The annual semi formal is coming up on April 26 and many students, especially the females, are freaking out about what to wear.
“I have not picked out my semi formal dress yet, but I plan to when I go home for Easter,” said Sara Fisher. “When I look for my dress I will probably be looking in my good old closet, because I have plenty of dresses that I have only worn once.”
Christine Bremer has not picked her dress for the semi formal either.
“I know it is kind of last minute, but if I can not find anything I will probably be wearing my prom dress since it still fits,” said Bremer. “It is prom dress season, so I don’t think it will be hard [to find a dress].”
There are several options for the student who have not yet picked out a dress, and there is still time.
One option is to visit one of the malls in the area. There is a Westfield Shoppingtown located right off I-91 in Meriden, about 25 minutes away. This mall offers stores such as Lord & Taylor, Filene’s and JC Penny. Another Westfield Shoppingtown is located right off the Merritt Parkway in Trumbull, about 30 minutes away. Both malls have Forever 21, Express and Learner New York, but the mall in Trumbull also has a Macy’s.
“I will probably venture out to the mall and try some of the department stores,” said Bremer. “TJ Maxx and Marshalls might also be on that list of places to go.”
For the student who does not like to go off campus or who does not have a car, ordering over the Internet might be a possibility, but it can also be tricky.
“I would not want to buy a dress over the Internet just because you never know how it will fit and what it will actually look like once you receive it,” said Bremer.
However, for some students it may be the only choice, and many sites do offer helpful measurement tips that may assist in determining the right fit of a dress.
Most sites require a user account, but by creating one it is possible not only to order but also to go in and track the status of an order. On www.egowns.com there are 51 different dresses available in the “Prom and Evening Wear” section, and the most popular color seems to be blue. Egowns take all major credit cards, and their prices range from $120 to $300. The pictures show the front and the back of all dresses. Egowns will ship items UPS or US mail, but the site hints that other, faster options may be available for the person willing to pay more.
Best Prom Dresses at www.bestpromdresses.com have 55 different dresses in white, pink, red and black on display, and the site also offers back views of the dresses with a few extra clicks. Prices are around $100 to $150, and they offer a one to two day delivery with UPS for an extra $30.
Standard shipping takes six to nine days, but is offered for free. Calculating the shipping time may be a little tricky, though, on this site, because delivery starts at the time the dress is ready to ship, not when the order is placed. Best Prom Dresses accepts all major credit cards and also accepts money orders, but then the order needs to be received over the phone.
On www.nydress.com 27 dresses are available in the “Prom 2003 – Misses” section, but they also offer different dresses in petite and plus sizes. Back views are not available for all dresses on this site. Prices range from $120 to $140, and they take all major credit cards as well as money orders. The dress ships with UPS for $10 or via express mail for $20, which should take no more than 2 days. Styles and colors vary weekly, so orders need to be placed quickly to guarantee the dress of choice.
Less expensive dresses can be found at www.discountdressesonline.com. These dresses seem to cost $99 in the “cocktail” section, where 16 different dresses are available.
The site makes it seem like there are more categories, but the same 16 dresses show up in most categories. Discount Dresses ships with UPS ground delivery for $10, two-day business delivery for $20 and next business day for $30. They accept all major credit cards.
For a different kind variety of dresses, and for less money, www.chinatowner.com is a good site. Prices range from $30 to $80 for these oriental dresses in varying colors.
There are 33 different dresses available. You can pay by Visa, Mastercard, Paypal, eCheck or Money Order, and Chinatowner ships priority mail (three to four business days) or express mail (two to three business days).
