In my own search for a formal dress, I went to several different malls- even to San Francisco's Union Square. While shopping, I saw a wide spectrum of formal dress possibilities. As for accessories, I noticed a trend towards wraps instead of coats. The wraps I saw ranged from the simple rectangular chiffon to the elaborately-designed patterned velvet. Timeless Fashions and New Trends Leong notes that there are always certain Winter Formal fashion trends that stay constant from year to year.
Spaghetti straps are always popular, and the majority of people prefer long dresses to short ones.
In the winter, girls tend to wear dark colors. Black and white are timeless, and dresses with anything sparkly or shiny have always been popular. And since there are so many Asians at Lowell, you always see a few people wearing chi-pao, which are traditional Chinese formal dresses. In fact, the large Asian population in the Bay Area has had a definite impact on fashion trends. Kwok, too, noted the presence of chi-pao dresses at Lynbrook's formal.