Prom season may feel like it is months away until it isn't. For high school seniors, a prom is often a once-in-a-lifetime event that can't be replicated and is unforgettable. For many young women, finding the perfect prom dress is one of the most essential and possibly stressful activities.
Sometimes, however, life can get in the way and very busy, and before you know it, prom is just around the corner, and you haven't found the right dress. Why should you start prom shopping early, and why is now the best time? We'd love to share all the benefits of shopping for prom early.
Early Bird Gets The Worm
The saying "the early bird gets the worm" especially applies to prom dress shopping. Starting to search for your dress as soon as possible will provide you with many more options to choose from, also allowing you to have all the time you need to try on or find the perfect dress of your dreams. Prom dresses near and during prom season sell out quickly, especially the year's hottest trends and styles, so it is always best to begin shopping as soon as possible.
Starting early also gives you much more time to explore current styles, trends, and possibly future styles while comparing prices, reviews, and boutiques. Suppose you start several weeks or months in advance. In that case, there's a more significant opportunity for you not to feel pressured or rushed into a potential gown you might regret. With ample time, you can visit many shops and physically try on various prom gowns or outfits to determine which ones flatter your body's shape, compliment your skin tone, and what styles ultimately feel comfortable on you while making you feel beautiful.
Avoid the Rush
As prom season approaches, stores and shops will become increasingly crowded with parents and prom dress shoppers like yourself. Shop employees will be harried and rushed, and the dresses become increasingly picked over. Often, the dresses left behind in the rush to find one closer to prom can also leave a lot to be desired—such as unflattering colors, limited sizes, and even out-of-style designs.
Shopping early means you have the most fantastic selection from a shop's inventory, with a wide range of sizes and colors, and you can avoid all the chaos during the last rush for prom dress shopping. When choosing your ideal dress, you deserve a relaxed, unhurried and stress-free experience.
The Perfect Fit
One size does not fit all. A cookie-cutter does not create our bodies. A size ten on a taller body could look frumpier and too loose on the same size ten body that is much shorter. Additionally, the U.S. doesn't have a solid standard sizing unit, meaning that size ten in one shop could be a fourteen in another. This is why you need to have all the time you need to try on many different prom gowns.
If you find a gown that almost fits exactly what you've always wanted and is your dream gown, starting early gives you plenty of time for alterations. Give yourself enough time to have your dress tailored for a flawless fit.
What happens if you find the dress you've always wanted but isn't in your size? By shopping early, you give yourself and the shop plenty of time to order your size and for it to arrive in time for prom.
Stress-Less
If you've ever experienced the stress of being late for class, work, or an assignment—then you probably already know how stressful it can be trying to make up for lost time. By shopping for your dress early, you're helping yourself avoid last-minute crunch, stress, and panic. Rushing the decision on your dress can have so many negative consequences, such as:
- Noticing tears, loose threads, or defects too late
- Unable to find the right fit but no time for alterations
- Unable to find the right color
- Stuck with a dress that turns out to chafe, feels itchy, or is uncomfortable to wear
The perfect time to start shopping for your prom dress is now, meaning you can take your time, compare, give yourself plenty of time for adjustments, and for the dress to arrive on time if needed.
Tips on How to Prepare Trying On Prom Dresses
- Wear a comfortable outfit that will be easy to change out of and back into.
- Pick the shops you wish to visit beforehand and make a list of the order in which you want to see them.
- Take plenty of photos while trying on the dress from as many angles as likely. If possible, ask a shop assistant to help take pictures so that you can see all the details
- Wear shoes that can be slipped on or off.
- Avoid wearing makeup or too much makeup if possible. You don't want to get makeup on your potential dress accidentally.
- Wear a strapless bra for the best impression of the dress.
- Choose only one or two people to bring with you, as too many people can result in too many opinions, making it harder for you to choose.
- While wearing slip-on shoes, bring the shoes you want to wear with the dress to see how the result will look.
- If you have already chosen a few accessories that may work for you, consider bringing them with you to see how they pair with the dresses you try.
While shopping for a dress, try to choose a color that looks the best with your skin tone and try and stick with that. If it's at all possible, ask to see if someone at one of the shops could take your measurements and ask them for your correct size. While you are in the dress, walk around, bend down, sit, and stand to see how it feels and gauge whether or not you'll be comfortable in it, as you'll no doubt be spending hours dancing in the dress.
Your prom should be a time of giddy excitement, dreamy dresses, and a magical night you won't soon forget, not a stressful, tear-filled time that has you rushing and stressing. The best time to start shopping for prom is now! If you're ready to begin, Rachel Allan is prepared to help! Check out our store locator to find the perfect dress for you!
