"I want to go to prom but I can't afford a dress!" Helpful hints from the ThriftyFun community. If you have advice on frugal ways to get a prom dress, please post them below.
Note: Please do not post requests for buying or selling specific dresses here. Ebay, craigslist and freecycle are good sites in which to post that information.
if you know any one who sews it is very inexpensive to make one, you can find patterns at wal-mart or any where fabric is sold, I am trying to start a business making wedding gowns and prom/bridesmaid dresses, home made is better anyway because it is a custom fit to your measurements. email me if ican help you in anyway jencastell @ mail.com
For economy you might think about a gown that is shorter - like the one Helen Mirren wore at the Oscars & show off your legs! It has the advantage of probably being a dress you could wear again sometime...Some here mentioned the 15dollar clothing site online & I looked & they had nice short formal dresses for $15 - so you could then focus on your hair and accessories - borrowing from your elders - an evening purse, a wrap & getting Payless shoes that look like designer ones -Luckily vintage is in style -so if your grandmother has rhinestones in her jewelry box, bring them out. I think all those slip dresses are boring, anyway. And can't be worn again for anything....
our local dry cleaners does a service for this, people donate the dresses, and the cleaners have a thing for girls who sign up to choose one. Check with South Bend Indiana Zykers cleaners and see if they can maybe persuade a cleaner in your area to do the same? They get publicity on TV and help kids who dont have the money to buy a new dress.
Check on Ebay,my Sister got a couple of Bride's maid dresses that had actually been Prom dresses for only 97 cents each!!!!! If we knew your size,the style you are looking for,and your favorite color would help people reading this too. Maybe somebody has one that they would be good enough to just send to you for the cost of postage,or kind enough to just send to you. Good luck
Ebay also has some beautiful dresses at very inexpensive prices. You can even go to the department stores and try on different brands to see what size you need in a specific brand, then search ebay by brand and size. Or just browse by size on ebay!
One of the best places to look, besides want adds, would be thrift stores like Salvation Army or Goodwill. Not everything they get is in the best quality, but if you look around, and keep checking back, often times people will donate things that just don't wear anymore. Even if you find something thats a bit "outdated" you could always get someone from the high school sewing class or a family member/friend to alter it a bit for you.
Ugly bows on the shoulder or sleeves leave something to be desired? Snip it off from just below the shoulders, hem it a bit, and wear it as a strapless :p
Have you tried freecycle? It's a free site where people give things away they no longer need or want or they request items. Type in freecycle on your computer and see what comes up. There may be a site near you. I hope this helps. Good luck and believe...it will happen.
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Archives:
Request: Looking for Inexpensive Prom Dresses
Archived on 03/01/2007
Hello, I am a mother with three daughters, two of which are in High School. I am looking for ways to find inexpensive Prom dresses for them.
Thanks,
Marianne
Answers:
RE: Looking for Inexpensive Prom Dresses
You can try calling around to outlet wedding places or just regular wedding gown places and ask be fore going and they usually have cheaper dresses there to buy you can use for prom and such.
Try outlet mall in your search engine and try that, I have found a lot of outlet malls here in Wisconsin that have been very helpful, for my future daughter in law and they had a lot of wedding and other dresses there too. (02/20/2003)
We have had excellent luck at 2nd hand shops and consignments. Also cousins at a different school might have friends your size who would like to swap for an event. If you plan way ahead you can pick up beautiful gowns at garage sales.
(02/25/2003)
My cousin finished high school a couple years before I did and I ended up with four or five formals from her (it was helpful that she went to school in another city). When I was done with them I didn't have anybody to pass them on to that would fit them so I dropped them off at GoodWill. I know some people turn their noses up at the idea of getting special occassion wear from there, but it's a great place to find 'diamonds in the rough.' *grin*
When I was getting ready to leave for college my mom and I went formal shopping at a bridal outlet. I purchased a dress that went along with my sense of style and what would work with my body, but was also going to be able to stand 4+ years of fashion. I went a little conservative so I didn't have to worry about the season or the occassion. I think I spent a total of $80 on that gown, but it was well worth it.
This might also be a great opportunity for your girls to learn how to make their own clothing. Wish I had pursued it after home ec myself, would have made my current shirt adventure a little easier. *lol*
Hope this helps! (02/28/2003)
Depending upon the city in which you live, there is The Princess Project, designed for just this situation.
(weblink)http://www.princessproject.org/(/weblink)
Contact this organization to see if they are aware of things like this in your area. (04/01/2003)
Hi Nichelle
You may want to tell her about Becca's Closet. They have two New York chapters. None appear to be near Brooklyn but maybe they could let her know about something closer.
http://www.beccascloset.org/pendchapters.html (05/17/2004)
Estelles has a great selection at great prices (03/03/2005)
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RE: Looking for Inexpensive Prom Dresses
I got mine at Macy's, on clearance, for $17. Had a small thread loose in the side, I sewed it and it was fine! (Original price of the dress was $280) (05/01/2006)
