You wake up one morning, realizing that today is going to be one of the happiest days of your life. No, it’s not your wedding, nor your graduation. It is prom day and you can rest assured knowing that you are ready to tackle the day, prom dress and boutonniere in tow.
With prom night approaching on May 18, senior girls start months in advance searching for their perfect dress in an effort to beat the crowds and ensure that their dress is unique to them and their style. There is a tradition here to make a Facebook group specifically for girls to post pictures of prom dresses to ensure that none are duplicated. “The group chat is a really great thing to get inspiration from, but also to make sure that no one else has the dress you want,” senior Crystal Bridge said.
One way to purchase your dress in our technologically advanced society is online shopping. By broadening your horizons to the online realm, you are able to expand your options tenfold. “In-store you might be able to find 10 dresses at most that you like but when you go online there are thousands of options at your fingertips,” senior Lily Parker said.
There are countless websites to purchase your dress online this prom season. A popular choice seems to be PromGirl, which has thousands of dresses to sort through. Another crowd favorite is Windsor, which is full of the latest styles to check out. Finally, you might want to take a look at Lulu’s, which has a bunch of affordable formal dresses, enabling you to order a lot and then return those you do not want for free.
Another option to find the ideal dress is to go directly to the source – a prom dress store. This tends to enhance the experience and ensures a tailored fit. “Going dress shopping with your friends is one of the best parts. The moment you step out of the dressing room wearing a dress you can tell if it’s the one for you by the reactions that your friends have,” Bridge said.
When it comes to shopping for prom dresses at a store in our area, you might have to travel a bit in order to find the perfect one. DejaVu Boutique located in Mount Airy is known for their huge selection of formal dresses. Also, if you want to do advance research online and then try it on in-store before you buy, head over to the Windsor store in the Westfield Wheaton Mall.
Regardless of your purchase method, make sure that you do not break the bank. While it is supposed to be one of the best nights of your life, there is not any reason to spend an absurd amount of money on a dress. “The most important part is that you love the dress and feel good in it,” Bridge said.
While prom preparation might come off as an intimidating process, make sure to have fun as you go along. This event only happens once in your life so relish it while you can. “Prom is one of the last hurrahs we’ll have in high school and to be able to spend it with your best friends is the greatest part. I’ll be sure to soak it all in while I can,” senior Taylor Geier said.
