December 19 is the annual Christmas Formal hosted by the Academy of the Holy Names. The event is planned every year by the Student Council to give girls a night of amazing memories with their sisters. Here is a guide to help you have the best formal ever.
“Formal was so fun last year, and I loved getting to have a night out with all of my friends. We all made bouquets and got ready together, and it’s still one of our favorite memories as a group,” said Sophie Bigger (‘28).
The first step of Formal is finding a dress. It can be super overwhelming with all the dress websites and stores, but here are some fan favorites. Websites like Revolve, Lulus, Aritzia, Peppermayo, Beginning Boutique, Princess Polly, and White Fox. Some stores, however, like Windsor, Esmerelda’s, Nordstrom, and Dillard’s, all have dresses ready to try on. A good recommendation would be to go in-store and try on some different styles of dresses, then with those styles in mind an option is to go on websites and try to find the same silhouettes online.
“Last year I went to Nordstrom with my mom and ended up finding a perfect dress in the House of CB section on the second floor,” said Avery Finley (‘27).
The second step would be to find out what the plan is for hair and makeup: is it preferred to get it done? Is there someone who does hair or makeup? Either way, start asking early and booking appointments. Places like Drybar, Bellanova, and Tampa’s Beauty Lounge do amazing blowouts. For makeup, Nordstrom, Sephora, Ulta, or ask friends and family. When booking items, though, be aware of the time that photos are, because the sun sets early with the time change.
“I love getting my hair blown out at Drybar, it’s super reliable, and a bunch of my friends go for dances,” said sophomore Sophie Bigger.
Going along with the booking times, finding places for photos and dinner can be tricky, so here are some Academy sister recommendations. Top photo spots include the Tampa Yacht Club, Palma Ceia Country Club, and Westshore Yacht Club are some good south Tampa options, but they require membership required so be aware of that when planning. Some places that do not require membership are Water Street, Hyde Park, and American Social to take pictures. All of these places are close to the venue and will leave you with stunning views and pictures.
“Taking photos and eating dinner at Tampa Yacht Club made everything so much easier, so our parents didn’t have to drive us from photos to dinner,” said Emma Hodgdon (‘26).
When it comes to finding a group, some girls will want to bring a date, and some will not, and that’s totally okay. It is more than normal to have more girls than guys; this is an Academy dance and is not supposed to be stressful, so do not stress over finding a date or not, just do whatever makes you happy.
When it comes to dinner, there are a lot of options. If you’re taking photos at any of the Country Clubs, you can schedule dinner reservations there, too, so it saves transportation time. Some popular places include Forbici’s, Boulon, Cafe Paradiso, The Columbia, and Del Frisco’s. They hold large parties and are very accommodating. The location of Formal this year is the Tampa History Center, which is located on Water Street, so restaurants downtown and on Water Street would be very easy to get to from different places.
“I took photos at Palma Ceia one year, and the gold course looked amazing in pictures, and they looked perfect for the holiday season,” said senior Josie O’Brien.
Lastly, here are some things to not forget: make sure to have transportation from pictures to dinner to the dance, so no parents have to call to drive around. Maybe planning a bouquet, making brunch with friends at someone’s house, bringing a date, having a boutonniere, and having all accessories like jewelry and shoes ready. Ticket sales close December 4, and your personal form and date forms are submitted by December 5 at 3 p.m. There is a link on Veracross to buy formal tickets, so the sooner the better. Do not be afraid to ask upperclassmen for advice and ideas; they are more than willing to help. Make sure not to stress out; it is meant to be a fun night with your friends.
“Formal is always one of my favorite nights of the year and I am so sad it is my last one this year, my advice to underclassmen is to not stress too much and just enjoy this day because you only get four formals ever, I have never not had fun and is always one of my most looked forward to days a year and cannot believe it is my last one,” said Gaby Cossi (‘26).
