Prom Dress Shopping Guide
Gone are the days where you need to spend over $500 on a prom dress. Many boutiques now carry gorgeous and affordable gowns for between $200 to $450. They key is to shop around. 
Simple, if they want a fall winter colours shop between September to December. If they want a light colours start in March.
Gone are the days where boutiques have to order their collections months in advance. At CityLux for example, we're buying inventory bi-weekly and with today's shipping speed, we can have these new styles on the floor in as quickly as 2 weeks. This means that we'll have new styles arriving right up until June.
This also means that you don't need to stress if you're not finding the perfect dress on your first shopping outing. We recommend following the boutiques' social media accounts so you can stay up to date with their new arrivals.
Also, if your daughter wanted a dark colour but you missed shopping during the winter, many boutiques can custom order a prom style in a darker colour, even if they only have the light colours in stock.
Arriving with an open mind is paramount. We strongly recommend bringing photo inspirations of the styles or colours your daughter is interested in, but also suggest allowing the sales associate to offer recommendations. This is crucial because every body shape is unique. A dress that looks appealing on a model may not necessarily complement your body shape. This is where the expertise of an experienced sales associate becomes invaluable. Our sales associates are adept at determining which styles will best accentuate your daughter's beautiful shape.
Another reason to let the sales associate make recommendations is because often, the prom gowns that look the worst hanging actually look the best when on. Here at CityLux, the majority of our prom clients come in with an idea of what they want but end up loving and leaving with one of our recommendations—a choice they would have never tried without our suggestion.
Make sure you eat before you go, and bring plenty of water and snacks to keep you energized throughout the day. We don't recommend waiting until you're starving to grab that midday shopping meal because when you're starving, you end up overeating and then end up feeling sleepy from all that food. A sleepy, grumpy teen is definitely no fun to shop with, so come prepared with light snacks throughout the day.
Don't cram too many stores into one day. We recommend a maximum of 2 to 4. Expect to spend at least an hour to an hour and a half at each location. Considering travel time, you can see why four locations per day is the maximum.
Be open-minded, and this doesn't just apply to your daughter. You, as the mom, also need to come in with an open mind. Sometimes, as parents, we're so excited about the experience we end up projecting our own fairytale prom dreams onto our daughters. Remember, this is their big day, and the most important thing is for them to feel beautiful in their own skin. So, even if you wanted a different style/colour dress, the most important factor of prom dress shopping is that your daughter feels comfortable, confident, and beautiful.
We've Got You Covered Moms! Here's Your Guide To Prom Dress Shopping In 2024
If you're reading this blog, you're probably a proud mom on a mission to help your daughter find the perfect prom dress. We know that finding the perfect prom gown can be as exciting as it can be overwhelming. That's why we're here to help make the experience as stress-free as possible!
1. How much should a prom dress cost?
2. When should we start shopping for prom dresses?
3. How do we know what style is going to look best?
4. How do you make prom dress shopping as stress free as possible?
Prom dress shopping is not for the weak! You're going to spend a whole day, if not days, going from store to store, trying on different styles. It's easy to get tired and frustrated, and with all the teenage hormones in full effect, it's not uncommon for tempers to flare when you're both hungry and tired. So, here's our list of tips and tricks to make it the best experience possible.
