When it comes to prom dresses, the price of these gorgeous gowns can range from moderate to fairly expensive. And while everyone wants to look and feel their best on their big night, sometimes it’s necessary to find a stylish gown while on a budget.
Our article helps you understand where to find an affordable prom dress and what you might expect to pay for a prom dress and alterations, so you know how to get your dream dress even on a budget.
Where Can I Find an Affordable Prom Dress?
Even though it may seem impossible at first to find an affordable prom dress, all it takes is a little bit of searching and careful planning. Affordable prom dresses are found in many different places (including from top designers, like Sherri Hill), and your search for a stylish prom dress that’s lower priced might take you to:
- A thrift store
- A consignment or second-hand dress shop
- An online prom dress store
- A department store, such as Macy’s
All of these places and more hold a range of prom dresses for every budget, and you may easily be able to find an affordable prom dress at these locations.
We recommend keeping an open mind when searching for your prom dress, as you may often be able to find a cheaper dress that is one or two sizes too big or one that doesn’t have the exact embellishments you want. If the price is in your budget, purchase the dress and then obtain some affordable alterations to help bring the dress up to your vision.
Oftentimes, finding a cheaper dress and altering it is cheaper than buying the exact prom dress of your dreams outright.
What Can I Expect to Spend on a Prom Dress?
It’s important to know what the average prom dress price is, as this will help you tailor your budget accordingly. In general, prom dresses will cost between $200 and $500, with dresses that have more layers of fabric, such as a ball gown, or dresses with lots of embellishments, like ones with sequins and lace, typically costing more.
If you are shopping on a budget, it’s a good idea to browse clearance racks and sales at boutique stores first, as you are more likely to find the perfect dress within your budget. Online stores also provide an easy way for you to filter search results by price, so you only look at the prom dresses that are affordable for you.
Do I Need to Budget for Prom Dress Alterations?
Prom dress alterations are an important part of making your dress the perfect outfit, but you may not need alterations depending on the dress you buy. On average, you may want to put around a hundred dollars aside for potential prom dress alterations, possibly more if you find a very cheap dress that you want to spruce up with alterations to transform into your dream dress.
Speak with a reputable tailor or prom dress alterations store to find out more about pricing so you can calculate your dress budget accordingly.
What’s the Best Way to Find an Affordable Prom Dress?
The best way to find an affordable prom dress is to start looking well ahead of prom and to keep an open mind. Sometimes, it can be harder to find the exact dress you want when shopping on a budget, so leaving yourself plenty of time to find your dream dress takes the stress out of this situation.
You should also filter any online search results by price so you can review dresses that are in your price range and keep an open mind about the dresses you find.
Even if a dress isn’t exactly what you want, it might have most of the features you are looking for – the rest can be added through alterations, and this might be the best way to find an affordable prom dress if you find a prom dress that is reasonably priced.
Keeping Your Style Under Budget
Prom dress shopping can be expensive, and if you’re working with a budget, you might be worried that you won’t find the perfect prom dress. However, there are plenty of affordable prom dresses out there in places such as thrift stores or online boutiques that are suitable for prom and many other formal occasions.
Simply keep an open mind when shopping for an affordable prom dress and don’t be afraid to buy a cheap dress and spruce it up with alterations to make it the affordable prom dress of your dreams.
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