5 Tips to choose the perfect prom dress

How cool would it be if you walked into a store and there was a devise that scanned your body, and instantly produced 10 prom dresses to choose from that would not only fit you perfectly but would also look stunning! You could walk out of the store 10 minutes later with the purchase in hand, and everyone around you happy. Sounds like a dream right? Well this is how dresses are sized and produced in my story Destiny's Flower. I dreamt that up after having to shop for a specific function I was attending.

So, let's face it, in real life things take time and effort. Here are 5 tips then that will hopefully save you some headache as you set out to find that elusive perfect dress.

1. Budget

Start by setting clear expectations with your parents, if they're the ones that will need to pay up for your dress. Ask them how much they are willing to spend? Negotiate if there is any wiggle room, maybe offer to do more chores etc at home, but then stick to your promises. If you don't then in the future you won't have any power to negotiate with. The benefit of knowing exactly how much you can spend is that it will help keep expectations in tact when you walk into the store, and keep you from building up hopes and then having them crashed once you look at the price tag. Your budget will also dictate where you'll be able to shop i.e. the mall or the thrift store. Don't balk at thrift store shopping, since prom dresses are usually only wore once, you can find some really good stuff there, if you're willing to look.

2. Dress size and type

If you don't know your dress size or what type of dress looks best with your body type, then do a little bit of research ahead of time. Knowing this ahead of time can potentially rule out hours of trying something on just to find that it doesn't look good on you. There are a lot of good articles about body type out there, so take a little bit of time to figure out if you're a pear, wedge, rectangle, apple, or hourglass. Everyone wants to be hourglass, but reality doesn't always conform to our wishes. Once you know your body type, you can determine which dress style fits you best. Me? I only wear princess style dresses that accentuates the bust and flares out at the waist, because I'm an apple.

3. Leave dads, brothers, boyfriends, and any picky friends at home

Although they mean well in wanting to be supportive, having them along will only put undue stress on yourself. Men generally are not used to shopping. They will want to buy the first dress you put on, and they will always agree with your opinion in fear of saying something wrong. After you try on the third or fourth dress, they'll be ready to go home. This will cause you to want to make a quick rapid decision, which may mean you will settle for less than you deserve. Now not all men are like that, but every man I know personally would rather stay home and cook dinner before going shopping with me. As for picky friends, the problem is that nothing you try on will be good enough for them. So even though you love that one dress that they tore apart with scathing remarks, you will feel super awkward to then have to defend yourself to buy it. I recommend only taking one or two people with you, who have your best interest at heart, and is supportive. But most of all that don't get bored after you tried on the tenth dress.

4. Online vs In Store

These days with every chain store out there having a website front store, it can be very tempting to just buy a prom dress online. Warning here! I would only do that if you knew the following: (1) your size, (2) body type, (3) dress type, (4) color, and (5) if you have at least 4 weeks time. Shopping online only saves time and effort if you know what you're looking for, or if you're willing to buy multiple dresses with the intention of returning those you wont wear. This can be very expensive investment up front. I highly recommend rather buying a prom dress in the store, especially if you're not too sure about your size, type, color and especially if you're short on time. Now, I do advocate for doing your research online first and maybe narrowing down your options. Then when you get to the store you can try them on to see how they fit. You can still go home and buy it online, especially if the price is cheaper but now at least you know that its the dress you want.

5. Have Fun!

It's not everyday that you go out to buy a prom dress. Plan on it taking an entire day, and make it a special occasion with say your mom and your best friend. That way you get to enjoy prom as well as enjoy getting ready for it.

Best of luck to you in your dress hunt! Please send me some pictures of any dresses that you buy! I'd love to see what you find.

Linda