It can be challenging to find the perfect homecoming dress on a budget because it sometimes seems like the best dresses are simply out of reach. However, as daunting a task as it may be, it is certainly not impossible if you know how and where to look. Read our guide to get started!
Set a Budget
To avoid feeling overwhelmed, set a budget in advance. Both online and brick-and-mortar stores will offer big sales and discounts as homecoming season approaches, but after you’ve spent a few hours looking around, the offers will start getting hazy, and you’ll find yourself falling for pricey options. When shopping on a budget, it pays off to know what you’re looking for – more or less. You don’t have to know exactly, but you do need a general idea.
This can apply to any type of dress, but if you are looking for the perfect homecoming dress on a budget, it’s more crucial than ever. You’ll be able to find quality dresses at a bargain in multiple stores, but at least one of these will have huge collections. To narrow your options down, it is important to know what you want.
The price of a dress normally depends on the designer and the material being used. Materials such as satin, chiffon, lace, silk, or georgette will allow you to look classy and sophisticated without breaking the bank.
Settle on the Color and Style
Chic, classy black homecoming dresses never go out of style. What is more, their use won’t be limited to homecoming. You can wear a dress like this at any formal event in the future. You may have noticed that a lot of famous singers and actresses choose black dresses when making an appearance at special events. This is no accident.
There are numerous trends and designs this year, like every other, from figure-hugging to regal and flowy. There are also countless of embellishments to choose from, such as lace, embroidery, sequins, and even handmade beadwork. Classic styles like dresses with A-line skirts are timeless. The fact that there are many different and original homecoming dresses to choose from can be used to your advantage.
Single-tone, minimally decorated, floor-length gowns are a classic, lending an air of elegance. More modern designs are fun and creative, blending materials like mesh and satin.
Always be flexible in terms of the design or color of the dress because you might not be able to find precisely what you had in mind within your budget.
Shop Online Stores
It definitely pays off to shop online because these stores always have lots of great deals. Just watch out for the shipping costs. Ideally, look for free shipping. Be sure about your size because it’s quite frustrating to order the dress of your dreams, have it arrive, and realize it doesn’t fit, especially if there’s less than a week to homecoming.
Online retailers like The Dress Warehouse have huge collections of homecoming dresses at major discounts. The price reductions have nothing to do with the top-quality dresses themselves; many of them are marked down due to overstocking.
Rent or Borrow
You only have homecoming once a year, so it’s not practical to spend a fortune on a homecoming gown. Renting a dress can be a more feasible option. Many stores offer top-end designer gowns for rent on an hourly basis at very affordable rates. That will give you the option to wear the dress of your dreams and look like a million bucks without actually spending it because it’s just one night.
You could borrow a friend or relative’s prom dress or a dress they wore to their homecoming a year ago. It’ll still be in style, and if they were at a different school, nobody would know. You probably have at least one friend who’ll let you borrow a dress she wore for a special occasion or formal event because few girls want to wear the same dress again.
Some of the most spectacular homecoming dresses are handmade, so if you have a friend who loves to sew, don’t hesitate to reach out. If you negotiate well, all you’ll have to pay for is the materials, and the dress will have great sentimental value as well.
Shop with Your Friends
Take your friends with you when you go shopping for homecoming dresses on a budget – it’s more exciting, and it’s always a good idea to have as many opinions as possible.
Most importantly, if you all decide to get dresses from the same store, it will be easier to bargain. Buying in bulk can help you get an enviable discount.