Prom Prep

If you’re a girl and you’re like me, preparing for a formal dance is almost as much fun as the dance itself! From going shopping for a beautiful gown to doing my makeup the day of, I find it all to be enjoyable rather than stressful, as long as I have plenty of time for it all! Let’s get into some pointers on how to have a good time getting ready with your friends for one of the biggest events of the year.

The dress is one of the most important and exciting things about prom and its preparation. I think many girls start shopping early on in the year, while there’s plenty of time to find the right gown and get alterations done if needed. Personally, I like shopping in person more than seriously looking online for something. I like to see the dresses in real life, try them on, making a day of it with the girls. I know there are girls who think trying clothes on is tedious and it wears them out, so for some, shopping online might be just for them. However, I think going out makes it more fun and memorable.

Picking out a dress might seem intimidating with all the options out there, or you may know exactly what you want and just need to find it in the right size, but either way, you probably have at least somewhat of an idea of what you want- or don’t want. When I shop for dresses, I look for colors that I think look good on me and I like, styles that fit my idea of modest, and for whatever sticks out to me, usually all within a reasonable price range. For example, I will probably skim over orange and yellow dresses because I don’t like those colors too well, check the backs of dresses to see if they are open or not, and ignore the ones with the weird-looking corset-style lines in the front. Maybe all three of these details are totally your thing, though, so don’t take this as a fashion don’t list! It’s just a reminder to look for what you like and will be comfortable in, not what’s “in” right now just because it’s trendy. What might look good on one person won’t necessarily look good on another. (And remember that although this is a special occasion, no one probably wants to go broke on a dress you might only wear once in your life!)

Communication is very important when making plans with friends. It’s a good idea to have a set plan well before the day of your big event so that everyone is on the same page and things go as smoothly as possible. I will break down the details for you so it won’t seem so overwhelming.

Buy tickets if you need to, and keep them safe.

Make appointments plenty ahead of time for nails, hair, alterations to the dress, and makeup if you’re going to have any of that done professionally, and order corsages/boutonnieres at least a couple weeks ahead. Be sure to make these appointments for early enough in the day of the event so that you’re not rushing too badly later on when it’s getting close to the time of the dance.

Shop for the dress, shoes, and accessories. Have an idea of what you want to look like on prom night. How do you want your hair? What color nails will go with the dress? What kind of jewelry do you already have or might want to look for? What undergarments will be fitting with the dress?

Make arrangements for where photos are being taken and what time, where you and your friends are meeting if you’re meeting up with friends, when, what, and where you’re eating for dinner, what time you want to get to the location of the event, and anything else that you need to agree upon with your group. Having a group chat over text is a good idea if you’re doing anything with a group.

A few other things to keep in mind is the weather the day of the event, whether or not you’ll need money for parking, how long it will take to get to the event venue, and what the theme of the dance will be.

I hope there were some helpful tips in here for you. Here are just a few more before you go: Be sure to get good sleep the night before prom day, eat well so you’ll have energy by the time the actual dance rolls around, relax and stop stressing, and just have a good time and dance!