Prom season can definitely be stressful. Between dress shopping, planning hair and makeup, making sure you have the right shoes and accessories, and that doesn’t even include actually going to school! I feel I have pretty much mastered the pre-dance routine for a fun, stress-free experience. So without further ado here is my ‘dance prep guide’:
3 to 1.5 months before: Let the dress hunt begin!
If you’re anything like me, you already have a pinterest board of dress ideas and hair styles to go with them. I use this as inspiration to see what styles and colors I’m liking. If there’s one dress that you really love, show it to the employees at whatever store you’re shopping at and they can try to find you something similar, if not the same thing. Wear a lightly padded bra, so you can see a more true fit, with convertible straps if you have one, so if you’re looking at a strapless dress you can get an idea of what if will look like. Being barely 5’3″, I bring my own heels to get a better picture of how big of a hemming job my dress will need. Going during a school break or on a weekend can be convenient, but the fitting room wait might not be. Unless you can’t go any other day, I would suggest going after school (or just skipping school) to avoid long waits and receive more individualized attention from the fitting room attendants. Don’t be afraid to not buy anything on your first trip! If you don’t see anything you love, don’t settle. Ask when a new shipment is coming in or wait two or three weeks to check back. Try another store or mall. My friends have told me they’ve found dresses in stores they never would have thought to look in, so I tried that for my ball dress and ended up buying the only formal evening dress in the whole store. If you do decide to order one online, order it WAY in advance so that way you have time to get it altered or return it and find a new one if it doesn’t work out.
1 month before: Make hair/makeup/nail appointments, get a trim, and get your dress altered (if needed)
Finding the perfect dress is only half the battle. If you don’t plan on doing your own hair, makeup, or nails, make sure you have an appointment ahead of time. Waiting until even the week before can lead to getting your hair/makeup done at 9 am or having wet nails during pictures. Getting a light trim a few weeks before the dance can ensure you no split ends for the big day and gives you the opportunity to talk to your stylist about what you want your prom hair to look like. If you’re short, like me, getting your dress shortened is a need! Getting it fitted a month in advance gives your tailor time to do a good job and if there’s anything wrong with it, you can get it fixed. A big mistake people make is not bringing a pair of shoes with them to the fitting. Your tailor needs to see where to hem the dress so bringing a pair of heels similar in height to the ones you’re actually wearing can help determine where the dress will lie.
2-3 weeks before: Accessorize!
Accessories and shoes can make or break an outfit. Finding shoes to walk in all night can be hard so when you’re trying them on, walk around for a few minutes to ensure you won’t be tripping over your own feet. Decide whether your dress needs gold, silver, or both for jewelry. Based on your neckline, you may need a necklace. Earrings are usually a must, but your dress’s top and how you want to do your hair can determine dangle or studs. I don’t worry about bracelets if I have a corsage, but that’s personal preference. If you’re not sure about jewelry, here’s a cheat sheet to take the guess work out of it: 
Week of: Order flowers, buy tickets, get nails done, and don’t stress!
If you have a date, or just want a corsage, now would be the time to go to your local florist and order that. Tickets are a must! My school sells them up until about 2 days before, but make sure you get them so you can actually go to the dance. Nail salons can be packed the day before so if you didn’t make an appointment, get them done 2 or 3 days before and be careful with them!!! Nothing is worse than a nail malfunction. Try not to stress out too much! Get all your homework done on time and take it easy. Stress acne is a thing and sucks right before a big event like prom. Drink lots of water and go to bed early. I try to do a face mask two days before and take a bath to relax. Make sure you have everything ready at least 3 days before so that if you don’t, you can make a last minute mall run for whatever you forgot. Try on your dress again with everything so that you can see if you forgot something. Long story short; double check everything so you have no malfunctions the day of.
Day before: Prepare!
Wash your hair and face, shave your legs, and moisturize!!! I try not to wear makeup or anything so that my face is clean and fresh. Take it super easy and drink lots of water! Do your toes if you haven’t already. Pick up your flowers and find your tickets. Double check all your appointment times and make a rough schedule of how the day of should go.
Day of: Have fun!!!
Shower in the AM but don’t wash your hair! Unwashed hair is easier to style and will stay curled longer. Moisturize and make sure your face is makeup free before you go to your makeup appointment/do you makeup. I try to do my hair first , personal preference. However, no matter what you do first, wear a zip-up hoodie or button down shirt so you don’t have to pull anything over your hair/makeup after it’s done. I get dressed an hour/30 min before so my parents can take pictures with just me and I’m not rushing out the door. Don’t forget to breathe and smile. Have fun, this night is all about you!
Other things to consider: how you’re getting there, where you’re taking pictures beforehand and where you’re going after.
Prom can be one of the most fun nights of your life. Just remember to keep calm and take lots of pictures. You only live this moment once so cherish it and make memories that will last a life time. I hope this guide helps you have the best night ever and if you have any questions or comments, leave them below or message me on Instagram.
Here’s some pictures from my latest dance:
Dress: Aiden Mattox from Saks off 5th ~ Nails: Big Apple Red by OPI ~ Earrings: DSW ~ Necklace: Tiffany and Co. ~ Lipstick: Dolly by Buxom
xoxo,
Jessica
Styled by Jessica 