Playing Dress-Up: Why I Chose My Prom Dress

While I was thinking about how to write this article, I decided to do something that may be a bit unconventional. I want to keep my dress a secret! That's right. I'm going to tell you all about why I chose it, but leave it up to your imagination (for the time being) as to just what it looks like. Then, next week, I'll show you the actual pictures from prom night, so you can see if your guess was close! It'll be like a game, only without betting or having to lose publicly. But silliness aside, there are some real reasons why I chose my dress. Some of them are more obvious, like the physical look of the dress itself, and others have more to do with emotional connotations.

My prom dress really suits my personality. It's got lots of detailing on the top, but is still classic and elegant. I won't tell you what length it is, but I will tell you I didn't have to have it hemmed! When I went in to the dress store in Tuscumbia, Alabama, I was already a little upset. I hate dress shopping with a passion. Because I have to wear a zero in formal dresses, it's really hard to find dresses that I like and that fit me well. I picked out five or six dresses I like, and took them back to try them on. Some were okay, but I just didn't see anything that was perfect. I found two more, and one of them I was dead-set on...until I really got to looking at it. This dress was pretty, and a lot flashier than the one I have now. I realized that it just wasn't "me." I felt like I was in an episode of Say Yes to the Dress, because my mom was really rooting for me to get it!

We left the store and came back about three days later, and I had made up my mind not to get the "flashy" dress. It was really pretty, sure, but the other dress was more like my everyday style. The same taste, if you will. It even falls in the same color range I usually wear! It also fits amazingly well. And on top of all that, it's a gorgeous dress! Of course it is, or I wouldn't have loved it, you know? Why would you ever pick something you don't absolutely love?

To sum things up, prom dress shopping can be really emotional. If you don't find something you love, it can be heartbreaking. The same rule applies to dress shopping of any kind.

Don't give up! You'll find that perfect dress. And when you do, don't let anybody talk you into another one! The brides' mothers on wedding shows are forever convincing their daughters to buy things they don't really want. Don't let it happen to you, or it will honestly ruin your night or day. The entire time, you'll be dreaming of the dress you really wanted. So go with your gut, and happy dress shopping!

Just remember to check back in next week to see pictures of the dress I chose. I hope you like it!