelry pieces with Crystal Passions® crystal, cubic zirconia and Celestial Crystal®
Combine plated-metal settings and Crystal Passions® crystal fancy stones for customized instant bling
Create colorful, unique designs using gleaming gemstones, silver and gold chain, cultured freshwater and glass pearls and feathers
Design corsages and boutonnieres with crystals, feathers, ribbon and jewelry components. Or if you like to design with fresh flowers, add Crystal Passions® flat backs, rhinestone-embellished wire picks and feathers
Accent prom updos or long curls with colorful, iridescent Mylar strips--they're easy to attach to hair strands with silicone-lined hair crimps
Don't forget to embellish purses and shoes with crystal bling for even more personalization