RETAIL ROUNDUP:Prom trends: short, fun

Ah, the prom — a night of limos, fancy dresses, tuxedos, food, twirling and dipping.

Formal dances come at a time in a girl’s life when playing dress-up with friends at home isn’t an option, and wedding plans are too far off.

Of course, hair, makeup, dinner and transportation help make the evening special, but for girls, it’s about the dress.

At the Jessica McClintock store in the Crate & Barrel Wing of South Coast Plaza, girls are looking for dresses with low-cut backs.

The dresses at the store range from about $100 to $300.

Like everyday fashion, girls are looking for colorful dresses in bright solids and prints.

“It’s light pinks. It’s teal. It’s the fuchsias. It’s red, black and royal blue,” Jessica McClintock manager Zoila Cornelius said.

At Cache, girls are opting for shorter dresses. Dresses at the store cost about the same as at Jessica McClintock.

Those prices are about the average these days, but if you don’t have that much in your budget, then check out Forever 21 at Fashion Island, where dresses don’t cost more than about $30.

The quality may not be up to snuff with some of the more expensive options, but come on, you don’t wear your prom dress more than once.

When I went to my prom, I opted to put colored ribbon in my Jack Purcell sneakers, but some girls wouldn’t think of wearing any shoe to a prom that needs lacing.

For shoes to go with the bright, short, fun, girlie dresses that high schoolers are buying, Bloomingdale’s spokeswoman Erin Bianchi said, “Sticking with metallics or anything with shine will look best — gold, silver or patent, and lucite heels.”

It’s out of my area of expertise, but we can’t forget the boys — or else who knows what they’d wear?

“Bow ties are definitely out right now…. They’re doing the neck tie instead,” Friar Tux manager Jason Marez said.

At the Costa Mesa store on South Bristol Street near Campus Drive, boys are going for a more casual look, with bright-colored shirts, pinstriped jackets and tight pants, Marez said.

“The traditional James Bond look is done,” Marez said.

Tux rentals run about $50 to $140, depending on the designer and the style.