Prom season is approaching, and with that comes prom outfit shopping! Choosing a place to shop is the first step in finding your dream dress (or dress alternative, like a chic jumpsuit).
If you’ve never gone prom dress shopping before, or if you’re already stressed and need some guidance, we’re here to help. Here are the best places to shop for prom dresses, along with some tips from our shopping pros!
Your Favorite High Street Fashion Store
We all have our favorite high street store, and it’s a great place to start looking for a prom dress. You’ll know what they stock and what you like, so get your friends together and have a day out browsing.
Bigger department stores are a great source of dresses of all styles. As prom season approaches, they will be amending their stock to suit the occasion, so you’ll find plenty of choices.
Your Local Boutique Dress Store
If you go off the beaten track a little, you’ll come across the occasional independent boutique fashion store. If you do find one, go in and you’ll see that these are great places to buy unique and stylish dresses that may be perfect for the prom. If you don’t, ask around your friends and see if any of them know a great boutique.
In boutiques, you’ll find the proprietor will help you choose and – as with the bigger stores – you can try on the dresses you like and see which one fits. This sort of shop will probably offer an adjustment service too, so you can get exactly the right fit.
Pro Tip: Try a Consignment or Thrift Store
It may be tempting to rule out going to a consignment shop or thrift store for a prom dress, but they often have tons of unique gems that won’t look like everyone else’s dresses. If you tend to gravitate toward vintage glamour or other nostalgic eras, you’re more likely to find a dress that suits those tastes.
Consignment shops and thrift stores are also great places to look for offbeat accessories to go with your prom outfit!
Online Fashion Retailers
For many people shopping online is the way to go, but some shy away from shopping for clothes this way. However, you really should check out online fashion retailers as there are great savings to be made if you’re shopping on a budget, and more choices than you can imagine. From ball gowns to cocktail dresses, online retailers have it all!
These stores don’t have the overheads of a high street store to worry about, so they sell at lower prices. You’ll find that the difference in cost is quite considerable, and you may find the same items online as in the high street but at a lower cost. There is one downside, and that’s the inability to try on your dress.
Check the Returns Service
We love online fashion shopping as the sheer choice of outlets is amazing, and most of the retailers have recognized that online buyers are looking for a sensible returns service.
Look for retailers that offer a free returns service, and you have nothing to worry about. If you’re going the online shopping route, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to return your dress and start over if need be!
Ready, Set, Shop!
Now that you know the best places to shop for prom dresses, you can get shopping for the big night! Prom dress shopping can be stressful, but it can also be one of the most fun shopping trips (online or in-person) that you get to make, so have a blast!
