Prom is one of the highlights of high school. For many, it not only caps off the school year, but it’s an event they’ll look back on fondly for decades. Of course, that means some people feel a lot of pressure to have the prom of their dreams: a perfect prom date, perfect photos, and obviously the perfect outfit.
While having fun with your best friends is more important than being perfect, you probably do want to choose a great dress that you love so that you’re feeling confident and comfortable while you dance the night away. That means that you want to start searching early.
So, when do prom dresses start hitting the shelves? And how soon should you start shopping? We’ll walk you through the process, whether you’re shopping for yourself or your child.
When Do Prom Dresses Come Out In-Store and Online?
Prom season officially starts in May and goes through June. This is when most schools are hosting the event at the end of the school year. Waiting until a week or two before your prom to start looking for your dress might be a big mistake. If you have your heart set on a specific popular style, or if you wear one of the most common sizes, there’s a risk that it may sell out.
By starting your search early, you can take your time and avoid having to settle for something that you don’t really love or that doesn’t fit properly. You can start your search as soon as the new collections drop.
Online
Many brands and designers will post their latest prom collections pretty early. Often, they will start posting new items just a couple of months after the previous prom season, so around the start of the new school year. This means you can start scoping out your options pretty early. We love the extensive collection of prom dresses that Sherri Hill showcases on their site each year.
Prom dresses and other formal dresses tend to have multiple layers and different structures from everyday clothes, so it may be tempting to just order something online, but trying things on in person is really important. You can often search a brand’s site to find the store closest to you that has designs you like.
In-Store
Shopping in-store can help remove a lot of doubt. Online photos aren’t always completely color accurate, and models can sometimes have dresses clipped to fit them in the most flattering way.
While it can feel like a hassle, getting to a store and trying on a variety of options helps you narrow things down pretty quickly. You can make a day of it by taking some friends along and modeling styles for each other.
The latest prom styles can start arriving in stores as early as October, with most stores having their full selection by December or January. That gives you plenty of time to start looking for the perfect dress.
How Early Should You Buy a Prom Dress?
When you’re in your teens, your body is still growing and changing. Even into your early twenties, maturing still happens. That means that over the space of a couple of months, you can get taller, your cup size can increase, and you can even go up a shoe size! Usually, by the time you’re in your late teens, those changes have slowed down, but can still occur in minor ways.
You can pretty safely buy your prom dress a couple of months in advance. However, you may want to do another try-on about a month before your prom, especially if you sense some physical changes. If your dress doesn’t fit perfectly, this gives you time to get it altered. Many local dry cleaners offer tailoring and alteration services, but they may need a couple of weeks notice.
Be Prepared: When Do Prom Dresses Come Out?
You might feel pressure to have the perfect prom, so it may feel like you have a lot on your plate. Choosing the right dress, however, doesn’t have to be stressful. You can start browsing online collections in the fall and use the winter to take your time trying on dresses and choosing your favorite.
At the end of the day, prom should be a celebration. So have fun and enjoy the preparations as much as the day itself.
