Growing up watching “Say Yes to the Dress,” CHS junior Lila Sarnecki has been dreaming of prom and finding her dream dress since she was a little kid. Now, as prom quickly approaches, upperclassmen girls—like Sarnecki—are feeling the pressure to find the “perfect dress.”
Sarnecki has been drawn to the dress section of every thrift store she enters, treasure hunting for the shining gem of a dress that she has been hoping for. While Sarnecki has only recently started dress hunting, she has been doing so subconsciously for years. Sarnecki has curated the image of the perfect prom dress in her mind: a tight top and a long, flowy skirt that whirls when she spins. She’s also interested in some beaded details to make her dress unique. While she isn’t set on a specific color, she’s considering a blue or purple fabric.
“I grew up watching the show ‘Say Yes to the Dress,’ Sarnecki said. “I’m kind of hoping I have my ‘yes’ moment to my prom dress, where it just clicks right away, and I know that it’s perfect for me and that it makes me feel special.”
While girls like Sarnecki prefer to shop in-person, others prefer online stores. Emma Goblirsch, a CHS senior, has tried to balance shopping online and in person, comparing the pros and cons of each side.
“I feel like you have such a bigger choice online,” Goblirsch said. “And also you can find dresses for a lot cheaper than you would find them in stores. On the other hand, you run the risk of getting a low quality dress. You also don’t know if they’re gonna arrive in time or if you are going to get scammed.”
Goblirsch hopes that this year’s prom dresses will be more unique. Especially in recent years, she feels that dresses have been pretty tame, and she believes it’s finally time for flashy colors, structured silhouettes and textured fabrics.
“I feel like people are going to go extra this year,” Goblirsch said. “I know the trend for the past couple of years has kind of been like brunch dresses, but I do feel like people are gonna start going a little bit more all out. Hopefully with some sparkles, some silks and some big skirts.”
Senior Ellie Fox has also been trying to find her dream dress, ideally one that’s unique and shows off her personality. Fox found her dream prom dress online, but went in person to try it on. Fox is hesitant to buy something so important online because of how much sizing can vary from brand to brand, so she drove around an hour away to try on dresses from Viper Apparel. She tried on a good number of dresses; when she put on the dress she ended up buying, she immediately knew it was the one.
“I saw this dress, and I’m like, ‘This is the dress I’ve been dreaming up since I was a little kid,’” Fox said. “This is my perfect prom dress. I love it so much. I used to make sketches of what I wanted my prom dress to look like, and this is it.”
Fox’s dress is what she calls a “princess dress.” It’s strapless, with a ribbed corset top and a long, flowy skirt that has a slit in the front and a train in the back. The fabric is white with purple lilac flowers and is adorned with gold detailing. One feature of her gown is by far the best: it has pockets.
While Fox loves her dress and knows it is on theme, she didn’t take that into consideration while choosing the dress that makes her feel special. Fox doesn’t think anyone should stress about conforming to the year’s dress style or the prom theme. As long as you feel beautiful, she thinks it doesn’t matter what you wear.
“I would say my philosophy is to find something you like junior year and go all out senior year because you should feel good in your dress,” Fox said. “That’s the main thing. Don’t worry about it if it’s not on theme. You shouldn’t feel like, ‘Oh my god, I hate this.’ You should feel comfortable in your dress. You should feel confident in yourself. This is for you. It’s not for anyone else.”
