Top 3 Places to Look for Your Perfect Prom Dress

As the weather gets warmer, it's time to start thinking about prom season! With the rise of online stores, there are so many more options and ways for you to find the perfect prom dress. Fashion e-commerce was a little over 20% of the total retail sales for the fashion industry in the United States in 2018 and it's predicted that worldwide, the e-commerce fashion industry is supposed to increase to over $710 billion by 2022, up from $480 billion. That's good news for you because it means that finding prom dresses online will be easier than ever! Whether you're looking for a short dress, evening dress, cocktail dress, or a stylish jumpsuit, you'll likely be able to find deep discounts online, and in many cases, free shipping if you spend over a certain amount. And as e-commerce has grown, returns have also become easier. 


Finding the Perfect Dress for Prom Night 


Your prom pictures will be ones that you'll have and cherish for a long time, if not forever. So you want to be sure that your prom dress and overall appearance is one that you'll look fondly back on in pictures for years to come. That said, finding your perfect prom dress is up to your tastes, budget, and what's trending that year. 


Know your body type and what looks good. Trends come and go, but wearing something you know looks good and that you feel good in is way more important than wearing whatever's "in" at the moment. You'll feel more comfortable and can focus on really enjoying your prom night instead of worrying about how the dress looks. 


You'll likely want something that looks good both standing still and moving -- you'll probably be doing some dancing, and a dress that slithers up when you sit or that you can't quite dance properly in will be more of an annoyance, even if it looks good standing still! 


Where Are Good Places to Look? 


Of course, nothing quite beats a day at the mall, trying on dresses from different stores in person. You can get an immediate sense of how things look and feel and whether you like them or not. And instead of having to bundle them up and send them back via mail if you don't like them, you can simply return them to the rack and leave! 


However, finding prom dresses online has been an option that more people have taken recently and it can often come with deep discounts and a wider array of options. It also can be helpful if you live far away from retail stores and don't have the time to spend a day at the mall shopping. 


And if you're on a budget or simply don't like any of the styles available the year you're looking, checking out secondhand and vintage stores can be another way to go, and opens up unique options that you might not be able to find in a retail store. 


When Is the Best Time to Get a Prom Dress? 


Waiting until the last minute isn't advisable. Start peeking when retailers start putting dresses out on racks -- as early as January! You might not find anything you love at the start, but it's worth noting what's out and available, and you might be able to score an early deal. 


You also want to make sure that you have enough time to get any alterations done, if necessary. Some gowns you might be able to slip right on, no problem, but you don't want to leave any adjustments to the last minute either! 


We'd advise definitely having your dress by mid-April at the latest and to start the dress hunting in earnest by then. If your prom is on the earlier side of May, then shift that timeframe back another month. 


Prom dress shopping should be a fun and positive experience -- not a stressful and negative one. Having an idea of what you want and where to look can certainly help streamline the entire process!