It’s a race against time for the owners of a Wyandotte bridal store — after some wedding gowns were damaged from a nearby fire. WWJ’s Mike Campbell reports that they’re trying to get several dresses cleaned before weekend weddings. “Fortunately, the worst one went out this morning to have it cleaned,” said Leslie Rogers of Bella Donna’s Bridal shop. Rogers says that customers and brides-to-be will know soon if restoration and cleaning efforts got the smoke and water damage out of the dresses they ordered has been effective. As one dad said to Rogers, he doesn’t want his daughter to smell like a smoked salmon on her wedding day, and Rogers says she doesn’t blame the dad, she wouldn’t want that either. “Everybody has been really wonderful and we can’t say enough to our customers … how sorry we are that this happened. And we are doing everything we can to take care of them,” said Rogers. Rogers says Bella Donna’s is calling every bride starting with the 11 that have weddings this coming weekend. green bridesmaid dresses | red bridesmaid dresses

An array of flickering candles greeted guests as they entered the Kokomo Country Club to celebrate the 75th Annual Hospital Cheer Guild Ball. This diamond anniversary of the annual gala captured this theme perfectly throughout the entire building. Everywhere it was white, sparkling and mellow with sophistication. Huge containers overflowing with white fragrant petunias rested at the base and head of the staircase leading in. White netting twisted its way through the spokes of the bannister. More candles lighted your way up the stairs. Framed by plush netting swags, the doorway to the library also featured ropes of large diamonds. On each side of the doorway tall circular metal candelabras held a myriad of votive candles. The number “75” was standing on a base that touted “Celebrating Hospital Cheer Guild.” Past presidents of Hospital Cheer Guild were honored with a reception at 5:30 p.m. Waitresses passed among white covered tall bistro tables, offering champagne and crab meat or asparagus hors d’oeuvre in the library area. Candles gathered in many areas, lighting up the tables, mantle and auction items. In several locations around the room, large photos of people attending the past balls were on display. A large photo taken from the balcony of the Kokomo Armory in the early 50s looked down on couples dancing in business suits and knee-length dresses with full skirts. This really looked familiar because the first Ball we attended was held at the Armory. A short time later the ball became a dinner then dancing affair held at the Country Club. 14 past presidents attended the reception in their honor. Marty Butler was there with husband Jerry and was the gracious lady who delivered the dinner invocation. Other past presidents in attendance included Diana Brockmann and husband Bob, Sharon Bassett and husband Bill, Ann Button and husband Don, Ginnie Severns and husband E.P., and Shelly Wyman and husband Paul were also spotted among the 230 guests at this event. Other past presidents there were Lynn Young, Lisa Tuchscherer, Julie Epp, Kara Gingerich, Linda Dechert, Kate Humphrey, Emily Watson and Nancy McGarvey. For the first time that I can remember the shades at the ballroom windows were totally raised, allowing the afternoon light to brighten the entire white room. Round tables were covered with clothes. White, soft fabric covered all four sides of the chairs to the floor. The back of the chair cover was slightly pleated, held by a large diamond clip. Gorgeous. Actually, I can’t think of a Cheer Guild Ball that had more elegance and quiet sophistication in decorations. Table centerpieces were outrageously beautiful. Placed on runners of rhinestone mesh, alternate tables held two distinct types of vases. One was a low bowl holding white c o c k feathers in a pom-pom arrangement. A two-foot high crystal slender vase featured an explosion of white plumes gracefully in clear glass holders. “Diamonds” were sprinkled around the base of each vase. Sheer elegance. Plaudits go to decorations co-chairs Julie Epp and Kara Gingerich and their creative committee members. Somehow, they managed to swag the ceilings with flounces of white fabric and dress can lights with stranded diamond chandeliers. Pristine. Stunning in a black sheath gown with white bodice accent detail, president of Cheer Guild Sara Sullivan saw that the evening schedule was kept right to plan. She welcomed guests and spoke of her appreciation for the assistance received from all the guild members and their husbands “who would be opening their wallets” for the auction a bit later. Sullivan recognized her board members and presented them with flowers. Recognizing the general co-chairs of the 75th Cheer Guild Ball, Sara presented diamond pictures framed to Lisa Tuchscherer and Maura Williamson. I enjoyed being seated with publicity chair Patty Thatcher. Joining her also was Elaine and Ernie Caldemone and Kim and Blake Montgomery. Dr. Lance and Lisa Washington stopped by our table to chat. Programs and menu cards were at our table settings, and the superb meal was prepared by the house chef and his staff. Following a mixed green salad with dried cranberries, can dried pecans, Gorgonzola cheese crumbles, medallions of beef tenderloin, chicken picotta with lemon caper sauce and asparagus spears were served. J. Edwards supplied the dessert buffet in the library. Host Paul Wyman was assisted for the live auction portion of the evening by Jeff Stout. Everything from dinners in members’ homes to diamond jewelry to a Peyton Manning autographed jersey were offered for bid. Silent auction items were variable and plentiful. All proceeds from the 75th Annual Cheer Guild Ball are used for medical needs at both Howard Regional Health Systems and St. Joseph Hospital. Brass works kept us entertained during dinner, playing recognizable old favorites. Loose Change kept the dancing going for the rest of the evening. To say the least, it was a gem of an evening.

It's prom season, and that means it's time for teens to make memories, and for parents to send a memorable message to their children -- please play it safe.

Fortunately, there are new tools in place this year to reinforce the message to young people about the importance of driving safely to and from the prom and other end-of-school festivities. Those tools are Pennsylvania's ban on texting while driving and "Lacey's Law," which limits the number of passengers in a car with a junior driver.

Pennsylvania's texting ban, which went into effect on March 11, requires drivers of all ages to stop their vehicles before composing, sending or receiving text messages. Violating the law is a primary offense, meaning that you can be cited for texting and driving even if you don't break another law. The $50 fine has been criticized as too lenient, but we remain hopeful that publicity and education about the law will persuade drivers to stop this dangerous practice.

Unfortunately, it may take time for the texting ban to be obeyed. Despite repeated warnings that texting while driving is dangerous, many teens continue to do so. According to a survey conducted by State Farm Insurance in February and released in April, 59 percent of teen drivers admit that they text while they drive. That number is unchanged from a 2010 State Farm survey.

"Despite academic research indicating the consequences of texting while driving can be as severe as drunken driving, some teens still don't see it that way," State Farm said in a news release.

State Farm said that the best way to keep teen drivers safe is for parents to talk to them about their driving. After teens get their licenses, such conversations are less likely to take place, the survey reported.

"That conversation should not end when teens get their license," says Chris Mullen, State Farm's director of technology research. There are many opportunities for parents and teens to talk about prom before the big night. What's the theme? What's fashionable? Who's providing the music? What's your budget? Surely there's room for a reminder not to text and drive, and not to drink and drive, either.

Parents should also be aware that "Lacey's Law" went into effect on Dec. 26. Drivers younger than 18 can't transport more than one nonfamily member under 18, unless there's a parent or legal guardian in the car, for the first six months that the driver is licensed. In addition, the law requires all junior drivers and passengers under 18 to wear seat belts. Police can pull over a young driver if the driver or the passengers aren't buckled up.

Sean Baer, the junior class adviser at Mercyhurst Preparatory School, talked about the drama and thrills associated with prom in a story on Monday. "It's like the capstone of their social life in high school," Baer told reporter Lindsey Poisson.

Don't damage the capstone. Drive safely.

prom dresses 2012 | cocktail dresses 2012 | white prom dresses

CATHY BEGIEN estimates she has purchased 50 shirts from Steven Alan, the house brand of the independent-design hub based in downtown Manhattan. “I loved their washed-out, wrinkly, comfy preppiness,” said Ms. Begien, 36, a brand manager for a designer, who lives in the West Village. “I loved having a brand-new one because it smelled a certain way.” But at a certain point, she began to feel as if she and the line no longer quite matched up. “The personality was a little off,” she said. “It felt contrived.” So, Ms. Begien “broke up” with Steven Alan. She gave away some shirts, sold others and stopped walking by the store. And she started buying other brands, like Opening Ceremony and Freemans Sporting Club. In a retail climate overrun by new labels, with design teams frequently changing direction to remain competitive, the days when a customer would stick to, say, Brooks Brothers or Talbots for life might be over. And severing ties with a brand, for whatever reason, can come at an emotional cost. Ms. Begien’s breakup was relatively easy, she said, but Audrey Brashich’s with J. Crew not so much. Ms. Brashich’s high school job was at the company’s first store, at the South Street Seaport. “I was in love with the sequin prom dresses and became a devotee,” said Ms. Brashich, 41, a writer who now lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. “I considered myself a J. Crew person.” But over the years, she said, she found the clothes became “too refined” for her lifestyle. It was as devastating as a romantic breakup, she said, only half in jest. First, she felt anger. “I would go into the stores and tell the manager, ‘I’m your target customer; you’re losing me.’ ” Then she felt depressed. “I don’t have my brand anymore,” she said. “I don’t know where to shop. If I need new, hip khakis, I don’t know where to go.” Penny Lovell, a stylist for Rose Byrne and Ginnifer Goodwin, was not surprised at the intensity of such reactions. “Clothes are so psychological, they’re like a second skin,” Ms. Lovell said. But “some seasons just don’t work, they’ll be too avant-garde or just not your personal style, and you’ll want to go explore something different.” Not without occasionally clinging to the old, though. Meredith Baughman, 18, a student at Barnard who lives on the Upper West Side, can’t bring herself to get rid of Juicy Couture sweatsuits in five colors. “They are something I wore for a long time,” she said. “It’s kind of like hanging on to photos or mementos of an old relationship.” True, some designer breakups end with nothing but a sense of relief. Sabrina Soto, 36, an HGTV host who lives on the Upper West Side, recently ended a long affair with lines like Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch. “It was all this stuff I should not have been wearing in the first place,” Ms. Soto said. “Low-rise jeans? They’re not meant for my body. My 16-year-old niece took it all, and I was so glad. It was like a mini-intervention for me.” Indeed, aging out of a brand is common. Elisabeth Donnelly started shopping at Anthropologie in high school, and her habit of “dressing Zooey Deschanel-ish,” she said, reached its peak when she worked a few blocks from the SoHo location. When Ms. Donnelly, a 30-year-old development assistant, moved to Albany, she had a realization. “These are art-teacher prom dresses under 100 ,” Ms. Donnelly said. “Who is this version of me, the slightly awkward ingénue trying really hard to be cool? That’s when I started figuring out how to dress like a woman and not a girl.” Thanks to a new baby, Anne Slowey, fashion news director at Elle Magazine, has gone through a few recent designer breakups herself, with both the towering stiletto-based silhouette she formerly favored from Balenciaga or Yves Saint Laurent and fashion-forward Japanese designers like Junya Watanabe and Comme des Gar?ons. “Now I barely have time to take showers, let alone figure out how to wear a third sleeve,” Ms. Slowey said. Meanwhile, Kimberly Clark Ratto, 34, a former product developer in the fashion industry, has started to sour on a former love, Marc Jacobs, whose clothes she discovered right around the time she was graduating from college and ready to “look like an adult.” “He was of the moment, yet youthful and sophisticated,” said Ms. Clark Ratto, of Pacific Grove, Calif. “Now it’s too young,” she said, also citing the line’s “excessive branding.” Breaking up with Marc Jacobs was “a metaphoric putting my foot down and creation of boundaries,” she said. “I’ve felt for a long time that fashion often is the only place in a woman’s life that she doesn’t have to compromise or where her voice is most heard.” Yet men, too, sometimes put their foot down where fashion is concerned. Zach Baron, 29, who writes about culture and lives in Park Slope, began buying the French line A.P.C. after college. “If you’re a guy, and especially if you care about cheap yellow prom dresses but not in a ‘I work in the fashion department of GQ’ way, there are not a ton of people who service that on a regular basis,” he said. With A.P.C., something clicked. “I get it, this is the jean I’m supposed to have, and they had smart-collared shirts and winter jackets,” said Mr. Baron, who has 12 “active” pairs of A.P.C. jeans. “My level of trust was high.” But a few years ago, he began to become bored. “When you identify as something and it changes, you’re legitimately adrift,” Mr. Baron said. But “in that sense A.P.C. did me a favor, they drove me to be more adventurous.” He has been shopping for pieces by Patrik Ervell, Band of Outsiders, a little Acne. As for Ms. Brashich, the J. Crew graduate, she has tried other lines like Lands’ End Canvas and L. L. Bean Signature but is still searching for a replacement. “Nothing has really taken J. Crew’s place when it comes to smart, midpriced classics,” she lamented. Maybe she should just wait it out, suggested Ms. Lovell, the stylist. “I see it as more of a break than a breakup,” she said of disenchantment with a brand. “A designer can be off one season and then come back the next and be great again.”

Promenade period delivers out gowns, dresses and couture that may price lots of cash. The truth that most teenage women attending a promenade have restricted money frequently demands obtaining inventive in securing a promenade robe. You are able to build your personal one-of-a-kind white prom dresses 2012 by beginning having a fundamental style and adorning the gown to fit your personal individual type. Begin in your gown a minimum of a couple of weeks prior to your promenade to permit lots of time for you to make any modifications and tweaks essential to attain the gown of the desires Directions one Buy a white or cream gown that matches. Attempt to locate a gown that does not require alternations. Choose to get a sheath type gown or perhaps a fitted bodice. Select a gown with spaghetti straps or perhaps a sleeveless edition. Make certain the gown does not have any styles, pattern or texture towards the materials which it is a strong colour. two Draw the define from the gown on the bit of white paper. Mark the gown define with coloured pencils to illustrate in which you imagine elaborations around the gown. Begin in the leading from the gown and function your way down. Determine around the secondary colour or colour scheme of the gown. For instance, in the event you favor shades of purple, style your gown with hues of deep purple, lilac, lavender and cornflower blue when choosing the additional touches you'll include towards the gown. three Include rhinestone trim that lines the straps from the gown. Use crystal clear crystals or coloured stones to make a novel appear. Think about alternating crystal colours alongside the sleeves to incorporate pops of colour. Conserve samples of every colour crystal utilized in the event you start to operate out to be able to buy much more to be used somewhere else around the gown. Connect the rhinestones by both scorching gluing the stones straight towards the materials or by gluing the stones to some skinny strip of ribbon after which stitching the rhinestone trimmed ribbon towards the straps. four Beautify the neckline from the gown. Utilize a scorching glue operate to connect exactly the same elaborations as utilized around the straps or sleeves to make a unified appear towards the leading part from the gown. Be sure to use as numerous crystals while you can match to ensure that the gown shimmers within the mild. Flip the gown about and beautify the highest line from the gown also. five Make use of the exact same crystals to dot the bodice from the gown with random bursts of colour. Utilize a scorching glue gun to connect the crystals. Attaching crystals with random bursts of colour will function nicely throughout the promenade once the lights are shining simply because colour will mirror off all locations from the gown. Think about including a satin sash towards the gown or perhaps a easy bow towards the back again to provide the short red prom dresses a fitted look. For your purple concept thought, utilize a sash or bow inside a colour that matches among the crystals or jewels utilized around the gown so far. six Trim the whole bottom hem from the gown within the exact same way while you did the highest from the gown by gluing around the stones with both a scorching glue gun or by gluing the stones to some strip of materials after which stitching that strip alongside the hem. Use as numerous products while you have and ensure every thing is secured tightly towards the gown prior to attempting on. Attempt around the gown and look at the entrance and back again inside a complete size mirror to ensure the gown turned out as anticipated. Have an additional individual appear the gown more than also to ensure it's been embellished completely. seven Think about creating your personal equipment to match the gown. Utilize a scorching glue gun to connect crystal or beads to strong white heels to get a matching pair of footwear. Beautify a basic white or black purse with comparable products and make use of the exact same style thought to make a headband or barrette to carry your hair in position. Suggestions & Warnings Never scorching glue products towards the short white prom dresses while you are wearing it.

When you are a parent, the words "teen pregnancy" paired together is worse than "bed bugs." Of course you don't want bed bugs, but at least you can just burn the bed and never return to the house again to avoid them. Teen pregnancy is a lot more complicated than that. The United Way in Wisconsin has seen a decrease in teen pregnancies since they've employed some unconventional tactics, and their latest stunt involves the shops where teens buy their prom dresses 2012 . They're dressing up pregnant mannequins along with the tag, "A prom date is better without a due date." Is it just me or does this mannequin look awesome? Can we agree that most mannequins are thinner than most Americans? And so what that this mannequin has a little fake baby bump, the dress still looks fantastic. If anything, it sort of glamorizes pregnancy. Maybe that's just what I see? I'm all for some scare tactics to get teens to rethink unsafe sex but maybe they should try something a little more realistic like an ill fitting gown that doesn't look flattering next to another mannequin in tattered red prom dresses covered in spit-up and holding a baby doll that screams? Don't read that wrong -- pregnancy is beautiful. Babies aren't terrible. I truly never felt more beautiful than when I was pregnant and I love babies! We glow and we're gorgeous -- and we all know moms aren't all a tattered mess (all the time). But we have to send a message to our kids so they aren't getting pregnant before they are ready. So whatever it takes, right? Still I don't think banning sexy white prom dresses will stop kids from having sex either. Nicole Angresano of the United Way told Fox 11 Good Day Wisconsin about her campaign: We have to be aggressive in our approach. We have to give it to them straight. We have to be hard-hitting. We can’t put soft pieces out there. We can’t be touchy feely about this. It seems to be working so far -- there are more than 30 percent fewer teen pregnancies in Wisconsin since they began in 2006. I want it to work -- I just think the campaign should go a little further. But if it makes just one teen think twice, then it's still a success.