As prom season approaches, many high school girls are beginning to think about what how they might desire to gussy themselves up in special style for the big dance. While some girls will be content with a traditionally pretty prom dress, those who have a more alternative style or an artsier mode of self-expression might be considering a dress that that doesn’t settle for plain old pretty. They may want to stand out with a more creative, memorable pizzazz. Some of these sassy ladies may be in the market for a punk prom dress.
What is a punk prom dress? Well, that is up to each girl to decide based on her own individual aesthetic, but it’s sure to be a piece of attire that differs from the norm in style, design, or statement. This article will present several punk prom dress ideas to get your creativity piqued. Beyond this guide, your ultimate choice of attire for prom is bound only by the limits of your own imagination (and okay, maybe by your pocketbook, too, which is why this article will also cover a few more affordable or DIY punk prom dress options). Enjoy devising your own unique look for the prom and have fun getting ready for the big dance.
Let’s begin with an affordable notion that is also incredibly fun and sassy. What about wearing a vintage waitress dress as your prom dress and turning the waitress convention on its head? I am a big fan of vintage waitress dresses, I collect them, and I think it is so very fun and sassy to deck myself out in a waitress uniform, even if I am not planning on serving anyone. If I am planning on serving anything, then you can be sure it will be a heaping helping of tongue in cheek sauce or a quirky little offering of my own design. If you’re planning to host a pre-prom or post-prom party, wouldn’t it be nifty to serve your friends some weird-colored cupcakes (a little green food coloring added to a box cake mix should do the trick or why not decorate the tops of your cupcakes with gummy worms or some other strange adornments) or maybe even some non-alcoholic JELLO shots instead of cake poured into the cupcake papers. This is just one small example of how to have a blast in your vintage waitress punk prom dress. Where does one acquire a waitress dress to wear to the prom, you might wonder? Just Google it or easier yet, buy one from ebay. If you visit the clothing section of ebay and search for ‘waitress dress’, you are going to be treated to all kinds of peachy keen options, almost all of them under $100 and many of them under $20. Some of them will be listed with an already set ‘Buy it Now’ price; others will be available for bidding. If you choose to bid on a dress, then set your spending limit in advance and stick to it. Make sure you’ve carefully read the listing details, so that you have a good idea of what you’ll be getting in terms of quality and size and style-and if you have any questions, feel free to communicate with the seller. Other variations on the waitress punk prom dress would be the stewardess punk prom dress, the nurse punk prom dress, or the Girl Scout uniform punk prom dress.
Another vintage option is to visit a local thrift store or consignment shop to seek out a special find that suits your special style. Your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or Volunteers of America shop just might be a treasure trove of unique dresses, one of which could end up being the perfect punk prom dress for you. Independent or higher end vintage or consignment shops might also be good places to search for a style do-or a style don’t, depending on what you have in mind. Maybe you’d like to don a peculiarly-patterned, ‘Grandma-style’ polyester dress for your prom. Maybe you’d like to strut your stuff in a dress from a different era like the 1950s’, 1960’s, 1970’s, or 1980s. Maybe you’re in search of a dress that wonderfully reflects your Goth sensibilities or rockabilly sensibilities or hard to define sensibilities. Maybe you won’t even know the perfect punk prom dress for you until you see it. In the meantime, why not have some have fun shopping and trying different dresses on and striking goofy poses for your friends? Maybe you’d like to poke a little fun at the pretty in pink prom dress model by finding yourself a dress that’s so ugly it’s gorgeous, so good it’s bad, so over the top decadent that it’s just right. I’m visualizing some kind of absurdly ruffled, salmon-colored, hideous confection-or somebody’s strange old wedding dress to help you concoct a look called ‘Miss Havisham Gone Wrong’-or a mix & match ensemble that draws upon a number of different unique pieces to create your very own punk prom haute couture. One great detail about thrift store shopping for your punk prom dress is that you can be sure that no other girl will be wearing the same dress as you. Another delightful detail about the thrift store option is that it’s likely to be pretty affordable.
Let’s say you don’t desire to go the vintage route when shopping for your punk prom dress. Let’s say you want a brand new, never before worn, gloriously outrageous gown and maybe even a one-of-kind. In that case, I would recommend paying a visit to etsy.com, ‘Your place to buy and sell all things handmade’-and that includes clothing. Simply use the search bar at the top of the page in which to type ‘punk prom dress’ or a comparable phrase and check out the eclectic results. Also bear in mind that an especially nifty feature associated with shopping etsy is that not only will you be decking yourself out in uber-unique style, you’ll also be supporting an independent designer in the process.
Here are a few of the sassy, punky prom dress results that my own search yielded:
NYTRclothing, in which those letters stand for Not Your Typical Rockstar offers up a fabulous little aray of one-of-a-kind party dresses amongst designer Tess Cherie’s wares, including the Goth Faux Leather Snakeskin Party Dress ($175), the Shredded Tutu Corset Dress ($150), and my personal favorite, the Irridescent Tutu Dress ($150). These pieces look like wearable art, with flamboyant yet stylishly designed shapes, unusual materials (including taffeta, tulle, and faux black leather), and striking hues. This designer also mentions that if an item catches your fancy, but it’s not your size or you would prefer it in a different color, then she would be willing to work with you to create a custom design. Also, just in case you happen to be an aspiring fashion designer yourself, she has fabric bundles for sale in her shop, too. Maybe you could add some extra-special DIY flair to your own punk prom dress-or if you’re really feeling creatively ambitious, design the whole stylish affair all by yourself.
Muir Hughes is another wondrous etsy source of wearable art, featuring unique deconstructed, reconstructed, and altered pieces of clothing. This designer’s statement says, “I love fabrics, especially vintage scraps. I find distressed and worn pieces charming and feel they have a greater story to tell. Through dying, manipulating, embellishing and sewing together unusual and contrasting colors and textures, I try to create something interesting and innovative. Some garments are altered and some are created from scratch but all are lovingly made with recycled materials”. All of these pieces are one-of-a-kind and this designer is also willing to work with an individual buyer to create a piece especially for you. The edgy and attention-getting Pretty in Pink and Purple Punk Prom ($90) is a dress that puts a deliciously different spin on an old tradition. With its disheveled hem, raw ruffling, and other artsy detailing, this dress looks like a punk rock dream come true. This shop also includes lots of hand-dyed and re-fashioned slip dresses and charming accessories ranging from deconstructed shawls to one-of-kind hair accessories called fascinators.
Shrinkle is an etsy shop that features both handmade fashion designs and fun vintage finds, all in one place for your browsing bliss. Your mom might not approve of the name of the Slutty Ruffled Keyhole Dress ($130), but the dress itself is super-duper cute in a very sassy sort of way and comes in lots of different delectable sizes and colors and patterns, ranging from Neon Lime Green Polka Dots to Turquoise Leopard Print. The vintage offerings in this shop range from waitress dresses (see above) to 70s muumuus to western-style dresses to cheerleader uniforms to schoolgirl uniforms and so much more! What a delightful shopping bonanza! This shop offers fabric and supplies, too. Try not to go too crazy with your giddy shopping spree, though, because you might want to save some space in your budget for accessories!
So just how does one accessorize her perfect punk prom dress? Again, you are bound only by the limits of your own imagination, creativity, and personalized style. Funky knee socks or glamorous thigh high stockings come to mind. Unique hand bags, jewelry, and makeup also come to mind. Will you wear combat boots or bright yellow stilettos? Fingerless gloves? A fake fur stole? A kooky wig? The choices are myriad. Whatever you decide upon, have fun making your choices and getting gussied up in your inimitable and artistic punk prom style!
