Help needed for 17 year old's prom dress

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Hi there Fashionistas! I would really appreciate your help please.

We live abroad and my daughter's end-of-school prom may or may not happen. But we have been idly looking through dresses today just in case. And she has an evening wedding event to attend in August in London (if it goes ahead which I doubt). But it's fun to look and she's had such a shit year, I might buy it for her anyway!

It then dawned on me that both she and I have NO clue where she could choose something appropriate yet fashionable for her age etc. All of the places where she usually buys clothes, don't really do occasion wear.

I was looking at Phase Eight mother of the bride outfits and she was looking at Nordstrom beauties similar to that Sue Ellen would have worn in an episode of Dallas . (Maybe that is what's fashionable nowadays, I don't know!).

She loves Needle & Thread but obviously the ££££ are a bit too elevated for a school prom! She also likes Miss Patina but she and all of her friends want to wear long.

Where do we look please on-line? (It has to be on line because shops local to us are very high end or high street with nothing in between. High street suggestions also very much welcomed though, just need to know which ones! ) DD is fairly tall and quite thin, about a size 8-10.

She is very much going to choose her own outfit as she has very definite ideas about what she wears, the point of this thread is to point her towards the best places to look.

Thanks for any info or advice.

Be careful about buying online - some a fake dresses from China which don't arrive.

Have a look at coast www.coastfashion.com/womens

I also love needle & thread, I have had this dress saved on ASOS for a while hoping I would have the chance to wear it to something. It definitely gives needle and thread vibes. www.asos.com/asos-design/asos-design-maxi-dress-with-blouson-sleeve-and-delicate-floral-embellishment/prd/14057685?CTARef=Saved+Items+Image

Where are you out of interest? I (and all my classmates) clipped pictures from magazines and took them to the local tailor to get them made for a fraction of the price...

Can you get ASOS delivered? There will be loads coming through soon for wedding season (if it is a season!)

Don't overlook ebay/facebook, you can always get a dress dry cleaned and altered/customised and it's more sustainable. Coast, Needle and Thread, Monsoon, etc. You probably don't want to think about who makes cheap prom dresses with embellishments/embroidery all over them.

I agree Notmenono. We got DD's prom dress from Vestiare Collective, she got a vintage Dior dress for way less than the price some of her friends paid.

www.vestiairecollective.com/needle-thread/#country=GB

Maybe look at bridal shops a lot do prodresses too.

These are all brilliant ideas everybody, thank you so much! DD is very much in to recycling/re-purposing clothes so the eBay/Vinted option very much an option. Also noted re: scans from China!

We live in Europe Zine One where there are lots of little couturier shops which alter things for you, and so that's a great idea about getting them to make something up from scratch!

I'm very grateful for all of the links and suggestions. I am not sure that DD is looking for a classical prom dress that is a pale colour and a bit twinkly (don't have right vocab to describe this!) I may be wrong but I think she is looking for something not really out there, but with a bit of a fashion edge.

Asos to keep the cost down.

www.asos.com/search/?q=maxi+prom+dress

DD & I just bought her needle & thread prom dress from eBay!

Thanks again , I personally like a lot of the ASOS ones that aren't too "bridesmaid" but it's up to DD of course which direction she goes in ... .

Hoxt ooh lovely! I hope your DD and her friends have a lovely celebration despite current restrictions! Covid-19 has been very rough in this age group.

Lots of second hand on depop.
We got one from Asos. People do tend to wear long in the UK afaik

www.chichiclothing.com

Does she like anything like this.

DD2's was from chichi London. Quite reasonable compared to some places. Dd1's evening dress was from Amazon, she's had a few (musician so needed them from young) they often need hemming but for £20 what do you expect!

Dds was chi chi London too.

Thanks again for these further suggestions; much appreciated.

It's a difficult thing isn't it to get right? Maybe it's just me, but a lot of what seem to be categorised as prom dresses, I can see a twenty-five or thirty year old wearing. I get that 17 and 18 year olds want to look older rather than younger but DD is not what you would call voluptuous - her figure is more girly than womanly I suppose - and I think some of these prom dresses suit figures with a more curvy shape. She has a really lovely figure (I think anyway! ) but I think it's more suited to something a bit edgy/quirky maybe? I really like the lacy ethereal high collar/short skirt look for her age group but she wants to wear long. She and her friends are also quite "natural" looking in terms of hair and make-up and some of the more spangly prom dresses need a lot of maintenance to live up to I think?

I don't know, I'm an old grey mare nowadays [grin, and I am prepared to admit I don't really understand today's fashion at all. I suppose what I am saying is that a lot of these styles seem a bit old for her age group? And it's a shame to wear something like that when you can get away with a more fashionable , fun, quirky look at her age?

My DD and a few of her friends bought Prom and then May Ball dresses (end of 6th form) from Chi Chi London. The dresses were lovely, inexpensive and have washed well. She’s worn both dresses for other occasions since.

In the end we ordered about 8 dresses from ASOS and had a dress trying on session at home. It was great fun, my mum came round and we spent a morning watching dd1 float around in pretty dresses (which didn’t cost the Earth).
She never got to wear it though as prom last year was cancelled 😞

My v slim sister always did well at TK Maxx for evening dresses...

www.tkmaxx.com/uk/en/women/edits/occasionwear/occasion-dresses/blue-metallic-maxi-dress/p/30325914

www.tkmaxx.com/uk/en/women/edits/occasionwear/occasion-dresses/party-dresses/pink-tulle+sequin-maxi-dress/p/15187028

This is my fave though. I love it.
www.tkmaxx.com/uk/en/women/edits/occasionwear/occasion-dresses/white+yellow-embellished-maxi-dress/p/30326120

Is Depop a thing where you are? I’d probably start browsing there anyway, then if you see things that are the right kind of style, you can always check the brand and look for it elsewhere.

My girls both got theirs from Quiz for Prom after GCSEs.
For end of sixth form, if an event happens, I think DD will be hoping to find something on Depop as she now tries to avoid buying new clothes.

Watching from a similar position but in U.K. love the pink tkmaxx and the 1st Needle and Thread. Some really good ideashere. I must bookmark this.

Thank you again for links and suggestions!

I am so sorry that your dd1's prom was cancelled Felty . She must have been so disappointed.

I don't know but thanks for the advice, Tinierclanger, I'll ask dd to have a look.

I love the pink TKMaxx dress I'veputmyselfonthenaughtystep but I am not sure about availability on this side of the channel, will have a look thank you. Also, dd's got quite bony shoulders (in a nice way! ) so I think she might look a bit too thin in a dress that doesn't have a lot up top.

Again, I am responding to these suggestions and of course the decision about what dd wears will be hers alone! It's just great to have some promising suggestions as to where to start looking!

Whatalotachocca that's good to know about Chicci thank you. Again will investigate as not sure about availability and delivery t&c's post-Brexit.

Thanks for the suggestions Pourmeanotherglass

And good luck with your and your dd's search Zebracat!