Prom is a huge part of the classic high school experience; from the photos to the post-prom plans, everything has to be perfect. However, the most crucial part of most girls’ planning is finding the ideal dress.
While most girls go to different prom stores and bridal shops to find the right one, for some, that isn’t the case.
“I have really always enjoyed thrifting; it’s one of my favorite pastimes,” senior Amber Leader said, “I thrifted my homecoming dress last year, and I absolutely loved my dress, so I knew I wanted to do it again for Prom.”
While not a conventional way to shop for this formal dance, thrifting definitely has its benefits.
“I didn’t want to spend a fortune on a dress I’ll only wear once,” senior Sophie Cotto said.
Cost efficiency is a big reason that a lot of people thrift. Prom tends to be a very expensive event when accounting for shoes, hair, makeup, nails, jewelry and of course the dress itself. However, thrifting has definitely been a more affordable option.
It also gives a new life to clothes that someone else was done with.
“I think it’s really fun to give a thrifted dress another spin on the dance floor,” Leader said.
Many good thrift stores around PA have definitely made this option a lot more possible. Along with that, online thrifting on sites like Depop and Etsy has been making it more accessible. Though thrifting online does come with its drawbacks.
According to Charlotte Rhoads, a senior at Susquehannock High School, sizing a dress from an online source can be a bit tricky.
“Since it was online, I was concerned about the fit of the dress; I was nervous that the woman modeling in the photo was not my size,” Rhoads said.
Rhoads isn’t the only one who had this concern about her dress, but some girls took matters into their own hands.
“I did some alterations like replacing the top and taking out some fabric that doesn’t look good,” junior Brooke Landis said.
Though having to get alterations on a dress isn’t ideal, thrifting your dress comes with many other perks that make it worth it.
“I thrifted my dress because I did not want to have the same dress as everyone else,” Rhoads said.
Prom dresses from thrift stores are usually very unique; there are few to no duplicates of the same dress.
“It gives you the chance to wear something that no one else will have, which I think is really special,” Leader said.
Prom is a staple of the American high school experience. The idea is for each person to express themselves in a way that makes them feel their best. Thrifting dresses has given these girls and so many others a different and cost-efficient way to do so. Although the dress has been worn before, it’s nice to give it another chance to shine.
