You have been looking forward to prom and the time has finally come! You can’t wait to go start looking for the perfect 2018 prom dress for prom night. Before you head out to go shopping, here are some tips and tricks to make prom dress shopping go as smoothly and stress-free as possible.

TIP 1: Start looking for your prom gown early
There’s no such thing as starting too early. The earlier you start looking, the larger your selection will be. Even if you don’t know who your date will be yet, it does not hurt to start browsing for the perfect prom dress. Starting early allows you to set aside time for alterations, if needed. And you will avoid the last minute worrying of not being able to find a dress in time for the big night.

Tip 2: Do your research
Before heading out to your appointments, you will want to do some research. Take a look at the latest fashion trends that the stars are wearing on the red carpets and movie premiers. You will most likely see similar styles and designs in stores. Looking through magazines, books, shows and movies can bring celebrity dress inspirations as well. The more you know about the latest trends, what may look good on you and how you want to look on your prom night, the easier your prom shopping will be. You won’t feel so fluster and overwhelmed with all the dresses if you take some time to do some research beforehand.

Tip 3: Quick test drive
As you are trying on these gorgeous prom dresses, take them for a quick test drive. And we’re not talking about leaving the store with them on and into a car. You want your prom dress to be beautiful and comfortable since you are going to be spending 4+ hours in them that night. You do not want to spend hours in a dress that you can’t breathe or move freely in. That will take away from the fun you could have that night. So walk around in the dress. Sit. Bust out a few quick dance move or two. See how it fits and moves with your body. Make sure you feel comfortable in it so you can enjoy your night.

Tip 4: Bring your heels with you
Before you leave your house for your appointments, make sure to grab a pair of heels with you, preferably, the pair that you are most likely going to wear with your prom dress. Trying on dresses with heels on will help you see how it looks. This will also help with the measurements of the gown. You don’t want the dress to be too short or too long with heels on. Bring these heels with you. You don’t have to wear them around all day. Your feet could hurt and the pain will take away from the fun of dress shopping.

Tip 5: Take your time
Like any other dress shopping, don’t rush the appointment or experience. Set enough time aside that day for your appointment. Another tip, do not book too many appointments on the same day. You will get tired and overwhelmed if you feel like you are rushing to get through one appointment to get to the next. So, do yourself the favor, don’t stress by setting a jam-packed schedule. Take your time and enjoy your prom dress shopping experience! After all, you have been waiting years for this moment!

Tip 6: Stick to your budget!
This may be one of the most important tip we can give you. Stick with your budget! Do not try on any dresses you cannot afford! Avoid being disappointed because you fell in love with a prom dress that is way over your budget. Also do some research on what the price range is for a mermaid wedding dresses you love whether it is a sparkly sequin style or lovely lace wedding dresses see what the average price is so you know when something is too good to be true.

Tip 7: Have appropriate undergarments
As you are shopping, keep this in mind. Do you already have appropriate undergarments that will work with the dress? Do you need to go shopping for some? It is not a bad idea to bring one or two different undergarments to try on with different neckline styles. This will give you a better idea of how your dress will look on prom night.

Tip 8: Take someone with you but not a huge group of people
It could be smart to have a second opinion when you are torn between two dresses. It’s also more fun going with your mom, close family or friend. Try to keep it to one or two other people and not a huge group. Going shopping in huge groups can actually overwhelm and stress you out even more. Too many people in your shopping squad will complicate things. So keep it to just one or two people that you trust and enjoy the shopping experience.

Author's Bio: 

You have been looking forward to prom and the time has finally come! You can’t wait to go start looking for the perfect 2018 prom dress for prom night.