We are getting into formal season and as a girl, I have yet to master "the art of formal." I put way to much effort into a night that involves drinking at a local venue. But as a girl, I love an excuse to get dressed up, so an obscene amount of time is spent trying to look perfect. These are the many things I waste my time worrying about.

The dress.

This formal I looked at about 500 dresses. I wish I was over-exaggerating, I'm not. Heres the thing, I have this idea on color, design, length, accessories, and shoes to match, so I know what I'm looking for. I just can't find the dress my brain has invented. And then I find it, its magical, and I am so excited. BUT GUESS WHAT? Not my size. K. Fine. Keep looking. So then I find another dress, close to what I am envisioning, but not quite there. It will work though, so I go with it. Oh, not my size either. This happens about 10 more times before I quit and go with a semi-decent dress. So the dress I feel "meh" about comes in the mail and in my mind I look like this:

The date.

This can make or break a formal. Some people start stressing the minute they hear that formal is downtown on October 15. If you're lugging along dead weight of a date, then you're not going to enjoy yourself. If he's a complainer or can't hang, then you spend more time worrying about him than having fun. Bad date=bad formal. Plain and simple. You're also responsible for everything he chooses to do while at your formal, choose wisely ladies. Otherwise you'll get a boy who looks like this on the dance floor:

The hair.

It takes days for a girl to do her hair. It is an art that is hard to be mastered. There is always a spot that is sticking up or I missed a piece while I was straightening. And even when its done, it is never what I had envisioned it to be. So then I'm hunting for someone to fix it or it goes half-up and we call it a day. Then, when my hair is done to the best of my ability, guess what starts? It rains. And not like a light mist that I could maybe manage, like a downpour that turns my curly, frizzy hair into something that resembles a poodle. It ends up in a ponytail by the end of the night anyways.

The look.

Everyone wants bronze skin and perfect makeup, because you're trying to look your best. I personally didn't even know what an eyelid brush was until last year (still...what?). So the makeup thing is officially out the window. I recruit someone to do my make up the day of because their mom taught them how to use foundation and a blending egg-thing. Like I said, this step is minimal for me. I do attempt for bronze skin. Hopefully your formal is just after spring break, but in case it isn't, artificial tanning. I tend to be a tanning bed human (twice a year, I swear), but there are also spray tan people. I personally look orange, but do what makes ya feel good. Half-way through the night I look around and see smeared makeup and a spray tan has been transferred to their dress. Therefore, I'm going pasty the next go around.

The Pre-Game

There is figuring out who is going where and deciding who to hang out with. My boyfriend works full time, so that then entails me being ready to go at 5:00, flying solo at the pregame, and then one of us being wayyy ahead of the other by the time we leave for the venue (hint: me). Then you're trying to balance not getting kicked out of formal and not spending an obscene amount of money at the cash bar at the formal location. If anyone has figured this out, please let me know.