One of the most special times in a young woman's life is shopping for the perfect prom dress. Whether she does it with her mom, a sister, or her best girlfriend, it's something she'll remember for years to come. Even assuming she knows what color she is looking for, it can still be a daunting process with the multitude of choices of designers and stores.
Prom Dress Designers
Prom dress designers don't just design the ultimate in high school dance attire; they usually design dresses for all types of different formal wear, including pageants and weddings. The following are the top designers of prom dresses.
- Jovani - This designer's couture is well-known by younger female celebrities. Jovani designs are popular with everyone from Katy Perry to Carrie Underwood to Taylor Swift.
- Alyce Designs - French-born Alyce Hamm began the internationally-successful company in 1967 with her brother. Their name is now attached to very colorful eye-popping designs that aren't meant for more demure girls.
- Morilee by Madeline Gardner - Madeline Gardner has been designing dresses throughout most of her life, even before she attended The Fashion Institute of New York City. Her designs often feature sequins and rhinestones for a look of pure elegance.
- Faviana - Principal designer, Shala Moradi, claims "Our customer likes to stand out from the crowd." The Faviana designs include a line inspired by celebrities, including Jennifer Aniston and Kim Kardashian.
- Tony Bowls - Tony's dresses have appeared in the Miss America Pageant, Miss USA Pageant, The Price Is Right, and Wheel of Fortune. These dresses are the ultimate in opulence with hand beading, Swarovski crystals, and sequins.
- Sherri Hill - For many teens, Hill the "go-to" designer. Miss America and Miss USA winners have worn her gowns, as well as Carrie Underwood, Martina McBride, and Kate Gosselin.
Where to Buy Prom Dresses Locally and Online
Now that you know what designers you're looking for, where can you find them? Prom designs are big business in the spring with stores showcasing them and holding special sales. If you're looking for the perfect dress close to home, try local formal wear and bridal stores, local young women's clothing stores, such as Deb, or department stores, such as Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, or Kohl's.
If your local search for a prom dress comes up short, the Internet is filled with online stores that sell designer dresses and cheaper ones as well. If you're a hard-to-fit size, shopping online might not be the best option for you.
- Prom Girl is a great place to start. It's like an online warehouse for prom dresses. They have every price from dresses under $50 to dresses over $500. They have them in every style from ball gown to short or sleek-fitted.
- Prom Dress Shop is very similar to Prom Girl, as it also has every dress imaginable. It's main selling point is that it has 10,000 dresses ready to ship out. However, it's also higher-priced with designers such as Jovani, Sherri Hill, and Tony Bowls.
If you still haven't found the prom dress of your dreams, try one of these other online dress shops:
A Dress for Everyone
With all the shopping choices that exist for prom dresses, everyone, no matter their style, size, or available funds, should be able to find a dress they like. There's no reason to feel discouraged if you don't find what you want locally, as there are plenty of online options. However, because sizing can differ from designer to designer, it's a good idea to start your search early enough so that you have time to return the dress should it not fit.
