Students turn to Internet for prom night dresses

By Michelle Formanek 2005

Just as new styles replace the old every year for prom, a new shopping trend is replacing the traditional frantic search through the malls to find the perfect dress. What is it? The Internet.

Although the Internet may not seem like anew approach to some, the incresing popularity of shipping for the special night while wearing pajamas is becoming evident.

Prom-goers everywhere are surfing the Web instead of browsing the stores this year, and this method has its advantages.

Junior Emily Johnson took the cyber-approach to look for the perfect dress this year and ended up purchasing her dress from the Internet.

“It was easier because you don’t have to try it on,” Johnson said.

Johnson also recommend prom sites to Junior Courtney Koch. Koch said, “It showed me all the different kinds of dresses, and it gave me an idea of what I wanted.”

Senior Genna Fox said that lower costs were a plus to shopping on the Web. “A lot of dresses I looked at were cheaper than in the stores,” Fox said.

Many girls are also concerned with having a unique dress, different other dancers on their special night.

“You can find more different styles because we don’t have as many prom stores here,” Fox said.

Junior Beth Kamienski said she enjoyed the experience of searching the cyber-world. “It ws just kind of fun to sit at home and look at the dresses,” she said.

Getting friends and relatives’ opinions on outfits is also easier with the Web.

“I could copy and paste the link and show people dresses I liked,” Kamienski said.

The Internet also has its disadvantages for prom perfection.

“You can’t try them on,” Koch said This can be a problem because it is difficult to get dress adjustments from mail orders.

Another disadvantage is the time it takes for delivery. “The dress I wanted was on back order until April,” Kamienski said.

Johnson also ran into trouble because the dress she ordered on the Internet was a different color than the one she received in the mail.

“They don’t always look the same,” Koch said.

Kamienski said, “Your computer room just doesn’t have the mall atmosphere.”

Although there are down sides to shopping on the Internet, this trend doesn’t seem to be ending quickly. Popular sites for shoppers are cybergown.com and windsorfashions.com.

Whether the dress worn for the big night is form the mall or from the Web, teens will be looking elegant in their own styles and ready to dance the night away.

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