There are not many occasions where you may get to wear a jaw-dropping and glamorous dress and when one such rare occasion does arrive, you want to look your best. Prom night is one such event where you want to look spectacular as it is one of the most important nights of your high school and you want it to be memorable.

Also, you want people to remember you as a beautiful and smart girl, which means you have to have the perfect dress. Your dress needs to be of the right shape, style and color and has to be really flattering, perfect and unique. How to find a prom dress? Luckily, here are some tips that can help you in accomplishing this nearly impossible task:

Look for some inspiration

Go through the various trends on the catwalk. You can flip through some magazines to get an idea of the kind of dresses in season. Another avenue you can explore is to check out what celebrities are wearing at red carpet events and use these ideas to influence your own choices.

Make sure you start looking in fashion stores and magazines a couple of months before prom. This is because you need to buy your dress at least four weeks before your prom as it may require alterations, which take time.

Consider your body shape and type

You will be able to find the ideal prom dress if you are able to know your exact body shape and type. You want a dress that can accentuate your best features while hiding your flaws.

There are different body shapes such as vase, hourglass, apple and pear and you need to do some research to know which category you fall into. For instance, pear girls have a smaller top and fuller thighs and hips, whereas apple girls are the opposite.

Put some thought into the color

This is the perfect time for you to think about the color you like. Choice of color is very important because it shows your personality. For instance, if you go for red, people may think of you as confident and bold and you will probably be the center of attention.

Pink, on the other hand, is a fun choice whereas black is great for sophistication and elegance. It all depends on the kind of image you want to establish. In addition, you should also consider your features and complexion when choosing the color. For instance, yellow color doesn’t work well for someone with brown hair and eyes.

Think of your budget

You cannot go shopping for your prom dress if you don’t have a budget. You need to know exactly how much you can spend in order to choose the right dress. Otherwise, you end up liking a dress, but later find out it is out of your range.

This can be very disappointing and you will not be able to decide on another one when you have already seen the perfect one. If you know your budget, you will automatically reject the dresses out of your range and this makes the entire selection process easier.

Start the shopping

Now that you are finally aware of exactly what you want, it is time to begin the shopping expedition. Remember that you shouldn’t settle for a dress as soon as you find one that seems nice.

Sure, you may like it in the window and want to buy it, but it is possible that you may find another dress in a different shops and then you regret purchasing the previous one. Only make your decision when you have shopped around and considered the numerous choices at your disposal.

Also, don’t purchase your dress too far in advance because there might be a change in fashion, theme or even your body shape. You may gain or lose weight or there might be another issue.

Experiment with different dresses

Shops are not going to charge you for trying out the different prom dresses available. You have done your research on the kind of dresses that suit your body, but it is a different thing to see them in reality.

It is possible that your body may not fall into one shape so you need to experiment with the wide array of dress styles like sheath-style dresses, cocktail dresses or even A-line dresses.

Select the dress

Once you have narrowed down your choices to a single dress style, it is time to make your decision. You can try on the style of dress in various finishes, colors and materials and choose one that makes you most comfortable.

You may already have a color in mind, but it is possible that a different one may appeal to you when you try out the dresses. Furthermore, you should not take too long to make the decision because it is going to make it more and more difficult for you to choose one dress.

Ask for opinions

There is no harm in going along with your friends when looking for a prom dress. They can provide you advice on what works with your skin and what doesn’t as salespeople may not be completely honest because they don’t want to lose a customer.

Think about a custom-dress

It is also possible for you to get a dress tailor made for you. Everyone wants to have the perfect prom dress and the best way to do so is to get a custom one, especially if you live in a small town.

The choices are typically limited in such places and a lot of girls may end up wearing the same style or kind of dress. The best way you can be different is by hiring someone to design the dress of your dreams.

This leaves you free to choose the exact shape, size and color of the dress according to your preference. It is also possible for you to take a picture of a dress out of your budget and ask your tailor to copy it for you.