1. You’ll Be in the Dress All Night
While having a gorgeous dress to wear to prom is certainly important, so is breathing. Make sure you will be able to stay in your dress all night long without being uncomfortable. When you try on the dress, walk around and see how you feel. Leave it on for at least ten minutes to see how comfortable to the dress is. You may fall in love with the dress after only a minute or two, but keep the dress on to ensure it stays as comfortable as when you first put it on.
2. You’ll Be Around Others
A long dress with a train is great if you’re getting married, but for prom it can become a hazard (and an annoyance) really fast. Keep in mind that you’ll be dancing and walking around others all night, in close proximity, and choose your dress length accordingly. Even if your dress has a loop for the train, avoid buying it since you won’t want to hold onto it all night. Remember, you don’t want to be the girl whose dress keeps getting stepped on and torn throughout the evening.
3. You Need to Move
Having the picture perfect prom photo is great, but if you can’t move in the dress, your night will be miserable. In the dressing room, sit down, stretch from side to side, turn, and touch your toes. If any of these motions are impossible or uncomfortable, find another dress. You may even want to try some of your dance moves in the dressing room to see how easily you can move in your dress. If your dress is tough to move in, consider getting another dress.
4. There’s Punch
Whether you’re looking at white or barely there pink, be sure you pick a color that can handle stains. Even if you’re the most careful person in the world, the girl drinking punch next to you might not be and walking around with a punch stain could put a damper on your evening.
5. Secure Fasteners and Reliable Zippers Are Key
The last thing you need at your prom is a wardrobe malfunction. Make sure your dress of choice is functional as well as fabulous by ensuring all fasteners, zippers, buttons, and clasps work appropriately. As you prepare for the evening, consider packing safety pins, just in case there is a major dress malfunction.
6. It’s Just One Night
Yes, prom is important, but you will most likely only wearing this dress for one night, and the price you spend on it should reflect that. A $600 wedding gown is a steal, but a $600 prom gown is outrageous. If you want a pricier dress, make sure it’s one you can wear again. If you are having trouble finding a dress in your price range, look into stylish prom dresses on sale. You will find a dress in your price range and nobody will even know you got a steal,
7. Leave Time for Alterations
Very rarely will you find a prom dress that fits perfectly right off the rack. In your pre-prom planning, leave enough time for dress alterations. Working in an extra week for alteration time should be more than enough. However, if you wait until the night before prom to buy your dress, you may be stuck wearing a dress that does not fit quite perfectly.
8. Choose the Right Shoes
Make sure your shoes work well with your dress where height is concerned. The last thing you want to do is trip over your dress all night because those low heels keep tangling with your dress. Wear your dress and shoes together before you take the tags off either.
The dress is important, but even more important is that you’re expressing who you are, going in a dress you love, and are able to be comfortable for hours on end. Once the shopping is done, remember to have fun and enjoy your night.
