prom tips

We are so excited for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire premiere on November 22nd, that not only are we re-reading the novel, we're also finding ways to celebrate the release! Two of our favorite names in the fashion world, CoverGirl and Precious Formals, have been all about the Hunger Games. CoverGirl recently released a new makeup collection, called the Capitol Collection, in honor of the second Hunger Games movie. They've created signature looks for each of Panem's 12 Districts, from Luxury to Mining (and everything in between). Best yet, dress designer Precious Formals loved this idea so much that they recently showed how you can perfectly pair CoverGirl's district inspired makeups with their dresses for a complete look. Read on and pick a district to represent at your Prom or during the Holidays!

This makeup was created by CoverGirl for District 1. Precious Formals recommends pairing the makeup with Style L46736, a mermaid evening gown that has shimmery golden lining that peaks through the gaps of the gown's lace-and-sequins overlay.

The makeup in the above picture was created by CoverGirl for District 2. Precious Formals style L9034 is the perfect dress choice for this district's representation of Masonry. Silver groups of sequins accent the body, scoop neckline, and sheer long sleeves of this chic and flirty dress.

District 3 represents Technology, and CoverGirl's District 3 makeup and Precious Formals style P46728 are the perfect pair for this district. Multi-hued sequins create intricate Aztec tribal prints throughout this trendy short dress, with the exception of the neckline's small gemstone embellishments.

This makeup look was created by CoverGirl for District 4. Precious Formals recommends pairing it with Style P21017, an elegant gown that emits a holographic shimmer and features diamond-adorned halter straps that criss-cross in the back. It's definitely as shiny as a fish!

The above makeup look was created by CoverGirl for District 5, which represents Power. Radiate beautifully in Precious Formals C10559, a strapless sweetheart mermaid gown encrusted with sequins and shiny stones that comes in a neon yellow and purple.

This makeup look was created by CoverGirl for District 6, Transportation. Precious Formals says to pair it with Style W21046, a simple A-line silhouette accented by holographic sequins and purple gemstones.

CoverGirl's District 7 makeup can be perfectly paired with Precious Formals P46712A for a pretty green and yellow colored look that represents Lumber. It's a gorgeous dress that has asymmetrical waist cutouts and a single sheer sleeve in Ombre chiffon. It definitely gives this A-Line a very tropical appeal!

This makeup created by CoverGirl for District 8 can be paired with Precious Formals style L9005 to show off the beautiful colors associated with textiles. A thigh-high slit, scoop back and elongated front keyhole cutout spice up this shimmery high-necked gown.

CoverGirl's District 9 makeup is simple and natural, with just the right amount of shine. And, that's exactly why Precious Formals style P46772 is the perfect match! The dress' soft gold color stands out in a beautifully elegant way.

This makeup look was created by CoverGirl for District 10, which represents Livestock. Precious Formals recommends pairing it with Style P10561, a stunning mermaid gown with a corset sheer bodice and sweetheart neckline.

CoverGirl's District 11 makeup would look beautiful with Precious Formals P9060 to represent Agriculture. Sequins cover this plunging-halter gown until just below the hipline, where the sequined pattern spreads out to reveal a sheer floor-length skirt.

Lastly, District 12 is where the protagonist of The Hunger Games, Katniss, is from, and the dark colors with just the right hint of yellow/gold used in CoverGirl's District 12 makeup and Precious Formals style P9037 are a perfect representation of it. The sheer-paneled slits cut diagonally across the bodice and straight down one side of this sexy slitted gown makes Style P9037 particularly unique and reminds us of Katniss' braid!

Which The Hunger Games style do you like the best? Leave us a comment below and let us know!

We all know that we would be lost without our hair straightener right? But, most of us don’t even know all of the cool things you can actually do with your hair straightener if you have the right one.  Us being the Roo Girls that we are, we've done extensive research on cute hairstyles, and having a good hair straightener is definitely part of that!

Buying a Hair Straightener

Looking for that perfect straightener for yourself? You can definitely find a lot of information on the internet about which ones to purchase! If you've done your own research on hair straighteners already, you've probably found what we've found, which is that most websites we've searched say that the number one hair straightener is the "Sedu" or "GHD." My personal favorite, as well as the favorite of some others of the Rissy Roo's staff, is the “Chi,” though. They're a little pricey (just like any good straightener), typically selling anywhere from $70.00 to $150.00, but totally worth every penny. They are rated with good quality and I personally have never had a problem with them. Plus, if you can get a super chic one like the zebra CHI above, can you really go wrong?? Whether the Sedu, GHD, or Chi, you'll find yourself with a good, dependable, long-lasting straightener.

Ideas to Try with your Straightener

Looking for some style tips to try out with your straightener? Below are some ideas for you!

Did you know that you can crimp your hair with a flat iron? Wait until you try it, it looks so fabulous! Here’s a how-to from Cosmopolitan Magazine:

“To create a cool crimp like Jennifer Hudson’s, starting with straight locks, grab a one-inch section of hair and position your flat iron at the root. Begin twisting your wrist back and forth, slowly, as you glide the iron all the way down to your ends. Repeat until all strands have been tended to.”

You can also make those sexy girl waves, which is also pretty easy to do with your flat iron. Here’s how Cosmopolitan says to get the look:

"Score sexy, undone curls, like Kate Hudson’s by starting with the flat iron near your scalp. Wrap a one-inch section around the flat iron plates as you simultaneously turn the flat iron away from your head (similar to how you would curl a ribbon with a scissor). Continue pulling the iron down the section of hair until you reach the ends. Repeat until your entire head is curled and voilà!"

Most importantly for us girls who when their hair is dry from the shower it gets wavy and frizzy (like me), a flat iron can be your best friend! When straightening your hair, all you have to do is simply run small strands of your hair through the iron and your hair turns out nice and straight, shiny flat and sexy!

How do you use your hair straightener? Leave us a comment below and let us know!

This is one special report that no Roo Girl should miss! NBC News recently did a story on their "Rossen Reports" Today show about how teens are being scammed with fake designer dresses. It made us sad to hear that scammers are becoming such a problem when it comes to purchasing designer dresses, that we wanted to make sure to pass on the information to you.

Jeff Rossen, the NBC reporter, started the report by mentioning:

"We've told you about scam artists selling fake electronics, handbags... the list goes on. Now these scammers are targeting the prom, fooling teeange girls with fake designer dresses, charging hundreds of dollars for gowns that literally fall apart in your hands. Their websites are a teen girl's dream, offering designer prom gowns at deep discounts. The sites sure look real, but designers say it's all a scam."

With how big online shopping has become over the years, it's definitely become more and more difficult to pick out the scams.

"The federal government has shut down hundreds of these sites, but the scammers are tough to catch, many of them based overseas. Good luck getting your money back. And those priceless prom memories."

There are ways you can protect yourself, though! Here are some tips:

1. Call the company and ask if they are an authorized dealer. Remember, you're always welcome to call Rissy Roo's at our toll-free number 1-866-779-7667 to discuss your order.
2. Look on the dress designer's website to see if the store is listed as an authorized website.
3. Look for verification seals on the bottom of the website, and make sure to click through to check verification.
4. Check if the website has a blog and a presence on prominent social networks, like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

This is definitely a problem that's grown substantially over the past couple of years. Whether looking for a dress online for prom, graduation, or homecoming, definitely keep your eyes and ears perked. If you ever come across a fake designer dress website, please contact us and let us know. We can all work together to try to stop the scams!

Source: NBC News

Everybody remembers their prom. Whether it was a good or bad, it's always a memorable experience. Ever wonder what kind of experience celebrities have? You would think that after doing so many red carpet events and shows, they would have forgotten about their prom night. Seventeen Magazine asked celebrities like Selena Gomez to spill the beans about their own prom experience. You're going to be so surprised at what these celebs reveal...not everyone had a good time!

Shay Mitchell from 'Pretty Little Liars' confessed about her break up right before prom! She didn't find a date in time but had a great experience going with her friends. Shay didn't go all out for her prom dress and borrowed her accessories from her mom...but made sure she got new fab shoes.

"I bought nice, crystal shoes—you have to get something that makes you excited. It doesn't have to be expensive, but I really did feel like a princess putting my shoes on!"

-Shay Mitchell

Selena Gomez ended up crashing a prom in Canada with her co-star - Demi Lovato - during their premiere of Princess Protection Program. Here's what she said about their unforgettable "prom night":

"We had an after-party at a hotel. I kept hearing dance music, so I peaked into the ballroom and there was a prom going on! I ran upstairs and got Demi. Then we walked into the ballroom onto the dance floor and just started dancing. After a couple songs, people started to notice we were there. I got scared I was going to get in trouble, but all the students let us dance with them. Even the principal came and started dancing with us!"

-Selena Gomez

'Glee' actress Jenna Ushkowitz had a terrible experience! Here's what she spilled about her prom night:

"My prom was awful! The prom was supposed to have a beach-front view, but there were no windows! It was a big let-down. My advice is to go into prom without super high expectations and you'll get the most out of it!"z

-Jenna Ushkowitz

'Switched at Birth' star Katie LeCler had an awesome time! It's great to hear about an amazing  prom experience. Here's what she had to say about her fun prom night:

"Prom was awesome! I went with my long-term boyfriend and we had a great time."

-Katie LeCler

We hope everyone had an awesome time at their prom this year! Leave a comment below and let us know about your stories.

Sources: Seventeen Magazine

Prom is going to be so much fun, you won't want that awesome night to end. So of course you want to continue the party elsewhere. If you or your friends haven't planned anything yet, have no fear...Rissy Roo's is here! With the help of Seventeen Magazine, we are going to list some of our favorite ideas for an after prom party. With these ideas, you'll be looking forward to what's after prom more than the dance! Go ahead...check'em out!

Bonfire Party

It's almost summer time and a bonfire on the beach or an open field would be ideal! It's the perfect way to end prom night and to start the season of summer fun. Who doesn't want to cuddle up by the fire with their crush or roast marshmallows with their buds after a long night of dancing? Just make sure there is someone present who can handle the fire. We don't want any accidents to happen!

Game Night

If you are not up for a big party, just have your main possy over and have some gaming fun! Eating chips and dip over an intense game of Mario Kart or Just Dance is the best way to go if you're looking to just chill out (and dance some more...just not in high heels this time!). It'll be your chance to impress your friends (or crush) with your gaming skills (what guy isn't impressed by a girl who can hold her own gaming?)! Turn it into a sleepover with sleeping bags in the living room and an awesome breakfast in the morning. This may be one of your last chances to spend quality time with your close high school friends, so make the most of it!

Bowling Competition

Instead of holding a regular bowling night after prom, why not make it more interesting? Dates vs. dates or couples vs. couples...heat up the competition! To make it more fun, Seventeen recommends setting up rules like - you can only bowl backwards between your legs - bowl on one foot - or bowl blind folded! It's a great way to bond and act silly with your close friends, especially with the year coming to an end and everybody leaving for college.

Made any plans after prom? Share what you're doing with us by writing a comment below! And, of course, if you still need a cute oufit, it's not too late to find your perfect after prom dress!

Source: Seventeen Magazine

One of our Rissy Roo's customers recently sent us pictures of her own daughter's promposal! Jessica, the mom of Shelby Thornton, saw that we've been posting cute promposal ideas to our Facebook wall and wanted to join in on the fun.

Listen up ladies, because Shelby was the one doing the prom proposal to her boyfriend, not the other way around! There's definitely nothing wrong with the girl taking the initiative and asking the guy to prom, and Shelby's idea was such a cute way of doing it. Thinking of a funny or cheesy promposal can help lighten the mood for something that can be a little scary. Check out Shelby's idea below for inspiration!

"My daughter Shelby Thornton (a high school senior in Texas) asked her boyfriend (a junior) to prom.  I noticed you post pics of cute ideas and thought this might make your list.  Thank you."

- Jessica Thornton (Shelby's mom)

The bouquet of lollipops is so cute. What a great idea - you definitely can't say no to candy! Thanks for sending the pictures in, Jessica and Shelby. We hope your prom was amazing (and didn't "suck")!

Dress?...Check! Shoes?...Check! Jewelry?...Check! Hmm...what's left?

A clutch! It's the one thing that will pull your whole look together and of course hold all of your necessities. Since you won't be bringing a regular sized purse with you, you can't bring everything you own! It's important to be prepared...but you also don't want to over pack. So, to make it easier for you to decide what to bring and what to leave out, we went through the must-haves for a perfectly packed clutch. Listed below are the necessities - besides "feminine products" - you'll need to bring with you for the biggest night of the year!

Powder Finish

Makeup is part of getting all dolled up. Making it last all night is a task, so make sure you bring some back-up to keep it from running and to retouch your makeup. A loose powder finish is ideal to carry in your clutch. Here's a tip from the pros at Teen Vogue:

"Packing a powder is something I battle with a lot because of all the teeny tiny clutches on the red carpet. But if you tend to be really shiny, you can just take a little bit of loose powder and put it on your powder puff before wrapping it in a tissue. Use that instead of carrying around a big compact!"

Blotting Papers

Another way to keep your face looking fresh is using blotting sheets. They work wonders on shiny and oily skin. Here's another Teen Vogue pro tip that we love:

"Obviously they're great for reducing shine, but you can also use them to blot your lips. And if your eyelids tend to get a little oily, you can use them there too, so your eye makeup doesn't start creasing."

You can find the ones shown above at your local Sephora store!

Lipstick or Lip Gloss

You're going to be eating, drinking, and talking all night...so you may find that your lip color is struggling to last through it all. Add lipstick or lip gloss to your clutch like the one shown above from Mac! If you don't feel like retouching your lips all night, try sticking with a lip stain. It should last all night!

Bring in backup for your Hair

If you have an updo, or even a half-up/half-down look, it's a great idea to bring backup bobby pins. You'll never know how your hair is going to turn out by the end of the night, especially if you're probably going to be busting a move on the dance floor!

Don't Forget Your Camera!

Remember to bring your camera to capture all the moments to look back at the good times! You'll of course want to have memories of how fab you looked!

If you're still looking for that perfect clutch to go with your gown, here's information on the clutches that we used in our Polyvore set above:

1. Helen's Heart Style FP 2919 Black Clutch - Organza bow clutch with rhinestone detail and a kiss lock closure.

2. La Regale 27058 Chain Mail Clutch - Metal mesh clutch from La Regale with an optional strap. The rhinestone closure adds an extra touch of sparkle to this evening bag.

Source: Teen Vogue

Even though Neon has been super popular lately, the color's opposite family member, pastels, have been all the rage, too! If you haven't joined the trend by way of mint green yet, don't worry, there's plenty of other pretty pastel colors you can wear, too!

With how long the bold neon colors have been in style for, the new trend of soft pastels is definitely a refreshing switch. The delicate palette is without a doubt a perfect way to usher Spring in, and will have you thinking of delicious cotton candy and summer fun that's soon to come! So, we especially love the color to wear at Prom - rather than having all eyes on your brightly colored dress, keep all eyes on you with a more feminine, subtle look. Below are some of our favorite dresses to wear candy-colored pastel hues for prom.

Sherri Hill style style 3875 is all about pastel! This stunning chiffon high low dress with beautiful jeweled detail and strapless sweetheart bust comes in five soft colors that are all so perfect for Spring: peach, aqua, green, pink, and yellow. Continue reading →