Elegant Ball Gown Prom Dresses Timeless For Women

Elegance should never be compromised. Whilst today's fashion industry surrounds us with cosmopolitan women, proud of their androgyny, I will confess to a life-long devotion to classical femininity. Thankfully, the V&A support such a sentiment and, in their contribution to resurrecting the tradition, a sparking and diverse exhibition followed. Ball gowns: British Glamour since 1950' stands as a celebration for the classical ball gown and its multiple transformations over the years from 1950's and 60's pieces by Worth London to more recent contributions by Erdem, McQueen and Giles Deacon. What shall follow is a celebration of the ball gown evening wear ritual as well as a message to restore it.

Ball Gown Strapless Satin/ Organza Prom Gowns

Standing as the embodiment of visual fantasy, the ball gown is a timeless item of clothing. The first floor of the exhibition was devoted to the very first gown-like dresses from the late 50's. Suited for debutantes and young women coming into society, ball gown prom clothes epitomized the importance of purity and innocent in a young girl; being old enough for a gown but covering enough to maintain the essential allure, they were necessary to find a husband at the time.

Green Sequins Ball Gown V Neck Floor Length Tulle Prom Dress

Dresses to represent the more recent years stood alone on the second floor in a much more artistic fashion. The shape of the ball gown was anything but modern, with the full skirt and tight-bodice bringing the collection into a full circle of fashion time-travel. It was, again, the embellishment however that gave the ball gown prom dresses their contemporary twist. Alexander McQueen took a simple lightweight silk dress and printed the silk-ripples onto the fabric itself, doubling up the layered effect on top of a classically cut dress, and flaring out around the shins. Gareth Pugh and Craig Lawrence also contradicted the idea, with dresses relentlessly embellishing with tin foil, lame swatches and small metal mosaic pieces creating a twisted sense of style on the delicate feminine frame of the models.

Pink Beaded Ball Gown Strapless Floor Length Tulle Prom Dress

Some of the ball gown dresses created for one-off events are a not only a display of relentless creativity but the physical creation of dreams and fantasies and ensuring that the ball gown survives the unkempt state of our youth will be a difficult task with the changing social standards. However, one look at a couture dress fresh out the studio in Paris is enough to move any woman. The ball gown is an essential part of fashion history and it's up to us to keep the couture-torch burning.