That’s right ladies, we are only nine days away from the most anticipated night of the year… prom. For those of you who are procrastinating and still have yet to purchase a dress, do not get a short one and don’t plan to order one offline. Those of you who already have a short dress for prom, throw it out. Prom is a formal event, don’t treat it like homecoming.
There aren’t many occasions in life when you get to wear a long formal gown unless you either get married or someday become a runway model for a dress company. Not only are floor length prom dresses beautiful, but they also fit the venue.
Unlike homecoming, prom is at the Creighton ballroom. The setting is much classier than the Bellevue West North Gym.
All four years of high school you are able to attend homecoming which is a short dress event. Only when you are a junior or senior, unless you are invited by an upperclassman, are you able to wear a long dress. There are only two out of six dances during your high school career when wearing a floor length dress is acceptable, take advantage of it.
Cocktail dresses can be worn to almost any formal occasion, so when the opportunity of wearing a long dress comes around, don’t turn it down.
When looking for a prom dress it is important to do your research. I know that most of the dress websites tend to get a little pricy, but look anyway. You don’t have to buy the dress you like, just get a feel for what type you are looking for. Whether it be mermaid, flowing or even puffy, exploring your options online is helpful.
Though looking online for the style or even the color of your dress is a good idea, try to avoid purchasing dresses from the internet. On the screen it might look like the most glamorous dress you have ever laid eyes on, but when it is mailed to your house the color could not be as vibrant, the style just won’t look right on you, or the size could be wrong.
It is never a good idea to order a special occasion dress from online (especially so close to the date.) Most of the time the dress just isn’t up to par. So many things could go wrong. While you are waiting for the dress to arrive, there is always a possibly the wrong dress will come in or the order did not go through properly.
Sure, with a few clicks your prom dress could be on the way, but always do your best to actually go to a store and buy a dress. Who knows, the color you ordered could wash you out, or the measurements might not quite match up.
Be careful when choosing your prom dress. Remember, save the short dresses for homecoming. Also keep in mind all the risks when ordering online.
There’s nothing like waking up a few days before prom and realizing the zipper just won’t zip.
Ashley Quinetla
West Wind Features Editor and Hitting the Runway Blogger
