When to Start Shopping for My Prom Dress

One of the biggest keys for prom dress shopping is timing when you buy your dress! You need to give yourself time not only to shop around so you find the perfect dress, but you need to allot time to alter your dress if you need to and find accessories to finish the look. 

In our opinion, it’s tough to start shopping too early, but very easy to start too late! You’ll want at least 3-4 months to shop around, but it can never hurt to start sooner if you want to. Starting shopping early has plenty of benefits: you know you’ll be able to find a dress you really love, and you won’t run into any issues of falling in love with a dress only to find out one of your friends already bought the same one. 

Ready to start shopping but unsure what you’re looking for or how to start your search for the perfect prom dress? Don’t worry: we’ll share our best tips for shopping so you show up ready to find the dress of your dreams. 

1. Dress comfortably! When you’re changing frequently, you’ll get frustrated if your outfit is tough to get in and out of. Another thing to consider when getting ready in the morning? Bring a strapless bra. You’ll have a better idea of what the dress looks like when you’re wearing the right undergarments!
2. Don’t try on dresses out of your budget. The last thing you want is to try on a dress, fall in love, then not be able to wear it. You’ll end up comparing other dresses to one you can’t have, and it will make shopping that much harder. 
3. Browse a little online first! You might find you like a certain dress online, and this can help make shopping in person a bit easier. 
4. Keep your school dress code in mind! We get it—the dress code can be a real buzzkill, especially when it comes to some of the trendiest looks; however, there’s no point in buying a dress for a dance if it means you won’t even get in the door! Think of whether or not you can make temporary changes for the dance (safety pinning your slit a bit lower, adding a jacket, etc) before choosing a dress you know administration won’t be thrilled about.