Colette’s Philosophy
Lots of brands blew up the prom dress scene for the 2023 prom season, but none did it quite like Colette for Amari. Contrary to the dainty and feminine air of the Colette website, the designer, Daphne (or Daf) holds a commitment to keeping things spunky.
Her designs may be innovative and peak prom style, but her prom night philosophy is anything but: “burn a few bridges. Quit something without regret. Make a boy cry. Find love, lose love. Now go find a dress that shows everyone that you are as badass as you know you know you are.”
We like Daphne’s philosophy. So out of Daphne’s favorite dresses, we bought eight of them. And out of the entire repertoire, we bought many more than eight. There’s quite the variety of silhouettes, from mermaids to ballgowns, and every design you can think of, from glitter to lace.
Amari’s Current Colette Best-Sellers
The #1 Colette best-seller at Amari Prom is easily CL2007, in any of the three colors. It’s sold at least once to almost every school we sell to, and is a staple piece in almost every dressing room. I’ve raved about this beautiful dress before, but its sales have not slowed. To reiterate, it features a delicate corset top with fairytale-like lace-up back. It’s built with a mermaid skirt, and finishes off with lace embroidery all over.
Best-seller #2 is CL2019. CL2019 is a mermaid prom dress with a stunning open back and sparkly glitter pattern. It also features a rounded v-neckline and mesh panels on the sides of the bodice to reduce scratching on the arms.
If you’re looking for a dress with some corset detailing but CL2007 didn’t do it for you, perhaps CL2037 is a better option. Due to this dress’s light beading, beaded belt, and overall shape with its leg slit, it makes for a classier and more mature look. The open and lace-up back allows for a proper fit and elegant vibe.
Amari’s Favorite Colette Mermaid Dresses with Slits
CL2027 has a gorgeous mermaid shape but with updated pieces. For one thing, it’s one of the only halter-top necklines that we sell at Amari. For another, it has a stunning open back. But the real draw of this dress lies in the leg slit. The allover lace makeup of the dress makes for a feminine scalloped leg slit.
CL2024 has a similar lace pattern and overall shape but with slightly different elements. Though it’s also a mermaid shape with a v-neckline and leg slit, its skirt also includes princess seams made of netting that provides the skirt a more glamorous shape. This dress, unlike CL2027 has spaghetti straps with a keyhole back.
CL2060 is head to toe sequins and comes in a variety of bright colors, so if you’re looking for a bright spring look, this dress is for you. Also featuring a mermaid shape and leg slit, the variety of this dress comes from its straight across neckline. It also features a lace-up back for proper fitting.
Amari’s Favorite Colette Mermaid Dresses without Slits
There’s really only one word to describe CL2021: magnificent. It features an open back, v-neckline, and incredible glitter floral pattern. To provide structure, it also features a beaded belt. But let’s address the elephant in the room: the magnificent train. The pictures don’t even do it justice; but it really is as long as it looks.
CL2080 has a delicate v-neckline with thin straps and open back, making for a sultry look when combined with the stretchy jersey material, floral appliques, and deep teal color. The appliques around the knees redefine the mermaid shape.
Going in a different direction, CL2002 has a mermaid shape with a deep v-neckline, open back, and thick straps. A wispy tulle layer provides a full mermaid skirt and lace detailing.
Amari’s Favorite Colette A-Line Gowns
This dress look familiar? That’s because CL2022 is the a-line version of CL2021. It features the same glittery floral pattern and beaded belt, but comes with a lace-up back and looser skirt. The bodice also has a wrap-around detail that sucks the waist in and creates a very flattering look.
CL12207 is another stunning a-line dress with a v-neckline and leg slit. But in contrast to the previous dress, this one has a tulle skirt and 3D floral embroidery throughout. It also has a clip-back as opposed to a lace-up back, which creates a delicate and whimsical look due to the floral embroidery that made its way to the back of the dress. The bodice is reminiscent of a corset-top but has no visual boning.
CL2074 looks similar to CL2207 in the green, but they’re not quite the same. They both give off a fairytale look with their floral embroidery and tulle skirt, but this dress has more mesh paneling on the bodice and has a very open, lace-up back. Take our advice and make sure to size down when ordering this dress, maybe even by more than one size. Schedule an appointment with us and we can help you decide which size is best.
Honorable Mentions
CL2087 is a new arrival to Amari, and it’s absolutely stunning. It has a flattering v-neckline with an open back and thin straps. There is sequin beading throughout, following the neckline and cascading down the rest of the dress. The tulle layer on the skirt with the monochrome black design makes for a sultry look.
CL2010 is another great seller at Amari Prom. It has the familiar mermaid shape, v-neckline, and lace-up back that is signature to Colette, but what makes this dress special is the details. It’s ever so slightly two-toned and reminiscent of a paisley print, except much more mature than your average Vera Bradley.
Final Words
We went over lots of different dresses in this post, but if you’re on the hunt for a Colette ball gown, take a look at our Ballgown Comeback post, and you’ll find everything you need. Whether it’s prom night, or any other night, I think we should all take Daphne’s advice and be our true, authentic, badass selves. Make an appointment with us and we’ll help you find a dress that brings out the incredible person you’re becoming.
Written by Marisa Fertitta