If you’re up to going to Potomac Mills, a shop there has hundreds of dresses. https://camillelavie.com/locations/potomac-mills-dress-shop

OP here -- thanks so much to those who replied with good information. She was telling me at dinner last night about the long dress, short dress thing. Apparently because she's going with a senior she can wear either. Who knew about these rules?!? I think we will start with Macy's and go from there. We can check out online too, but I'm excited about shopping in person for such a special dress and also she's very tall and very thin so fit can be a problem.

Nevermind the haters. let her go and have fun! we did well at Macys. My dd liked the dresses at Windsor but they had an unfair return policy and the dressing room was closed when we went so walked away. My dd is also a fan of an online place called Lulus. The dresses were surprisingly well made and returns were free ship.
good luck!

Anonymous wrote:Bodycon dresses are all the rage.

???

My DD is a senior at a VA public school and all the girls are wearing long gowns. She's just going with friends, but when she was thinking of going with a date (who would also have been a girl), she was mainly concerned about making sure their dresses wouldn't clash.

Your DD's date should have more intel on what kids at their school wear. At DD's school there's even an instagram account where girls post their dresses.

My DD had a fake prom with friends last year, her dress was from this site and the dresses here are representative of what lots in her crowd wore and they are reasonably priced! https://www.windsorstore.com/collections/occasions-prom-dresses She had mentioned a few years back that typically a junior that goes to prom might not wear a long dress, but the seniors would. I’m sure that’s not a strict rule, I think your DD can do what she wants. I hope she has a great time!

Bodycon dresses are all the rage.

Some schools have a dress code for the prom.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And you're letting her go?

Um, why wouldn't I let her go? She's going in a friend group with another girl with whom she's been close friends for 15 years and who I trust completely. Obviously I'm going to ask questions about transportation, after parties, etc. I trust DD not to do anything stupid -- she's a goody goody like I was.

Never trust anyone completely, especially a teenager

Anonymous wrote:And you're letting her go?

wait, what? Why would she not?

I’m a teacher and saw a lot of photos last year from my students. I saw tiny dresses, a few long dresses, some heels and even some sneakers. Have her look around and try on whatever she likes. I’m sure there will be a mix of styles there.

Anonymous wrote:And you're letting her go?

Um, why wouldn't I let her go? She's going in a friend group with another girl with whom she's been close friends for 15 years and who I trust completely. Obviously I'm going to ask questions about transportation, after parties, etc. I trust DD not to do anything stupid -- she's a goody goody like I was.

And you're letting her go?

A napkin.

I’m only half-joking.

DD, a junior, got invited to the prom by a senior at another private school. The school is progressive, if that matters, and her date is a girl, if that matters. We're going dress shopping this weekend. I was thinking she might like a funky retro dress or something nontraditional. I feel like the super dressy gowns that we wore are old-fashioned. Obviously she's going to have many opinions on this, but I also know that due to the fact that it's not her school, she hasn't been to a prom before, Covid knocked out a lot of this anyway, and she's only a junior she might want some ideas. Soooo, what are people wearing to the prom these days? She had actually mentioned a suit, but she's also very dressy and I think now she's leaning toward a dress of some type.