Students are turning to thrift stores and DIY projects to create one-of-a-kind looks for prom.

“When I go Prom dress shopping, I go to Miss Priss in Lexington, Kentucky. I was there close by for a college visit. We decided to go look at dresses, and we found the store. They were very welcoming and kind so we decided to keep going back. For my dress this year, I spent $600,” senior Ryleigh Canfield said.

Repurposing and changing the dress to be exactly how students want can prevent stress regarding how the dress will look and fit.

“I bought the dress itself then I repurposed it and designed it to look how I wanted. It was red. I put in a corset piece and I redid some of the gems that were on the chest,” junior Barry Elder-Gescat said.

While having a plan going into Prom dress shopping can be efficient, having no plan at all sometimes works in a students’ favor as well.

“I honestly did not go in with inspiration, I knew I wanted my dress to be  fitted with a corset back but other than that I went in with an open mind. I always end up getting something completely different that I originally wanted,” Canfield said.

Just because a dress does not fit exactly right to begin with does not mean it cannot be changed to fit perfectly.

“Originally, the dress was about three sizes too big for me so I had to measure and I refit it so it would fit me perfectly,” Elder-Gescat said.

Falling in love with the dress on the hanger makes it easier to fall in love with it on.

“I was also thinking of doing a colorful dress, but my dress ended up being black with floral patterns. Surprisingly, the dress I chose was the first dress I tried on. I put it on and instantly fell in love with it. It fit me perfectly and was very flattering, and I knew right away that it was my dress. I tried on a few dresses after just to make sure but every dress I tried on wasn’t like the first dress and I knew my choice,” Canfield said.

Prom dresses do not only have to be purchased at dress shops.

“I took off a lot of material on the dress. I got all the materials for my dress at Goodwill and I spent $13. It took me about a month and a half to design it, sew it, and make it look exactly how I wanted. My inspiration for the dress was Marilyn Monroe,” Elder-Gescat said.