How early to buy a prom dress?

[ADisneyQueen]

DD17 and I went to a big gown store yesterday and I was amazed at the number of girls buying prom gowns so early. Around here our proms are in early or mid May. The store we were in cannot order a gown for you, they only sell what they have in stock. I'm curious if buying a dress 3-4 mos early is common around the country?

 

[mjkacmom]

Dd17 has been looking for a month or so, but taking her to a store today that carries the dress she thinks she wants (and they can order it for her). She's been driving me nuts! Apparently, she has to post it to social media so no one else can get the same dress... Prom is in June. I wish she would just wear the one she wore to her boyfriend's prom last year.

 

[lauradis]

DD17 and I went to a big gown store yesterday and I was amazed at the number of girls buying prom gowns so early. Around here our proms are in early or mid May. The store we were in cannot order a gown for you, they only sell what they have in stock. I'm curious if buying a dress 3-4 mos early is common around the country?

We started looking just after xmas so ya, it not to early. One dd got hers off the rack. other dd ordered hers from different catalogs, long story.

Think of it this way get the expense out of the way and now you have time to shop for the perfect shoes and jewelry.

 

[JillyBean1899]

DD17 and I went to a big gown store yesterday and I was amazed at the number of girls buying prom gowns so early. Around here our proms are in early or mid May. The store we were in cannot order a gown for you, they only sell what they have in stock. I'm curious if buying a dress 3-4 mos early is common around the country?

There are 2 concerns I would have with buying a dress early.

#1. Has the dress code for the event been released? It would be awful to but a wonderful dress only to learn 2 months later that she can't wear it because it's strapless, or they decided that ankles can't be showing, or <insert random dress code rule here>.

#2. Weight gain/body development. What happens if you buy the dress now and in 4 months she gains 20 lbs or grows a size up top (and yeah, that happened to one of the girls at my high school)?

It's a fine balance between shopping early enough to have enough selection and waiting long enough to make sure the dress will work while still having choices available.

 

[dislaney]

We started shopping in January/February for prom dresses. Gives you time if you need to order a dress, alterations, etc.

 

[powellrj]

we have been looking now. Our reason is because she is a senior and it will just get crazier the closer we get to graduation. The weekends are already filling up. She has an acceptance weekend at her college in march and long with a trip to florida so that only leaves 1 weekend open in march. Not sure when prom is this year, but some years its in april and she has a retreat the first weekend in april, so thats another weekend gone. She also works so that fills up weekends and then there are all the senior things, it seems every activity she is in has an outing to Kings Island or someplace like that.

When you start to add it up, prom will be here soon. They don't have a football team, so homecoming is during basketball. Homecoming was last weekend and she was up for homecoming queen and lucky we had bought her dress over black friday because between the weather and everything she had going on, I am not sure we would have had any other time to shop and it worked out well. She looked cute and the dress was prefect off the rack!

 

[Allison]

It's common here. Many girls have their dresses already. Many stores won't sell the same dress to 2 girls at the same school so to get your pick, you should shop early.

 

[NewRVLady]

My good friend works at one of the 2 big Wedding/Prom Dress stores here
There is a list
once a certain dress is sold its on the list and they will not sell to another girl going to that prom-even in another color!
(each of the stores carries different lines of dresses)

 

[clh2]

In my neck of the woods, the bridal stores order the dresses in, and you are limited to what is in stock. You don't order them.

So "in my experience with DD". The selection is best at this time of year, AND the dresses have been tried on less, and are in better shape.

The longer you wait, the selection is at its best, and the dresses are just in better shape.

I had such a great time with DD and prom dress shopping. We went on a Monday night at the end of February. We were the only ones shopping for prom dresses that night. It was like having our own personal shopping assistant. In about 1.5 hours, DD was able to try on about 12 dresses. There is no way that would have happened if we were shopping on a weekend.

Have fun!

 

[acebatonfan]

My good friend works at one of the 2 big Wedding/Prom Dress stores here
There is a list
once a certain dress is sold its on the list and they will not sell to another girl going to that prom-even in another color!
(each of the stores carries different lines of dresses)

I just have to laugh at all the ridiculousness associated with prom. Since when was wearing a similar dress such a crisis?

I think my parents are happy that I am saving $500+ by not going to mine.

 

[clh2]

My good friend works at one of the 2 big Wedding/Prom Dress stores here
There is a list
once a certain dress is sold its on the list and they will not sell to another girl going to that prom-even in another color!
(each of the stores carries different lines of dresses)

There is never a guarantee that two of the same dresses won't be at the same prom. Girls from our area shop for dresses in our local town, in a town about 50 miles to the north, in the Milwaukee, Madison, Rockford and Chicago areas.

One of DD's friends had someone show up in the same dress. They actually had a lot of fun with the situation. They looked at it as a "double the trouble, double the fun" situation. And no, they weren't friends beforehand.

 

[bittybabygrower]

DD is ordering hers today from promgirl.com . The drama advisor does alterations for the girls for $25

 

[powellrj]

I know last year DD posted pictures on twitter of her dress as soon as she got it. She saw pictures of it at other proms, but nobody wore it at hers.

 

[okeydokey]

Funny, the ads for this page are for prom gowns!

My DD and her friends are shopping and buying now. We got two for my DD on clearance at JC Penny last month, full length. One was $24 and one was $37. She is wearing one and lending the other to a friend. She may or may not want to wear that one herself next year, but for that price, I was glad to get both.

 

[NewmanFamily6]

We bought our oldest DD's dress today. It was more expensive than I had anticipated but she loved it. I was actually surprised at how little time it took for her to choose a dress.

 

[Allison]

Funny, the ads for this page are for prom gowns!

My DD and her friends are shopping and buying now. We got two for my DD on clearance at JC Penny last month, full length. One was $24 and one was $37. She is wearing one and lending the other to a friend. She may or may not want to wear that one herself next year, but for that price, I was glad to get both.

Not a coincidence. The ads are for prom dresses because of the discussion is about prom dresses.

 

[njmom47]

Yes and they will take your dress off the "available" list for your school.
Most of the girls at dd and ds's high school seem to buy their dresses at boutiques and/or bridal shops in our area.

ETA DD#2 went to 4 proms. She borrowed dresses for 2 of them, and the other 2 were her "perfect" dress. The one she wore for her Senior Prom was absolutely unique and simply stunning on her (even if it did cost almost $400 ).

 

[okeydokey]

Not a coincidence. The ads are for prom dresses because of the discussion is about prom dresses.

Yes I know, I just find it funny.

 

[toystory1130]

I think it's crazy that a shop would not sell a dress to someone just because another girl would be there with the same dress??? Who cares! In 50 years does it really matter?? NOT.

 

[scrapquitler]

DD17 and I went to a big gown store yesterday and I was amazed at the number of girls buying prom gowns so early. Around here our proms are in early or mid May. The store we were in cannot order a gown for you, they only sell what they have in stock. I'm curious if buying a dress 3-4 mos early is common around the country?

Well by buying early, you can get a bigger selection (here the shops keep track, and won't sell two of the same dress for the same prom) because once a dress is sold, they don't reorder it.

And if you need alterations, it's easier to get them done early rather than at the last moment.