FashBlog.com

By Christina VanGinkel

Prom season is upon us, and most girls already have their dress picked out, ordered, and in hand. On occasion though, someone may make a last minute decision to go to prom, when for weeks that have been sure that they were not going. Now, the clock has wound down so much there is no time for the traditional means of ordering and buying one. What is a girl to do if she finds herself in such a predicament? First, have faith in her self that she will be able to find one! Then, ask for help from friends and family.

Call around to girls or the parents of girls who have gone to prom in the past few years, especially those who are no longer in high school. Fashions for dresses vary from year to year, but in the past few years, the styles have been so wide-ranging, that wearing something that was picked out two, three, even four years ago, has a good chance of still being stylish.

If you do not know of anybody that has been to the prom, try to remember if you know of anyone who has recently stood up as a bridesmaid in a wedding. Not all bridesmaid dresses are as horrible looking as they once were. As people have become more prudent about the money they spend on such things, oftentimes a dress style is chosen that will allow the girls standing up in the wedding the opportunity to wear the dresses elsewhere.

Do check with all the regular stores that sell prom dresses. They might have a few on the rack dresses left, or a return, or a dress that was ordered and never picked up. All of these scenarios and others do happen more than you might realize. You can often get them at a discount too, because once prom season is done, the value of the dress is going to plummet. The advantage of possibly finding one in this manner is that if the store has an in house tailor and some minor alterations are needed, they can usually do them for you, even if time is short.

Second hand stores are also good places to check for second hand prom dresses. If you happen to live in a large city, or even in an area where several smaller towns are located close together, chances that you will choose something that would be recognized by the previous owner are almost none. If this is a worry, consider how you might alter any dress you do find to make it a bit more personalized. A wrap or shawl over the dress might be enough to give the outfit a totally new look. If you know someone that is good at sewing, and if they are willing, bring them along with you when you shop, and they might be able to lend you some ideas on how to alter a used dress to make it a unique, one of a kind creation. With their help, you might just end up with the most stylish dress ever!

Check the ads in any penny saver newspapers that you receive. At this time of year, many people list those that they want to get rid of, in hopes that someone might be looking for a good, last minute deal on one.

Once you find a dress to wear, pick up a pair of new shoes, add some flashy jewelry, get your hair all done up, pin a corsage on, and go have some fun! Prom only comes a few times in your life, so missing it because you have not found the perfect dress is just not an option. You can try each of these suggestions, or even wear the same dress you wore last year if all else fails. Finding a prom dress at the last minute can be a trial, there is no doubt about that, but if the size is right, the style is not too far of a reach, and the color is becoming to you, go for it. You are going to be having so much fun at the prom, what you are wearing is not going to seem as all-important as you might think.