Created: 4/8/2008 6:53:15 AM 
By Julia Crowley First Coast News
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Tuxes, glammed up dresses, corsages, limos, and rooms transformed into fantasy lands. It is prom season the First Coast.
Juniors Kara Kozloski and Devon Goodroe are about to attend their first prom at Paxon School for Advanced Studies. They are certainly excited. They also have ideas about their dream prom dresses. "Long, elegant and gorgeous," says Goodroe.
This year dresses in new colors and bold patterns will be swaying across the dance floor. At French Novelty on Blanding Boulevard, store manager Mary Lou Vredenburg helps outfit hundreds of girls each year for the big night.
"If it doesn't have enough sparkles on it then it better have some cutouts or something else," says Vredenburg. "Because if not then they probably aren't going to go for it."
She says when it comes to the traditional ballroom gowns, this year's twist is a gathered style, much like is popular in wedding gowns right now.
Vredenburg says the other big style is "red carpet gowns". This year the sleek dresses are popular in prints. Those include animal prints like zebra or pok-a-dots. "These prints are for the girl that wants to be different," says Vredenburg.
There will also be some girls in short dresses. Vredenburg says about 70 or 80% percent of those shorter dresses will have a "bubble" bottom.
But the big trend this year is bold and bright colors.
"Royal blue is really popular this year," says Kozloski. But Vredenburg adds that fuschia, yellow and even neon colors are also popular.
Plus you'll see several shades of brown. "They are what I call the cinnamon spice colors," says Vredenburg. "Your nutmeg, cinnamon, bronze and copper." Even bold combinations like copper and teal.
As for the boys, there will be the traditional tuxes with a few twists. Some guys are ditching the bow tie and opting for a regular necktie or a skinny tie.
Others are taking a note from hollywood and going monochromatic (all one color). While some guys will go bold and add a splash of unexpected color.
Devon Goodroe found her perfect dress. It's a a gathered ball gown in the new "nutmeg" color with some added embellishments.
"I definitely like the color, I think it looks good on my skin tone," says Goodroe. "I like the sparkles and I feel pretty in it." Which is what really matters.
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