If you read our last article about upcoming senior events, you may have noticed the event section happening from April 24-26: prom weekend! It may seem far away, but it is almost mid-March. And with possible college decisions releasing or intense schedules, it may sneak up on you faster than you had anticipated. An event for both seniors and juniors, prom is meant to be a time filled with fun, flowers, and unforgettable memories. But, before you get there, you may encounter some stressful obstacles, like figuring out plans, groups, and outfits. Even worse, this is all during a time where you may be thinking about upcoming finals, SATs, and AP exams! While we can’t help you study for those (though, we wish you luck…), what we can do is help guide the way through finding your perfect prom fit. No matter how long it takes, it’s important to find an outfit that makes you feel confident. So, here is a compiled list of the places that you can shop for prom, including dresses, shoes, jewelry, makeup, and all:

Revolve: First up is Revolve, an online website filled with thousands of dresses to choose from. Revolve has a multitude of designers, styles, and colors, meaning there are plenty of options to search and consider. To make sure you find what you are looking for, make sure to click on the dresses section and carefully select long dresses. If you want to make the search even more narrow, Revolve created a specific “Prom Dress” section to include dresses that they characterize as being well-suited for prom. Though this is a helpful feature, it is often easiest to just search through the broader “Long Dress” category in order to fully view all options. It also has a great range in pricing, which can easily be managed through the sorting filters. So, while you may see some dresses with scary price tags, it is important to search through everything, as there are dresses that range from less than $100 to over $1000. With quick shipping and easy returns, Revolve provides an outlet to look through numerous dresses without having to leave the comfort of your home. Additionally, even though an in-person prom shop is better for quick try-ons, online shopping allows you to explore styles of dresses you may not even have considered, so it is important to keep an open mind. Overall, Revolve is a great option for everyone looking for a dress, and it should definitely be on your list!

In addition to Revolve, there are plenty of other online shopping sites to look for prom dresses. These include Lulus, Hello Molly, Princess Polly, ShowPo, BabyBoo, Lucy in the Sky, Oh Polly, Meshki, etc. Similar to Revolve, these online websites offer vast styles, prices, and colors while having sorting filters to make the search process easier. Whether you are going for a more traditional prom dress or for the recently popular “Easter” prom dress, surely one of these sites will have what you’re looking for. Even if you don’t find the dress you want, searching different websites will help you to at least figure out exactly what it is you are looking for. However, before placing an order on a website, be sure to check their return policy. A major con of online shopping is that the items may not fit correctly or look the way you thought they would. In this case, it is important to know that you can return it and get your money back.

So, if you are looking to avoid the scare of online shopping, there’s plenty of places to go in Charleston! Firstly, Ash and T’s Formal Shop has hundreds of dresses to try on. They have a large collection of the more “traditional” prom dresses, which you may not find as many online. You could also go to Showroom in Mount Pleasant, or you can try your luck at different boutiques. Providing more of what’s considered an “Easter” prom dress, boutiques across town will often have maxi dresses that you will love for prom. Some of these boutiques include DFTI, Sloane Boutique, Two Cumberland, Mix, Copper Penny, etc. 

Next up are the accessories! Although it’s everywhere, jewelry that feels fitted to you can be hard to find. However, there are multiple places you can look. If you are looking to shop online, you’ve most likely heard about Evry Jewels or have seen their advertisements on Instagram or TikTok. For cheap prices and cute styles, Evry Jewels has pieces for prices as low as 4$! Though it’s on the pricier side, Hart—located in downtown Charleston on King Street— is a great option for cute charms, ropes (for necklaces or bracelets), and plenty of other unique and cute jewelry pieces. If neither of those appeal to you, practically any boutique in downtown Charleston will have jewelry. It’s always nice to shop local! Or, you can try your luck on Instagram or Amazon, there’s always small businesses selling through those vendors. 

Lastly, shoes are important for the night of prom. The most important aspect, perhaps, is the comfortability of your shoes. Whether it’s heels, flats, or some other sort of shoe, it is important that you can stand, walk, and dance in them all night long. Amazon is great for a last minute pick, however it’s hard to determine how comfortable shoes will be before trying them on. So, it may be easier to go to the Outlets, Charleston Shoe Company, Belk, or Dillards, to search for different shoes with various brands.

In conclusion, these stores and websites are all good starting points for looking for your dress and accessories. They’re popular for a reason, as they have all proven to provide people with products they love. Yet, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where it comes from, just that you love it! Prom is as fun as you make it, so be open to planning pictures or dinner with your friends and just letting yourself enjoy it. It is also not even close to the most important thing in the world, so don’t stress too much. Just let this article be a guide for if you have not started looking yet, and make sure to do your own searching as well. Good luck!