“You can’t ‘kind of like’ the dress you’re going to buy! You absolutely need to love it from the moment you catch sight of it!” - Molly Abai
Prom is months away, waiting in the far-off future; marked pages away from the present date in the calendar. So, why is everyone anxious for an event taking place in the distant times of tomorrow? I have absolutely no idea whatsoever; but here I am, writing this article for you as I have fallen prey to the hassle in thoroughly planning every detail of this supposedly ‘perfect’ night to end 5 years of memories made in secondary school. Undeniably, the hardest part is finding a dress dress. I just want you to know you’re not alone.
Firstly, the most strenuous task is discovering a dress. Scavenging shops for ‘the’ dress is laborious. Searching for the perfect dress is a tedious journey which seems never ending. I’m only a few days into rummaging through the racks, scanning sites and I’m already tired. I can’t find anything I like in store for a decent amount as I’m not looking for anything too expensive. Whatever I seem to find online comes across as a scam to me because there is no way that the splendid dress, on the model with the perfect hourglass figure, is going to look flawless on me because many reviews state that websites are deceptive as the dress in the packaging looks nowhere near the remarkable dress online. Shops which are solely catered for elegant dresses dedicated to special occasions; but I find most of these shops to be too expensive. I’m looking for a dress that looks satisfactory without having to splurge on.
Secondly, here’s where to shop. A sixth former who had her prom last year, brought to my attention a website called Jjs House. I recommend having a browse through this website as they display a plethora of different styles, appeasing the fashion taste of most. After reviewing this website, I found out that many previous customers had left mixed reviews about the dresses so I’m not entirely sure if the website is entirely reliable. When searching online, you don’t always have to type in prom dresses to get the best results for an elegant dress. You can also find a dress by typing in: bridesmaids dresses, wedding guest dresses, evening dresses or if you’re really desperate you can type in mother of the bride dresses. Another group of sixth formers said they went to central London to find their prom dresses. They went to Topshop and other similar stores in London because the size of the stores there are generally bigger compared to the ones on your local high street. Furthermore, I want to remind you that there are many charity shops that exist, showcasing glamorous dresses. These gorgeous dresses come at affordable prices. One of my friends recently purchased the dress she desired at a charity shop. In addition, Tk max also has affordable dresses with big labels.
Finally, here are other ideas of what people are doing for prom. Some are incorporating limousine rentals as they would like to rock up in style. Others seem to be getting regular cars with their friends whom they would’ve got ready with. Quite a few are looking into hiring a professional makeup artist to help them glam out and are also looking to get their hair styled by a professional whilst others who are good at doing makeup are looking forward to the idea of doing it themselves as well as helping out friends. If you are doing hair and makeup by yourself, I would advise that you should do a test run where you attempt to adorn yourself in advance so no complications aris on the day.
Overall, things to include in your budget are:
-prom ticket price (usually expensive)
-dress price
-shoe price
-dress alterations (recommended by many to look more flattering)
-hair and makeup price
-afterparty dress
-vehicle
