Dressing for Prom – Final Preparation Tips for the Day to Make You and Your Dress Shine

You’ve found the dress. You’ve sorted the perfect shoes. You’ve probably spent the last few weeks imagining how incredible prom night is going to be.  But we’ve seen prom day itself go from dreamy to a bit stressful pretty quickly if you miss out just a few practicalities.  A split seam, a blistered heel, a foundation smudge on that pristine white satin…it happens. And it doesn’t have to.

We’ve helped hundreds of girls get prom-ready and over the years we’ve picked up a thing or two about what makes the whole thing run smoothly. So, here you have it: our no-nonsense guide to nailing prom day prep – because you really do deserve to feel completely amazing from the moment you put that dress on.

Do a full dress rehearsal before the big day

Yep, it sounds obvious but it’s really worth doing.  Put the whole outfit on – dress, shoes, jewellery, the lot – at least a few days before prom.  Walk around in it. Sit down. Spin about.  Why?  Because this is when you’ll find out if that corset lacing is trickier than expected, if the zip needs a bit of help or if you actually can’t breathe in it after eating a full meal.  And trust us, it’s far better to know those things now than twenty minutes before you’re supposed to be leaving the house. 

If your dress has fiddly fastenings, show your mum, sister or best mate how they work so they can help you on the night without it turning into a ten-minute panic.  And if anything feels off – gaping neckline, loose straps – you’ve got time to get it sorted in advance.

Store your dress properly

Until prom day arrives, hang your dress up. Don’t leave it folded in the bag, squashed under a pile of stuff or crumpled on a chair (we’ve all been there). Keeping it on the hanger means the fabric hangs out, any minor creases drop and it stays looking exactly as it should. 

If your dress is particularly full or delicate, make sure it’s hanging somewhere and not being crushed by your other clothes. Give it a bit of space to breathe.

Check your dress with shoes on

If you haven’t already, put your shoes on with the dress and check the length works.  It matters more than people realise, especially with heels – the hem can look completely different as you add height from below.

And we all know that new shoes equal blisters a lot of the time, don’t do it to yourself.  If you haven’t already, take some time to break those shoes in beforehand.  Even just wearing them around the house for an hour or two over a few days makes a real difference.  The last thing you want is to be hobbling around by 9pm because your heels have shredded your ankles.  Plasters in your bag (more on that in a sec) are a good plan b regardless.

Get your hair and make-up done before you put your dress on

This is a non-negotiable.  Hair and make-up first, dress second – always.  You really, really don’t want to be stepping into that gorgeous ballgown with wet nails, or pulling a fitted dress over a full face of make-up and risking foundation on the neckline or a mascara streak on the bodice. 

Once you’re done with glam, carefully step into the dress rather than pulling it over your head if you can. Even better, have someone nearby to help you get into it so you don’t accidentally catch it on anything. 

Pack a little emergency kit

A small bag with a few key bits can genuinely save the night.  Here’s what we’d recommend throwing in:

·      Plasters for the inevitable shoe sitch

·      Safety pins for any wardrobe wobbles

·      Lip gloss or your lipstick for top-ups all night long

·      Double-sided tape for daring necklines

·      A mini stain remover pen is a definite luxury but a great one!

It’ll take about three minutes to sort and you’ll feel so much better knowing you’re ready for anything.

Give yourself way more time than you think you need

Everything just takes longer on prom day.  Your hair might be misbehaving. The fake tan takes an age to dry.  Stuck zips. Give yourself extra time right from the start so that when (not if) something takes a bit longer than planned, you’re not rushing and stressing.  Getting ready should be part of the experience – enjoy it!  Put on your favourite playlist, take your time, soak up the excitement.

Eat something before you go

Please eat!  Sorry to sound like your mum but we really mean it.  A full evening of dancing, photos, socialising and a bit of ‘it’s finally here’ adrenaline on an empty stomach just isn’t the vibe.  Have a proper meal before you head out – something that’ll keep you going – and you’ll feel so much more comfortable and have enough energy to make it to the last dance. Feeling a bit bloated after a decent feed is infinitely better than feeling lightheaded by 8pm.

Take photos before you leave

If you can, get your photos done at home before you go.  The lighting is usually better, you’re still perfectly put together and there’s no background chaos to deal with.  You’ll look back on those gorgeous pre-prom shots and thank yourself for doing it (more so than those blurry selfies taken outside the venue in the dark).

If you can get your whole group together, even better.  The pre-prom photo session is genuinely one of the best bits of the whole evening.

Most importantly – wear something that feels like you

All the prep in the world means nothing if you don’t feel confident and comfy in what you’re wearing.  The best prom dress isn’t necessarily the priciest one or the one you’ve been pinning the life out of, it’s the one that makes you walk a bit taller, smile from your soul and feel completely yourself.  If you’ve chosen a dress you truly love, that fits you properly and shows off your personality, everything else just works too.

At Lily’s, this is what we’re all about! We want every girl who walks out of our boutique to feel incredible – not just on prom night but on the whole run-up to it too.

What to do with your dress after prom

So, prom’s over and the dress has done its job. What now? If you want to keep it, hang it back up as soon as you get home – don’t leave it in a heap on the floor, no matter how tired you are.  If you find any marks or stains in the morning, get the dress dry cleaned sooner rather than later, the longer you leave it the harder some stains are to shift. Once it’s back to its pristine self, don’t forget to store it in the woven bag we send you home with, it’ll really help protect the dress.

Some girls love the idea of keeping their prom dress forever and that’s completely lovely.  Others prefer to sell it on or pass it onto someone else which is also a brilliant option if it means another girl feeling amazing in it too.  Either way, treat it with a bit of care at the end of the night and it’ll stay in great condition for whatever comes next.

Prom is one of those nights you’ll remember for years and years.  A bit of prep will go a long way to making sure those memories are the very best. 

Looking for your perfect prom dress? Browse our prom collection at Lily's or book an appointment to come and try on in person, we'd love to help you find the one.