Arguably, the best part of the entire prom experience is the dress shopping. I mean, what could be more fun than spending hours in a cramped dressing room, stressing over what color would make your eyes pop but also match your date? In all reality, dress shopping is one of the most stressful parts of prom. But once it’s over, you’ll realize it was all worth it! Here’s your go-to guide for how to find the perfect dress.

Everyone should feel their best for the most exciting night of high school. The first and most important thing to look for in a prom dress is whether or not you like it on yourself. While it’s an extremely obvious point, you want to make sure you find a gown that makes you feel confident and beautiful.

Don’t discount anything; a dress that may look terrible on the rack may look amazing when tried on. Additionally, while you should know what you want, also keep your options open. Deciding on the color, silhouette, fabric, and price can make things go a lot smoother. Planning ahead can lead to you finding the perfect dress.

The one thing you need to know when buying your prom dress is the earlier the better. Getting your dress at least two months ahead of time saves time, stress, and money. You won’t be freaking out the week before prom when you’re struggling to get everything in time.

Prom dresses also may be cheaper this time of year, as stores may hike up the prices as prom draws nearer because they know that people have no other options. So don’t wait! It’ll be much easier on your future self.

When shopping for prom dresses, stores like Macy’s and Windsor are great options; they have all the latest styles and trends.

There’s also shops where you can rent prom dresses, like renttherunway.com, if dropping a hundred on a one-night dress seems like too much.

But looking at a second hand store is also a good choice, especially if you’re looking to save money. In fact, the College of Lake County is having a Pop Up Prom Shoppe where you can find prom dresses and accessories for no cost! It’s on April 6th and 7th from 10am – 4pm. It’s open to any Lake County high school student with a valid ID. It’s definitely worth going to because you never know what you’re going to find!