Black: Black Prom dresses always look classic and sophisticated plus black slims any figure. Most complexions look good in black. Keep in mind a black prom dress can wash you out if you have a pale complexion. Same can be true for redheads, blondes and strawberry brunettes.  Not all black Prom dresses look the same color. Just consider these shades of black: blackberry, licorice, ebony, midnight black and charcoal.

Blue: A blue Prom dress makes a fashion statement and blue flatters every complexion. Darker blues offer great alternatives to black for a slimming color. Lighter shades of blue create a fun mood. Blue Prom dresses come in more than a dozen shades:  azure, baby blue, blueberry, cornflower, Carolina blue, cerulean, cerulean blue, cobalt, indigo, midnight, navy, periwinkle, royal, sky and sapphire.

Brown: Brown Prom dresses look best if you have dark hair - no matter what your skin color.  Chocolate brown looks great on redheads. Caution: blondes steer clear of lighter shades of brown to avoid looking washed out.  Better for blondes to go with a brown prom dress in darker shades like chocolate.  Brown Prom dresses come in these shades: auburn, beige, burnt sienna, burnt umber, chocolate, mahogany, rust, sandy, sepia, sienna, tan, taupe.

Green:  If you have a light complexion and blonde or red hair, a green Prom dress looks perfect on you. Green showcases your pale skin and makes your red hair stand out. Green Prom dresses comes in shades sure to make you look environmentally conscious: celadon, chartreuse, emerald, fern, forest, hunter, jade, kelly, lime, moss, olive, pear, pine, sea, shamrock.

Orange: An orange Prom dress works great if you have dark skin and dark hair. If you have light skin and light hair you can also go for orange. Skip orange if your skin and hair fall in the medium range. Watch for orange Prom dresses, in all shades, to be hot for Prom 2009: apricot, carrot, burnt orange, dark coral, dark salmon, orange peel, papaya, pink-orange, pumpkin, red-orange, tangerine, yellow-orange.

Gold:  A gold Prom dress perfectly frames dark hair and a light complexion with yellow undertones.  Be ready to stand out wearing a gold 2009 Prom dress! Gold Prom dresses make your skin look rich and beautiful. Select from shades of Gold sure to suit any Prom Queen: bronze, brown-gold, copper, dark gold, green-gold, light gold, metallic, yellow-gold.

Purple: Want to feel like royalty on prom night? Wear a purple Prom dress the color once reserved for only Kings and Queens. Brunettes with light green or blue eyes and natural blondes with light eyes and skin look best in purple. Trend spotters report purple Prom dresses in all shades steal the spotlight for Prom 2009: amethyst, eggplant, fuchsia, heliotrope, lavender, lilac, plum, magenta, mauve, orchid, violet, wisteria.

Pink: Every Prom Princess dreams of a pink Prom dress. Pink best suits a darker complexion with yellow or brown undertones. Watch for dark hair, eyes and skin to really pop against hot and dark pinks. Pink Prom dresses come in the sweetest and most feminine of shades: carnation, coral-pink, dark pink, deep pink, fuchsia, hot pink, lavender-pink, rose pink, salmon, tea rose.

Red:  Consider yourself passionate? Then slip on a red Prom dress. Lovers love to wear a red dress. Red Prom dresses work best with creamy skin tones with gold undertones and golden blond to strawberry blond hair. Fall in love with Prom dresses in any shade of red: burgundy, cardinal, cherry, chestnut, coral red, crimson, maroon, orange-red, persimmon, red-violet, rose, ruby, sangria, scarlet, vermillion.

Silver:  Stick with a silver prom dress if you want to shine! Silver, considered a neutral color, looks warmer or cooler depending on what you wear with it. Silver Prom dresses stand out if you have a tan to dark complexion. Skip silver if your skin is extremely pale.
Shades of silver dresses: aluminum, dark silver, light silver, metallic-silver, nickel, tin.

Yellow:  A yellow Prom dress complements brunettes and natural blondes with light coloring. Yellow Prom dresses set a cheerful mood for your big night. Yellow comes in all shades: amber, banana, buff, corn, goldenrod, golden, lemon, light-apricot, mustard, saffron, taxi-cab.

White: Wear a white Prom dress if you have olive to dark skin tone and dark hair and eyes. The contrast between the dress and your coloring makes your Prom dress pop.And it might prevent you from looking washed out! White Prom dresses come in all shades: candlelight, cream, coconut, ivory, magnolia, lace, pure white, seashell.

Prints: A printed dress looks good on most body types and skin complexions. Add a little pizzazz to an otherwise standard dress by choosing a classic cut with an anything-but-standard pattern. Everything from animal print to floral dresses and brightly colored Pucci-esque patterns are a must for Prom 2009. Patterns for 2009: Cheetah, leopard, zebra, floral, pucci, exotic, block colors