Prom dresses are not as simple and easy to choose as they were four years ago. Coming from someone whose last prom was in 2019, I can tell you first hand that there are way more options, and they're much higher quality.
So how do you choose one? We get a lot of people who come into Amari who struggle to choose a dress. Whether they’re picking between two, or trying to narrow down the options from the beginning, the struggle is real. So in this post, I’m going to help you decide whether the popular stretch-jersey material is right for you.
What the Heck is Stretch-Jersey?
Originally, stretch-jersey was a soft, stretchy fabric made of wool. Today, it’s usually composed of cotton, cotton blends, and/or synthetic fibers. It’s still a knit fabric, but what’s really important to know is that it’s still soft, stretchy, and uber-comfortable. It’s reminiscent of bathing suit fabric, except thicker and better quality.
It’s also increasingly popular. Amari Prom sells stretch-jersey dresses in countless styles from several of our brands. And they give off all sorts of vibes, so no matter what you’re going for, there is a stretch-jersey dress that works for you. There’s quite a variety:
- Old Hollywood glam dresses with tight bodices and massive trains
- Dresses with head to toe beading
- And the ever-popular silhouette with a lace-up back and leg slit
So How Do I Know If It’s Right For Me?
With the variety of stretch-jersey dresses, there are plenty of options to choose from. La Femme is the brand that has the most stretch-jersey at Amari. But that being said, we also have stretch-jersey options from Faviana, Clarisse, Ellie Wilde, and Jessica Angel. It's so popular, that every brand here has at least one stretch-jersey style.
Stretch-jersey is ideal for the people who are looking for comfort as well as something elegant, classy, and that molds well to the body. Though typically tight-fitting, it allows for full range of movement for eating and dancing as well as looking good in photos.
Stretch-Jersey At Amari Prom
La Femme Stretch Jersey
La Femme 27501 is perhaps Amari Prom’s bestselling stretch jersey prom dress. It comes in lots of colors and flatters every body type. It features a tucked v-neckline, open clip-back, ruching in the waist area, and an a-line skirt.
La Femme 31123 is made with the same front as La Femme 27501, but the dress has a few noticeable differences. This dress has a slightly longer train, head to toe beading, and unlike 27501, also features a leg slit. 27501 has understated elegance to it, while 31123 is the more dressed up version.
La Femme 31221 is the same dress as La Femme 31123, with a couple noticeable differences: a drapey cowl neckline and a lace-up back as opposed to a clip-back.
La Femme Cut-Out Stretch Jersey
While La Femme is the reigning champion of anything stretch-jersey, they also do cutouts exceptionally well. 31567 and 29619 are just two examples of La Femme stretch jersey dresses with cut-outs, but there are more in-store!
La Femme 31567 is a lace-up back dress with a leg slit. The cut-out appears in the front of the bodice, kept together with lacing that resembles a corset-top.
La Femme 29619 is another lace-up back, a-line style prom dress. It comes with a v-neckline and a cut-out in the bodice right at the waistline. The neckline and cut-out combination resemble a bow, making this dress an adorable find, especially in the bubblegum pink.
La Femme Glitter Top Stretch Jersey
La Femme 31606, 31600, and 31571 are all variations of the same dress. They each feature a stretch-jersey skirt, lace-up back, side cut-outs, and glittery silver bodices. 31600 and 31571 also feature a leg slit.
31606 features a v-neckline with a criss-cross bodice that resembles an x, with two side cut-outs. 31600 is a one-shoulder style with one side cut-out and a very open back. 31571 has a draping cowl neck with two side cut-outs.
Clarisse Stretch Jersey
Clarisse 810440 is the epitome of class and elegance: v-neckline, lace-up back, leg slit, and sweeping train. It’s also adorned with tasteful beading from head to toe.
Clarisse 810542 comes in three fresh and light colors: mint, lilac, and peach. It’s a strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline that also features a leg slit and beautiful train. While it may not be the typical lace-up back, it does tie up into a bow, resulting in an open back.
Clarisse 810180 is the blueprint for jersey prom dresses. It features a lace-up back, double shoulder straps, a leg slit, and impressive train. It also comes with a scoop neckline that flatters every body type.
Faviana Stretch Jersey
Faviana has an incredible variety of prom dress styles, ranging from satin a-line gowns to embroidered lace appliques. But that variety doesn’t stop when it comes to their stretch-jersey styles. Most of the new styles come with beading, but Amari also has styles with lace bodices, one-shoulder straps, and mesh cut-outs.
Faviana Beaded Stretch Jersey with a Leg Slit
Faviana S10804, S10802, and S10806 are all variations of the same dress. They each feature head to toe beading, a leg slit, and a lace-up back. They also feature an a-line skirt and belt-like bodice to cinch in the waist. The only differences between the three are the beading pattern and the neckline. Faviana S10804 has a v-neckline with v-shaped beading on the bodice, S10802 has a rounded v-neckline with diagonal beading, and S10806 has a straight neckline with vertical beading.
Faviana Beaded Stretch Jersey without a Leg Slit
S10800 is a dress with a sweetheart neckline, a corset top, and zip-up back. It's one of our only styles with adjustable straps, making it easy to tailor. It also features beading from head to toe in a descending pattern.
S10830 includes a sweetheart neckline, lace-up back, and zig-zag beading on the bodice and skirt. Its pictures simply don’t do it justice.
S10506 comes with a straight neckline, lace-up back, and beading from head to toe in a descending pattern.
Faviana One-Shoulder Beaded Stretch Jersey Dresses
Faviana S10805 features a leg slit, head to toe beading in a diagonal pattern, a zip-up back, and a thick, one-shoulder strap. The bodice is structured with a belt-like bodice to cinch your waist.
Faviana S10632 is another beaded one-shoulder prom dress. It has beading in a descending pattern, a leg slit, and a zip-up back. The strap, while thick in the front, thins out in the back and transforms into an intricate, strappy back.
Faviana Stretch Jersey with a Lace Top
S10639 was one of our best-sellers last season, and it’s back for prom 2023! It has a plain stretch-jersey skirt and a lace top. It also features a v-neckline, thick straps, and a clip-back resulting in an open back.
Faviana Stretch Jersey with Mesh Detailing
S10500 was another best-seller last year, but now comes in new colors! It’s also one of my personal favorite dresses in the whole store. It has beautiful beading from head to toe in a descending pattern, thick straps, and a clip-back. One of its main features is the mesh detailing that makes for two side cut-outs as well as the entire back of the bodice.
Ellie Wilde Stretch Jersey
Ellie Wilde designs are nothing if not show-stopping. She takes familliar designs and silhouettes and transforms them into something new. And her stretch-jersey designs did not disappoint.
Ellie Wilde Beaded Stretch-Jersey
EW34002 is one of the most beautiful versions of the typical stretch-jersey mermaid silhouette on the prom market. It features a daring open back, incredible mermaid train, v-neckline, vertical beading from head to toe, and mesh side cut-outs on the back and hips.
EW34003 is a similar version, with the difference of an a-line skirt as opposed to the mermaid skirt. It also features slight lace-up components, but is still a fairly open back. Similarly to EW34002 it has a v-neckline and back and hip mesh cut-outs.
Ellie Wilde Mermaid Stretch-Jersey
EW122001 is a stretch-jersey mermaid dress with double straps, a strappy criss-cross back, and a v-neckline. It also features all-over beading in a descending pattern.
EW122041 is a stretch-jersey mermaid dress with a plain stretch-jersey skirt and lace and mesh bodice. The boning in the bodice closely resembles a corset-top and also includes a clip-back.
Ellie Wilde A-Line Stretch-Jersey
Another notable style is EW120015. It has a v-neckline, strappy back, and descending beading, as well as a leg slit. What makes this dress so special is that we don’t normally see stretch-jersey prom dresses with an a-line skirt. But Ellie Wilde has proven that stretch-jersey can be used anywhere.
Final Notes
We have taken it upon ourselves to stock up on stretch-jersey for prom this season. We know that while comfort and beauty don’t normally go hand-in-hand, stretch-jersey prom dresses make that combination possible.
There are many brands that sell incredible stretch-jersey dresses. And many more examples than the ones I have listed here are available at Amari Prom. For example, you can read my post about the Jessica Angel brand, a stretch-jersey-only line. But the best way to see if stretch-jersey is for you is to come in and try it on!
You can schedule an appointment here. Any member of our staff would be glad to help you decide if stretch-jersey is right for you, and if so, which specific dress is calling your name.
Written by Marisa Fertitta