Even if your dream prom dress is a Chanel suit, most high school seniors don’t have the funds to make those doubleCCs happen. So we’ve put together a list of our favorite prom-worthy dresses at attainable price points. (And if you’re like us, aka way too old to go to the prom, these are also lovely for formal occasions.)
Tags: Acqua, ASOS, Barneys, Bloomingdale's, Potlock & Walsh, Prom, Rodarte x Opening Ceremony, Shopbop
Designer(s): 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang
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these aren’t really considered “affordable” for those that are in high school.
If these dresses were long prom dresses, the price would make sense.
But seeing as all but two dresses are short, and one is $500, this definitely shouldn’t be deemed as “affordable” for high schoolers.
anything up to $100 for a short dress would be fine. $100-$400 for long dresses as well.
it says attainable, not affordable, and there are a ton under $500.
Also, this is a fashion site, which means most of the dresses are short because they’re better looking. The long, inexpensive options are mostly ugly.
I didn’t go to a well-to-do high school, but most girls still spent way over $200 on dresses not half as nice as these.
Fuck prom, let’s all just gaze at pretty pictures of Flobama in this Marc by Marc from spring 11.
http://juliapetit.com.br/moda/despedida-colorida/
I think the Phillip Lim would make an adorable wedding dress too!
I think the Phillip Lim would make an adorable wedding dress too!
weird definition of ‘attainable’
As a high school senior, and religious reader of Fashionista, I was looking forward to this post, as my prom dress search has been all but successful, but I am so disappointed. The Sue Wong dress is the only prom-worthy dress for your young fashionistas, and really one of few that can be defined as attainable, as well as appropriate in formality. I was expecting you to pull from boutique websites, and cool undiscovered brands, after all, this is a fashion website, right? Next time, consult someone attending a prom? I do appreciate you recognizing us young’ins though!
None of these would have been considered formal enough for my high school’s version of prom with the possible exception of the blue one. I can’t think of anyone who wore a cocktail-length dress.
It’s funny that high schoolers all think they are dressing to meet the queen, but somehow all arrive wearing nearly the same crazy mass of polyester. Long + poly blend does not a formal dress make.
Weird, in my high school, the dresses started at ankle-length for prom night.
That said, the only dresses I found even remotely cute for prom were the Asos and MARC By Marc Jacobs dresses. The rest? Not prom. No. Maybe for a mother-of-the-bride who’s not yet feeling middle aged, but prom? No, decidedly not.