Get Lucky on Prom Night

If I had daughters, there would be no way in hell that I would title a thread topic that way.

:laugh:

(ignoring the awkward title)

I graduated from high school a few years ago, and yes, full length is the most common type of dress, because the point of prom is to look classy and sophisticated -- that's difficult with really short dresses. However, with a few years of distance i've discovered that my prom dress choice really didn't matter all that much... It's not a wedding dress, you don't need to find "the one". Also, plenty of girls wear shorter dresses, or dresses that are shorter in the front/longer in the back. Don't let the perceived fashion trend keep your girl from getting a dress she likes.

Find something pretty and relax... she'll look gorgeous, and it'll go great.

I attend a military ball every year in a full length gown and I've never looked matronly. The last two years I actually ordered from eBay. You could try "rent the runway", "light in the box", or "celebrity dresses" as well.

I attend a military ball every year in a full length gown and I've never looked matronly. The last two years I actually ordered from eBay. You could try "rent the runway", "light in the box", or "celebrity dresses" as well.

I love Rent the Runway. Definitely recommend it!

I just graduated high school last year and all the girls in my class wore long dresses. Granted, we don't have "prom", we have a "ball" with the grad ceremony followed by a formal supper and the whole shabang.

I think prom is just like a big dance on a totally different night right? Anyways, I don't know how different proms are from what we have, but really,what's important is that she feels comfortable in the dress and won't be yanking at it all night to get it positioned right. But you CAN get really nice long dresses that don't look matronly at all.

I wore full length formal dresses to both of my proms. Better to have your daughter wearing too much instead of too little!

Thread did not deliver.

http://www.simplydresses.com/shop/viewitem-PD854266 This is where I got my gown, this link is to the dress I wore. I'd order from them again.

Well it will be 10 years this May since i've been to prom. I wore a long gown. I go to the Marine Corps ball every year and I have to wear a long gown. I found a really pretty one last year. I can't remember the website though. It was open back that had a halter that crossed across the back and the straps hooked back down under the arms. I'm not for short dresses for prom and stuff like that. I'd say more homecoming.

I gotta say: be glad.
My son went to proms last year, and the fashion for the girls -- at least in California -- was super high heels and super short skirts. Yikes !

Anyone here recently graduated or have daughters that will be attending prom soon? Mine needs a dress to attend TWO Proms and, my gosh, everything we find is ugly. Is the fashion this year really full length gowns? She insists it is, but they are so matronly and unflattering.
Any help whatsoever as to where you shop for such things will be appreciated.

For prom, most girls at many schools still wear full length gowns. It just depends on where you live. I live in the South and at my prom in 2006, just about every girl wore a full length dress, but some wore shorter dresses too. It's pretty much whatever you want as long as it's pretty and flattering and formal.

If you're only finding matronly, unflattering gowns you're clearly shopping at the wrong places! :laugh: I'm in law school right now and my school has a formal prom-like event each year called the Barrister's Ball. The attire is full length formal gowns for ladies. So just a month ago I had to find a gown for that. I had really good luck at a local designer outlet mall and a lot of the young women got their dresses from that same outlet mall too. So I would suggest checking out an outlet mall with a bunch of designer boutiques and higher-end places that has tons of nice dresses knocked way down. I got my dress from a BCBG outlet and everyone LOVED it. I paid only like $130 or something like that for it and it was knocked down from almost $300.

So yeah, I'd suggest checking out a designer outlet mall. Also, I actually posted a pic of that dress I described above on here, so if you want to see it to get an idea I can give you the link for where it is.

Good luck!

you could go vintage. check out vintage shops and find something timeless

this is a fantastic idea! also check consignment shops. really good quality stuff for a fraction of the price

You know, my whole life I used to wonder why ON EARTH anyone would want to buy a dress for a formal event at a thrift store or consignment shop. Every time I went into one, there were only like 3 or 4 dresses and they were all old, ugly, very used and abused looking, unfashionable, and VERY matronly.

I found out just a couple months ago that not all thrift stores and consignment shops are the same apparently! My friend who grew up in another state told me that the ones all around here where I've always lived are just really terrible ones and that she's seen some much better ones. So NOW I finally understand! :laugh:

Rent the Runway is amazing! check it out! way cheaper than buying a dress, it'll be gorgeous and designer, they send you 2 different styles (you pick) in 2 sizes each before your event! My sister did it for her last prom and she wore a gorgeous, unique, floor-length designer dress and looked incredible! I loved my prom dresses - a short strapless teal one from Betsey Johnson (jr prom) and a long light mocha-colored Greek Goddess-y dress with lace from BCBG (sr prom).

In my experience, junior prom = short dresses, and senior prom = long dresses. No hard-and-fast rules though; let her get what she likes.

Our daughter purchased her ball dress from David's Bridal.