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I know that prom is coming up for those of you that are still in high school, and for those of you that aren't perhaps there is a sorority or other formal event that you need to dress up for. I know that these events can be pretty cruel to your wallet, so I wanted to share my two cents worth of advice on this subject. In a nutshell:
Don't discount thrift/consignment/vintage stores for your formal attire needs!
We all know that you can find a great deal on every day clothes at these types of stores, so why would you not be able to find a formal dress? I went to prom 3 out of my 4 years in high school, and I wore vintage dresses the first two years.
Here's my dress from sophomore year:
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| The dress was a layer of lace with sequins sewn on top in a pattern like a heartbeat on an EKG monitor. Super cool! I decided to edge up my look with the chain necklace, enormous earings, and silver clutch also from the same vintage store. I tried to find jewelry I'd use for everyday as well as this special occasion. Gotta get more bang for your buck. The shoes I picked up from Nordstrom's Rack, which is also a great place to find some designer steals! |
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| Yes, I did take my pictures on the snow at a ski resort... Squaw Valley to be precise. The heels were fun to walk on the snow in... Haha! |
This one I got at a vintage store in Santa Rosa, California. I'd been shopping around looking for a great dress at the classic "prom dress" stores, but I just wasn't finding anything... I also didn't feel like spending more than $150, and as I'm sure you know, most formal dresses cost well over that. I zipped up this dress and had that feeling that people say they feel when they try on the "right" wedding dress. I knew it was the one. It was love at first sight... Or first zip, I guess. Not to mention the coolness factor of my dress being from the 1940's!
This is my dress from Junior Year:
I picked up this gem from the Unique Boutique in Truckee, California. If you live in Tahoe, or ever plan to visit I would highly suggest paying Viviane a visit there. It's a bizarre store filled with crazy things and owned by an equally crazy, and awesome woman! This dress was $26! I love the way it accentuated my curves and flattered my figure. The slit was also a nice touch. I like dresses that make you look good and have an unexpected gimmick, if you will. In this case, the gimmick is the giant sequined orchid on the shoulder. This dress is from the eighties, and it's quite obvious, but not in a horrible, "Oh lord... that's from the eighties" sort of way.
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| We took chairlift pics again. My date, one of my best friends, and I are both skiers so it was quite appropriate. |
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| I accessorized with some faux Louboutins and elbow length gloves. Red lips were another nice touch. Here you can see the orchid a bit more clearly. It's almost as big as my face! |
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