Prom dress shopping is something every girl dreams about when entering high school. What is not often talked about is the stress that comes with searching for the perfect dress. Finding what dress fits for you is difficult when deciding where to shop from, which websites are trustworthy, what styles are trending, and how much money is appropriate to spend. Luckily, students from The Mount senior class have answers to those questions that will benefit your prom dress shopping experience in 2026!
A majority of people would say the most important part of prom is the dress. Making sure your dress is complimentary and right for you is something that can bring out a lot of stress during this process
“I am a bit stressed out for prom just because everyone keeps talking about it since it is senior year and it’s a big deal,” Madison Press ‘26 said. “Finding a dress is definitely the part that worries me the most.”
Online vs In-Person Shopping
Shopping online versus shopping in-person is a very different experience, and both of these options have advantages as well as disadvantages. Mounties would say that shopping in-store is the better choice since you are able to try on each dress you are considering, but that all depends on the selection available in the store, which may be limited. Shopping online is known to provide a wider selection of dresses, but many say they avoid this option because they do not like to deal with shipping dates and prices.
Liv Courchain ‘26 shares her opinion on why shopping in-person is better than online by stating, “I got both my prom dresses in-store at Giana Rose Couture, and I prefer this over online shopping. I just don’t like not being able to see the dresses on me for something that expensive because if your dress doesn’t fit you could spend a lot of money on alterations.
Vibes for 2026
It is a fact that trends are actively and constantly shifting. Teens are attempting to match these trends and stay on track with what is new and “hot.” Pastel, gold, sparkly, silky, and flowy are all words Mount senior students would use to describe popular dress styles for the 2026 prom season. The popular options for this year are ranging from more bold, extravagant dresses to very elegant, sleek gowns, which leaves room for variety within these trends.
“I think most people are going to lean towards dresses with gems at the top and a flowy skirt at the bottom, or silk dresses,” Olivia Roman ‘26 said.
Expenses in Play
When searching for a prom dress, prices are very important to pay attention to. Depending on whether you are leaning towards splurging on your dress or going with a more mindful choice can impact many decisions. Senior Mount students have strong opinions about both sides because they understand that planning for prom as a whole can be expensive, but these girls love to dress up and since it is their last year they want to still look and feel their best, which might lead to them choosing a more pricey prom dress.
When asked if it is necessary to spend extra money on a senior prom dress, Mia Dillion ‘26 responded with, “Splurging is 100% necessary…it is our last year. Go all out.”
Suggestions
The flashy price tag that comes with some of your favorite dress styles and shapes is sometimes hard to avoid. The solution to this problem can easily be solved once you find what stores work for your price range.
Windsor, Lucy in the Sky, Lulus, Beginning Boutique, Peppermayo, Hello Molly, and Princess Polly are all stores/websites reported by students to offer a more affordable range of prices with still high quality merchandise. The average cost for a prom dress from one of these retailers is about $50-105.
Revolve, Country Bride Prom, Bloomingdale’s, Anthropology, KissProm, and Stacees are all higher-end, more expensive sites that are rising in popularity. The average cost for a prom dress from one of these retailers is about $150-700.
If you’re having trouble deciding where to start when beginning your prom dress search, here are some dress and style suggestions from Mount seniors that will benefit your experience and turn your stress into excitement for this upcoming event.
Princess Polly: Open back and cinched front
Lucy in the Sky: Gold and sparkly square neck
Peppermayo: Elegant, butter yellow tied neck
Windsor: Tight and sparkly design
Beginning Boutique: Pastel colored cinch top
Revolve: Puzzle style top, unique
Country Bride Prom: Corset style
Stacees: Strapless with cutouts
KissProm: Deep v-neck with beads
Anthropology: Neck tie piece and corset
KissProm: Off the shoulder straps
Planning for prom can be made easy with some guidance and suggestions on where to shop, what styles are popular, and advice on how you can get the most out of this experience. The 2026 prom season is going to be one to remember, so buy your dresses soon and leave all the stress behind!
From the words of London Cooks ‘26, “Prom is bringing me some unnecessary stress, but overall I am very excited especially since it’s our last year.”
