With Junior Prom and Senior Ball rapidly approaching – April 13 and May 11, respectively – many girls are beginning the hunt for the perfect dress.

Here’s a quick guide to ease the frustration many may have trying to pick a gown to wear for the “City Lights” themed Junior Prom or “The Great Gatsby” themed Senior Ball.

When picking a gown, it’s good to keep in mind the different dress styles that compliment a range of body types.

Some different styles include mermaid, empire, high-low, column, and A-line.

“I would say strapless, long gowns (are popular),” said a special occasion sales associate at Nordstrom in Stoneridge Mall. “Girls just want simple (styles) now.”

Students said wild patterns tend to be overwhelming, with things like cheetah print, flowers, or all-over sequins.

“Overly glittery dresses don’t look good,” senior Dani Fox said.  “I think they’re tacky.”

While glittery and busy patterns are less desirable dress styles among students this year, simple gowns are becoming increasingly popular.

“Anything too dramatic wouldn’t look good,” said senior Jacob Ballin. “I like more simplicity.”

Even if a gown does look more on the simple side, dressing it up with eye-catching jewelry or other accessories, such as a bright and boldly-colored purse or dangling earrings, is still a great option.

When trying to figure out what dress type will compliment their body type, or even what’s in style, girls can try looking to celebrity red carpet best-dressed lists. Mermaid dresses are becoming increasingly popular, and tend to compliment hourglass figures like that of Kim Kardashian.

A-Line dresses look great on girls who are on the taller side. Celebrities such as Katy Perry or Taylor Swift, who are both taller than 5-foot-6, look great in those dresses. Gowns with tasteful slits in the skirt show off long legs, and give an elegant look to even the simplest dress.

“What’s going to be popular is the slick, straight-down red carpet look,” said junior Alissa Thomas.

For students on the shorter side, high-low dresses are perfect. Floor length dresses can sometimes be a hassle for girls who are 5-foot-4 or shorter.

To avoid wearing five-inch heels to give the illusion of being tall, some girls have turned to high-low dresses because of the illusion of height they provide.

“I would say high-low dresses are in this season,” said senior Melissa Mosier.

Light, subtle colors have been another popular choice this year.   Students have stayed away from the dark purples or greens when it comes to picking their gowns.  Light pinks, champagne, and even baby blue are colors that have become increasingly popular.

“I like light blue because it looks really pretty on tan skin,” said junior Taylor Wrysch.

The Oscars last month also have somewhat of an influence on dress styles.

“Red Carpet designs are translated by companies, such as ABS by Allen Schwartz,” said Cal fashion design Shannin McKavish.  “These companies take notes and make sketches of specific designs that are shown on the Red Carpet. The companies immediately start designing knock offs for the masses.”