Don’t know where to look for a dress? Do you feel behind when thinking about dress shopping? Many spend hours upon hours searching for the perfect outfit. You may be asking yourself, where do I begin? Check out these options to find the dress for you!

Secondhand dress options 

Borrow from friends (Any location)

  I cannot think of many that are better than getting a dress for free. We all have friends with dresses that they have worn before and don’t plan on using any time soon. Skip the stress and save some money by borrowing a friend’s dress for prom. I know many people who have borrowed dresses for school dances before, including myself. You can save a lot of time searching. 

   If your close friends do not have any options, try searching on social media. Many high schoolers post pictures of them in their dresses. Send a quick and polite DM to see if they would be interested in letting you borrow their dress.

WO’s dress shop (West Ottawa North High School)     

   The WO community has a lot to offer, including a dress shop. Students, staff, and WO Alumni have come together to help students reduce the financial stress of buying a prom dress. Our dress closet advisor, Traci Howard, said, “We realized a need for dresses for students who are not able to get one on their own. It started with just dress donations from WO staff, but word spread. I was approached by people on Facebook who knew I was collecting. We also got a huge donation from a local church who was closing their dress closet.” 

   You can come check out the closet in the North building A202. Howard said, “Available times are sent out via classroom and flyers, students sign up using a Google form.” The closet has limited options for formal shoes and jewelry as well. WO’s Dress closet is a one-stop shop for all your formal event needs. 

   If you are interested in donating any type of formal wear or in using the dress closet, contact [email protected].  

Thrift stores (Holland Area)

   Thrifting has gained popularity, so why not use this hobby for prom? There are lots of thrift stores in the greater Holland area. Who knows if you will find a hidden gem?

   I have found a few beautiful formal dresses in Goodwill, Africa’s Child, and Salvation Army. There may be limited sizes and options, but you could always tap into your creative side and reinvent a dress that you find. You could do alterations, dye the dress a different color, or add embellishments to make a one-of-a-kind dress!

  These dresses are super cheap, and you don’t physically hurt when you hand the cashier your card to buy it. You can save money, help the environment, and rebrand a piece of clothing. 

Dressed to a Tee (Grand Rapids) 

   This store has secondhand options for prom dresses. There are simple styles and others with some extra pizazz and sparkle. You have to schedule an appointment online to come into the shop. I have not personally visited, but it seems like they have great options and a variety of styles for everyone. 

Instagram: @dressedtoat

Second Dance (Grand Rapids/Woodland Mall)

  If you are looking for great quality prom dresses at a discounted price, this is the store for you. They have high fashion brands and offer them at a lower price because they are secondhand. They have lots of dresses to choose from depending on your price range. Another plus is you can sell used dresses to them as well. You can use that money towards a new dress! What a great option!

   Their main location is located in downtown Grand Rapids on Division Street. I have visited many times. This year the store opened up a pop-up shop inside Woodland mall. Now, there are even more options to choose from. The pop-up shop location will be open until May 1. 

Instagram: @seconddancegr

Affordable Options

Windsor (Grandville/Rivertown Mall)

   Oh, Windsor, you have come in clutch so many times for us last-minute dress shoppers. If you are looking for a place with lots of dress styles and options without breaking the bank, Windsor is the store for you. There is a dress for everyone here. 

   Unfortunately, there are some downsides to shopping at Windsor. One of them is the possibility you will wear the same dress as someone else to prom. It can be a problem for some, but not everyone cares. Many higher end  prom stores will ask for your name and school to make sure they do not sell one of the same dresses to someone at your school. Many find this to be a great practice for prom dress stores. 

   Another negative is the super long lines during prom season. If you have plans other than dress shopping when you go to Windsor… no you don’t. Each person waits in line with their arms filled with dresses. Many start to feel faint from the overcrowded spaces and bright yellow lights. After a few hours of shopping there, you will find a dress that works for you, but it will take hard work and perseverance. 

Macy’s (Grandville/Rivertown Mall)

   Macy’s has been a staple for prom dress shopping for decades. Every time a school dance rolls around, my mom mentions Macy’s. It is pretty reliable. You may not find the dress of your dreams, but you can always find a dress and make it work. The dresses tend to be pretty simple, although there are some with slight extravagance. I love the number of options Macy’s has to offer. Their dresses can be somewhat pricey but they will not cost so much that you regret buying it after you leave the store (we all know this feeling too well). Macy’s can help make spending money on a prom dress a little more digestible compared to other stores. 

If you’re looking to splurge 

Prom Shop (Jenison/Inside Magnolia Bridal)

   The infamous Prom Shop. A lot of us have seen this shop as a search result when we search for “prom dresses near me” on Google. Honestly, for me, this store is hit or miss. Sometimes there are super cute dresses, but sizing is limited inside the store, and nothing is more annoying than getting a dress in the wrong size. No one loves ordering a dress online. It can be nerve-wracking just hoping you got the right size and it matches the picture you saw. The styles of dresses can be older as well. If you like that look, rock it. I just prefer more modern dress styles. 

Instagram: @thepromshopmi

Memories Bridal and Evening Wear (Kalamazoo)

  If you are up for a drive, I think this is a great store to check out. They have over 1,100 prom dresses in stock with sizes 0-24. There are so many dresses. I felt like a kid inside a candy store. These are the types of dresses you see in your dreams.

  I was able to shop for my prom dress here, and I had an amazing experience. The staff was super friendly and assisted me with all my needs. I was given a pair of heels to use while I tried on dresses to see what dresses would look like with heels on. While I was trying on dresses I had an associate help me by grabbing dresses I could try based on my likes and dislikes. I found it super helpful to have someone who knew what was inside the store narrow down my options because I felt overwhelmed at times. 

  Although this store had a lot of high end and expensive brands like Sherri Hill and Jovani, I found my dress on the clearance rack. What a steal.I recommend that you check out the clearance rack while you are at prom stores. You will never know what you could find.

Instagram: @memoriesbridal 

Good luck!

 No matter where you get your dress from, you will look great! Every store in West Michigan has something to offer. If you can get an extravagant dress that may be a little expensive… YOLO! You could always resell it next year. If you get a secondhand dress… you are saving money and getting a great look! I wish you the best of luck on your dress-shopping journey. Try not to stress out too much, everything will work out.