Modest Cost

Not only is it a challenge to find a modest prom dress, it's also a challenge to find a prom dress that's modest in cost! Of course you want to be elegant and glamorous, but you probably have a spending limit.

You might think that being economical sounds boring, dull, and limiting, but it's not. Being economical can be really fun, because it can be so creative.

In fact, being economical may give you more options, not less: the more economical you can be, the more money you'll have  left over for other things you might want - like flowers, accessories, having your hair and nails done, etc. You might even be able to get two or three dresses instead of just one!

Being both elegant and economical is largely a matter of planning ahead and being creative. Here are some ideas from ModestProm.com!
 

$20 Thrift Store Dress

 

  

 

 
   
  Planning ahead is the key. If you wait until you get asked to Prom, and you don't get asked until a week or two before, you won't have much time. You may be in a panic, trying to find a modest dress that is also modest in cost. Because you don't have much time, it's harder to consider all your options. Chances are that you'll pay the going price - and a week or two before Prom, the going price is likely to be top dollar.

A better strategy is to plan well ahead. At the beginning of the school year, consider what formal dances will be coming up that year. Of course you don't know yet what dances you'll go to, but it's probably worth planning for at least one dress. Perhaps you could sit down with your parents and plan your dress budget for the school year. Then you can be watching for things early on, and shopping throughout the entire school year, instead of shopping in a panic at the last minute. This allows you time to take advantage of strategies like those that follow.

Modest formals at LDS Prom!

$30 Thrift Store Dress
 

  
   
  Watch for sales and bargains. Things are always cheaper off-season (winter dresses will be cheaper in spring, spring dresses will be cheaper in winter, Prom dresses will be cheaper right after Prom). If you plan ahead, you can watch for and take advantage of sales. A sale or a good coupon (or a combination) can really add up to big savings.
 		  
 

Buy it used. A used dress will invariably cost a fraction of what it would cost to buy brand new. (Nothing depreciates faster than clothing!) If you plan well ahead, perhaps you can find a great used dress.

For example, do any of your friends have modest dresses they might like to sell? Maybe someone has a modest dress they don't want any more that they'd be willing to sell to you.

You can also look around on the Internet. A good starting place is LDSFormalwear.com. This web site offers modest used formal dresses.Go to eBay.com and do a search on "Prom Dresses." There are hundreds of them out there, and the prices go as low as $10. I recently saw an $800 pageant dress on sale for $100. One note: you might have to search awhile to find a modest prom dress on eBay; most dresses are similar to what you find in most stores. Perhaps you can find a dress and "fix" it using some of the ideas under Modest Makeovers.

Modest formals at LDS Prom!

$6 Thrift Store Dress
 

  
  Consider browsing your local thrift stores. If you can find a modest dress at a thrift store, chances are it will cost you $30 or less. Keep an open mind and be creative; the chances of finding your dream dress may be slim, but there are dresses out there. The dresses shown below, along with all of the dresses shown on this page, were purchased at my local Deseret Industries thrift store for prices ranging from $6 to $30.
 		  
 

 
 
Modest dress exchange. Can you set up a modest dress exchange or a dress sale? Maybe your friends and others in your school or community would like to sell pr trade their used modest dresses for one of your old modest dresses. This could be an economical way to get a different modest dress for each dance you'd like to go to.

Trade and borrow. Many girls may have an informal dress exchange, where they borrow dresses from their circle of friends and family members, or trade dresses either temporarily or permanently.
 

  
  Mix and match. Perhaps you might consider buying a two-piece modest dress, then wearing the top with a different skirt. Or you might consider buying just a gorgeous top, and wearing it with different skirts. Some prom dress designers, such as Dreszing, offer elegant tops and skirts that can purchased separately. If you choose this option, you may even consider sewing a few skirts or tops (or having them sewn). A basic A-line skirt is very easy to sew (mainly because it's easy to fit and simple in design), and many patterns are available. See Mix n Match for some ideas.

Consider sewing a modest dress (or having one sewn). If you sew, or if anyone in your circle of friends or family does, you might consider sewing a modest dress. Many simple styles, including our ModestProm Easy Gown patterns, require only minimal sewing skills. Most people with a pair of scissors and a sewing machine can sew a ModestProm Easy Gown; an experienced seamstress with good equipment can sew a ModestProm Easy Gown in just a few hours.
 



$20 Thrift Store Dress

  
  If you do sew, consider these ways to minimize sewing costs:
  • Look for cloth on the Internet. Here you can often find unusual and beautiful cloth that isn't available in your local cloth store. And often, the prices will be much more reasonable than they are at a retail store - sometimes at or below wholesale prices. Wholesalers and suppliers to various clothing houses and costumers often advertise on the Internet. Or try going to eBay.com and doing a search on the type of fabric you want (stretch velvet, satin, silk, chiffon, and so forth).
  • Select simple styles that require less cloth.  Our ModestProm Easy Gowns are specifically designed to require less cloth. Many other simple modest dress styles are available from commercial pattern companies.
  • Get on the mailing lists of your local cloth stores. For example, the national chain JoAnn's often sends preferred customers coupons for 30%-50% off a purchase. When you are buying large yardage of expensive cloth, this can really add up.
  
  Use very expensive cloth & materials (such as lace and sequins) in small amounts, to best advantage. For example, use a very beautiful and expensive cloth for just the bodice or sleeves of a dress, and a less expensive coordinating cloth for the skirt. You need only a scrap of fabric for decorative details such as a softly cowled drape, trims, or bows. Jackets, shawls, and shrugs usually take a yard or less of fabric. You can make a little go a long way!

Bargain-hunt on the Internet. There's all kinds of stuff out there, just a mouse-click away. One of the of the best places to hunt for bargains on the Internet is eBay. eBay is like a giant online tag sale, except instead of just buying things, you bid on them as you would at an auction. eBay is easy and fun to use, and you can find super bargains on all sorts of things. Start planning for your special occasion early, and you can save all sorts of money!



$8 Thrift Store Dress

  
         
   

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