Tightwad Prom!

In every teenager's life, nothing seems so important, so end-of the-world-if-it's-not-perfect as the Prom. What is the prom all about? Well, according to most teen magazines, it's about looking better and having a hotter, more popular date than anyone else. Fun apparently doesn't figure in here. Neither does a teen budget.
    Let's face it most 16-18 year olds just don't have thousands of dollars to blow on one night and, probably, neither do their parents. Magazines tell teens that on prom night you should have the #1 hottest, trendiest dress (whether it looks good on you or not), a limo ( as posh as you can find), all the cutest accessories, and, of course, celebrity worthy hair, make up, and nails.
    Let's start with the dress. Prom dresses can run anywhere between $50 and several thousand dollars. So what's a girl, with a tight budget, to do? My answer, ladies, is Second Hand Shops, ladies. Now before you start saying, "ewwww! Someone's already WORN that!" Let me remind you how many times these dresses have been worn, once, on prom night. Let me also remind you that if you get a $20 dress, a dry cleaning will not bust your budget. I have gotten all three of my prom dresses at the Goodwill, no joke. The most expensive dress I've ever bought is the one I will wear on Friday, and it cost all of $10. Yup, what looks like a $200 dress for $10. But don't sell yourself short, if the only cheap dress you can find is poorly made/out of style/hideous/dirty don't buy it!
Here are some basic rules for dress-choosing:
1) Give yourself plenty of time. It may take several trips to the Goodwill before you find something great. If you're in a hurry and goodwill is letting you down, try a slightly higher end consignment store. The prices might be higher, but it'll get the job done.

2) Plain is sometimes very good. Don't turn up your nose at a dress that fits you like a glove just because it's not super fancy. This is why we have accessories, girls! Add a cute shawl, clutch, and some jewelry, and voila, you have a gorgeous outfit!

3) Don't think that you have to look exactly like everyone else! A beautiful Unique dress will draw more attention than the carbon copy of your best friend's.



If you want some inspiration, here are my last two dresses.

This was 10th grade (I'm the one on the left)

Junior year (that shawl was sent to me.. I mean my mom by my cousin while he was deployed in Iraq)