Five of your biggest prom emergencies - solved
By Joan Tupponce CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The guy you've been swooning over has finally asked you to the prom and you've accepted. You have high hopes of the night being perfect in every respect. But, as we all know, life is rarely perfect. Something can and probably will go wrong. But never fear, we've compiled a few tips and suggestions that will help you get to the prom in as regal a manner as Cinderella.

Zonked zipper

You've just squeezed into that form-fitting dress - the one you just had to have - and the zipper couldn't withstand the struggle. What now? According to Promspot.com, if the problem is simply the zipper, you can slip a safety pin through the hole and pull it closed using the pin. "Then put a ribbon around the pin to hide it from view. If it's the bottom of the zipper, get out your sewing kit and stitch a few threads in the area where the zipper broke."

A hairy problem

A bad hairdo may be acceptable on the hit television show "American Idol," but it probably isn't a good idea for your prom. Chesterfield stylist Lou Stevens of On Location Hair and Makeup suggests you take a practice run with your hairstyle. Get the same stylist that you are using on prom night to style your hair in the "do" that you want for prom a week or two before the big event. "The number one complaint I hear is [a bad hairdo]," Stevens said. "Almost everybody has a story about washing out a hairdo [that didn't work]."

Makeup meltdown

When it comes to makeup, less is more. Stevens warns her clients about using too much makeup, especially if they aren't comfortable with the application. "Don't pile on a bunch of makeup and think that will do," she said. "It's better to look natural. If you are really good at applying makeup, you can give yourself a more glamorous look."

Banish the bags

No one wants puffy eyes, especially on prom night. One way to fight the puffiness, according to Promspot. com, is by grabbing a couple of tea bags and dipping them in water. Take a moment to relax by lying down and placing the wet tea bags on your eyes for up to 20 minutes - the scene will provide everyone else in the family with a lighthearted moment to remember. Promspot notes that green tea works best in this scenario because it contains caffeine, "a natural shrinker." Another cure they suggest is to freeze two spoons and then place them on your eyelids. You may want to put a thin cloth on your lids to protect them from the icy cold.

Tame the tan lines

Don't let a bad tan ruin your evening, especially one that you didn't mean to get. According to Stevens, the best cover-up is a product called Dermablend (sold in several department stores). "It does a good job of covering up the problem," she said. "It's waterproof and smudgeproof." You want to apply the product to the untanned portion of your skin. "There will be a consultant who can show you how to use it and who will help pick a color that blends," Stevens said.