By GG Flower

Most of us are easily dazzled by the enormous number of styles and color options we are faced with when we head out to shop for our prom dress. There seems to be a never-ending racks of beautiful gowns, gorgeous accessories and glittering shoes and bags; it's a wonder we make it home with anything at all in our shopping bags.

Well, your confusion is nothing to feel bad about. Next to choosing your hairstyle, choosing the best color for your prom dress can be one of your biggest challenges, when you dress up for any special occasion. But with a few tips from a professional, you will be on your way to and from the dress shop in no time, armed with the truth about the best color palette for your prom gown and accessories.

There are just 3 steps that you need to master and you will always know which color to choose for your next clothing purchase, but especially so for your next prom dress! In this article, we will explore 3 things you need to know in order to choose the exact colors that suit you best.

Before we start in, I want you to bring to mind your favorite color. Is it pink? Blue? Whatever it is, keep it in your thoughts as we go through the steps. Your final result will be a color that you love and one that loves you!

Step 1 Hair Tone

Match your hair tone with the tone of your dress to create the illusion of elegance

I get a lot of prom girls asking me about the best way to create an elegant, formal look as they prepare for prom. One of the best pieces of advice that I can give to you today are these two statements:

- a prom dress in one color elongates the body, making you look slimmer. When we wear a lot of different colors, the eye has to jump all around to see all the colors.

- a prom dress in one color guarantees an elegant look, because monochrome, (one color or tone) actually makes you look sleeker than if you were to wear a bunch of different colors all at once.

When we wear just one or two colors, the eye can easily see the entire outfit without darting from color to color. When the eye is relaxed, it perceives the object (you!) as relaxed, serene and elegant.

What we now want to do is apply this tip to include our hair-tone. By matching the dress to our hair color, we have succeeded in elongated the body even more, since the eye is now including the hair color in the total look!

The ideal shade for your prom dress is one that matches your hair tone.Is your hair dark? Wear dark colors, it's that simple.

You can wear almost any color as long it is no darker than your hair color and no lighter than a medium shade of the that particular color. So ladies that have dark hair look great in the so-called jewel tones, like sapphire blue, emerald green, ruby-red, and garnet purples. The rich color of your dress should match the rich color of your hair, whether it is dark brown or deep black. The fact that your hair and dress are the same tone or shade, i.e. dark, will encourage the eye to perceive your silhouette as elongated and sleek.

For example, let's say your favorite color is blue and you have dark brown hair. You can wear any shade of blue, as long as it no darker than your hair and no lighter than a medium shade of blue.

If your hair is light, wear light colors that are no lighter than your hair and no darker than a medium shade of the color you chose.

Let's say your favorite color is pink. If you choose a prom dress in your favorite color, make sure it is no darker than a medium shade of pink and no lighter than your hair.

Finally, if your hair color is somewhere in between dark and light, you can wear any of medium tone colors; colors that are neither light nor dark.

When you choose your dress to include your hair tone, you will automatically look taller and more slender and definitely more elegant. And I would say that is the whole point of getting dressed up from prom, wouldn't you?

Now let's move on to the topic of skin tone.

Step 2 Skin tone

You also need to know which palette or set of colors is best suited to your skin tone as you develop your wardrobe and makeup kit around them.

A quick way to learn your skin tone is to recall the color of your skin when you are exposed to the sun.

If you tend to look pinkish after being in the sun, you will look especially fabulous wearing cool colors like blues, and purples. This is because these particular colors can actually camouflage the pink in your skin tone. Just be sure to match your dress to your hair tone, if you want a look that says: "elegant"!

On the other hand, if you tan to a golden brown when you are in the sun, you are going to going to want to choose any of the warm colors, like reds, and oranges. These colors will bring out the rosy blush in your skin tone. Again, choosing the warm colors in the same shade as your hair tone will make a huge difference in how you come across to others.

Step 3 Favorite Colors

Let's say your hair tone guides you to wear darker colors. Can you wear baby pink? Yes, you can, but it is a fact that you are not going to look that great in it because of what Mother Nature gave you. But you will look fabulous in fuchsia, and hot pinks. Don't you want to look great instead of bland?

Likewise, if you are a person with blonde hair who loves the color red but can't seem to pull it off because of your paleness, your red will be more of a creamy red, while your friends with black hair can wear ruby-red. You can wear every color you just have to find the best shade for your individuality.

So let's put it all together in these two examples; both girls chose pink as their favorite color, but each girl needs to wear a shade of pink that matches their hair tone.

Sandy (cool)

Favorite color: pink

Hair color: baby blonde

Skin tone: Sandy blushes easily, and burns when in the sun

Sandy's best color is a cool pale pinkish-lavender, which is the pale version of magenta

Cara (warm)

Favorite color: pink

Hair Color: dark brown

Skin tone: Cara tans easily to a golden brown

Cara's best color is a dark salmon, which is the dark version of peach

I know this sounds too simple, but believe me, no one who has used this method has ever chosen the wrong color for their prom dress. It's really just a matter of knowing your skin tone and how to match your hair for the perfect formal allure.

GG Flower, fashion editor at Shop 4 Prom has helped thousands of teens get ready for prom. Free Hairstyle Gallery and Prom Dress Directory.

Learn which colors to choose for your prom makeup just by signing up for "How to the Next Prom Queen", a free makeover program for any woman getting ready for any special occasion.

By John H Chartrand

After school programs along with standard academic programs such as technology, arts, and other areas are being reduced or done away with at a worrying rate. In Nova Scotia for example, the provincial government has just released brand-new budget cuts as of December 11, 2011. In Edmonton, the Catholic School Board reported that it will abolish hundreds of jobs effective September 2011. The list goes on. Educating our children should be our precedence, yet education is not viewed as a top priority by our governments.

Overwhelming are the quantity of subjects and programs that schools are forced to abolish as a result of budget cuts. For example, schools have reduced computer science courses and expect the classroom teacher to fill in the gap. If the teacher is computer illiterate, however, the students will remain computer uninstructed unless you consider being an authority at playing computer games as being computer savvy.

Another issue with school curricula is they are inclined to be out of date. Educators are tutoring the same old lessons that were educated decades previously. Our public education system just doesn't seem to meet modern requirements and are wasting cherished resources with programs that are no longer practical.

Thankfully, after school programs are becoming increasingly obtainable within the private sector that are educational, fun, and meet today's new demands for education. Some of these after school programs include: martial arts, acting programs taught by professional actors, music taught by experienced musicians, robotics, and other appealing programs that fulfill the individual child's enthusiasms and academic needs. These after school programs meet the need for modern skills and abilities that are required to compete in the world today.

Having said that, these outstanding after school programs and many others are mostly being supplied by the private industry. There is a fee involved; however, the cost is well worth the quality of education being offered by well-qualified people in their vocation. Parents do not have to race out and enroll their child in every after school program obtainable, rather they can choose one or two, if their budget allows, that bests fills the requirements and enthusiasms of their child.

After school programs are becoming more popular with good reason, and there are many being provided. A good way to commence looking is by browsing the Internet. Just type into the your favorite search engine's search box the activity or program you want to uncover and include the location such as the city or town where you live.

John Chartrand is the founder of Ottawa Robotics Academy in Ottawa, Ontario. John has been a certified professional teacher for over 15 years teaching technology and computers at all grade levels. For information on Robotics for Kids visit: Ottawa Robotics Academy

By Esther Chum

What are your best childhood memories? Is it of fun and games in school? Is it of loving times with Mom and Dad? Memories have great power over us. Memories of good times can sustain us throughout our lives, especially during periods of great turmoil. Unhappy memories, too, have a strong hold on our emotions and actions long after the event.

Childhood memories are the first memories we make. They can be like pleasant dreams which bring a smile to our face or nightmares from which we wish we could awaken. As parents, we can influence the type of memories our children will have of their childhood years. We can fill their memories with laughter, loving words and family togetherness. Or we can fill it with constant admonitions, criticisms and frequent quarrels.

We can never be sure of what kind of memories we will remember. Which events will stand out? Think of your strongest memories. Is it of major occasions like vacations and birthdays? Or is it of the smallest incidents - a conversation, shared laughter, a goodnight kiss? Knowing that memories can be formed at any time, we must be more aware of what happens during everyday interactions. Your child's childhood memories will likely be made of the quiet moments when you are enjoying each other's company or the quarrels you had.

School takes up a large bulk of the childhood years. When children start school, it is all too easy for parents to get caught up in the competition for grades. In an effort to make sure our children do not fall behind their peers, we nag them to do their homework, nag them to stop playing so much and maybe send them for tons of enrichment classes. What we often forget to do though is take the time to listen to them; to discuss current affairs so they understand what is going on in the community; or to just let them know that you value them beyond their grades in school.

Yes, school and grades are important. But what is more crucial is that your children enjoy their childhood. We can learn academic subjects throughout our life. We only have a few short years to enjoy our childhood. Your children's childhood memories should be of more than just studying, studying and more studying. They should remember the parties they had; the silly, childish fun they had with their friends or the loving family outings they enjoyed with cousins, aunts and uncles.

In school, our children have to learn to face myriad situations. They may face strict teachers, indifferent teachers, bullies, fair-weather friends and a competitive learning environment. How they cope and what kind of memories they form depends on their attitude towards their situation. If they view it as a challenge which they are capable of overcoming, then they will have happy childhood memories of school. If they see it as insurmountable difficulties, then they will form nightmarish childhood memories which they hate to remember.

We can help them develop the right attitude so they form happy childhood memories. Being aware of our influence is half the battle won. Take the time to make sure your child has wonderful childhood memories.

What are your own childhood memories?

Esther Chum loves writing and helping kids with their school work. Get INSTANT access to effective tips on helping your child to succeed in school and love school from this *FREE* ebook http://www.kidstudyguide.com/loveschool/