Perfect dress, perfect prom

If you don't at first succeed, try, try again.

That's the philosophy that girls employ in searching for the perfect prom dress.

"They don't know until they try it on," said Tom Buchanan at Bella Boutique in Knoxville, Tenn., which specializes in special-occasion dresses.

"On average, the girls try on more than 10 dresses. When they find the right one you can see it in their faces."

Right now, nationwide, girls are piling into dressing rooms, slipping in and out of the latest evening gowns. Some have been doing this since the beginning of the year.

One style that has girls excited and shopping is the short dress.

"From now and for the next couple of years, it's going to get stronger and stronger," said Melanie Bilbrey of Classy Lady in West Knoxville, which has an annex dedicated to formalwear. "I think it appeals to the older girl who has done the pouffy, who has done the slinky dress. They want to do something a little different. They're really cute, but they can be sophisticated, so they can wear them later at a sorority."

"Almost every manufacturer has a short dress in its line," he said. "This dress is about fun and flash. It's flirty. It's trendy." Bella Boutique recently added shorter dresses by Nicole Miller and BCBG to its inventory.

The dresses run the gamut. They can be strapless with bubble hemline, a halter style with a full skirt, a sassy mini.

Although popular, the short dress still cannot hold a candle to the classic long frock. There will always be a customer for this look.

"When it comes down to it, she wants to look like a princess," Buchanan said. "A long dress does that for her."

Many customers want the sleek look of a Hollywood star on the red carpet and go with sleek, straight-cut gowns. They tend to get their inspiration from the high-fashion couture gowns seen on Oscar night.

A silhouette that seems to be experiencing a bit of a resurgence is the ball gown with its dramatic full skirt.

"Pouffies have been magnificent," Buchanan said. "It's the Cinderella dress."

Bilbrey added, "I've been really surprised by how many girls are wanting the ball gown."

They are done mostly in the traditional tulle and some taffeta. The gathered pickup skirts of last year are not as much in demand.

Whether a ball gown or a sleek number, color is key. This season the palette boasts must-have brights, such as lemon yellow, lime green, juicy orange and sky blue. Also important are the jewel tones: red, royal blue, purple and emerald green.

Sequins, beads and paillettes make the gowns sparkle. Fully sequined gowns are back; however, many designers have chosen to accent a fitted bodice or the lowest point of a plunging back with some shine.

Other details include ribbons at an empire waist, rosettes, bows and ruffles.