It’s that time of year again: prom season.

What? But it’s only March!

In this day and age, it seems as if the shopping period for dresses starts earlier and earlier. Working in a prom store myself, I’ve witnessed the pandemonium of a Saturday morning in January: moms and daughters armed with dress catalogues and online screenshots, both in search of the perfect gown.

But why so early? Selection, selection, selection. Not only do stores start to receive their prom stock in the early months of winter, but if girls are starting earlier, the choice dresses are going sooner. Within minutes, an iPhone photo has been uploaded to the respective school’s prom page, and the dress is immediately off the market for anyone else at that school. The insanity of prom season can be overwhelming, but a few simple tips can make the hunt for the perfect gown an exciting experience rather than a torturous one.

With over ten different dress stores within an hour’s radius of the North Penn area, simply choosing where to start your shopping can be dizzying. If you are looking for something a little different than the typical gown, I suggest trying the smaller boutiques. Having a smaller selection of quality dresses can shorten the time you need to spend in the store, and with a smaller atmosphere, you are likely to get more personal and knowledgeable help from a sales expert. If you are searching with a smaller budget, the bigger department or warehouse stores tend to have bigger sales and a wider price range of gowns. Secondhand and vintage stores are also an option to ensure a unique look that absolutely no one else will have.

When planning your shopping trip, it may be tempting to go with fifteen of your closest friends – but this volume can make shopping and decision-making all the more difficult. You want to find the dress that you love, not necessarily the one that garners full approval from the entirety of your prom party. Second opinions are great to have, but when seriously shopping for your dress, I suggest bringing one or two of your best friends. Even better, bring your mom (or another close relative), because honestly, she’s going to be the opinion that matters.

Okay, so you’ve arrived at the store, ready to search high and low for the exact dress you fell in love in with on Pinterest – easy, right? Not so much. My biggest piece of advice when shopping for prom – or anything, actually – is to go in with an open mind. Sure, it’s good to have an idea of the silhouettes and colors that compliment your body type, but don’t be afraid to try on that completely sequined ball gown. Most dresses never look the same on you as they do on the rack, and this can be true for your supposedly “perfect” online gown as well. So pick a day when you have lots of time to experiment, and if there are consultants on hand, let them pull some dresses for you. Most likely, they’ve seen the gowns on numerous different girls, and not only do they have an in-depth knowledge of the selection, they also know which dresses flatter which body types. If you walk out the door with the exact opposite of what you expected, it’s all the better.

If you do choose to go the online route, make sure to take the time to do extensive body measurements. Most websites have detailed sizing guides, and following them can help to avoid a dress disaster. To safeguard yourself further, order early so that you have plenty of time to exchange, return, or re-shop if necessary. Alterations can be your best friend no matter where you purchase your dress, because the most flattering gowns are the ones that are perfectly tailored to your body, and most gowns do not come this way. Often stores like to sell their dresses right off the rack, and most gowns are made to have a specified long length so that there is room to hem as well as extra fabric to complete any alterations.

So shop early, keep an open mind, and have fun! The shopping experience is as fun as you make it, so enjoy the search.