By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current
Prom is more than a dance. It’s a journey with many traditions, thoughtful preparations, etiquette and more.
Prom, short for promenade, is a semi-formal held toward end of the high school year. It’s a celebration and final send-off for graduating seniors before they embark on their next chapter of life. Prom is generally considered a rite of passage for many teenagers in the U.S. It marks a significant milestone in their high school years.
The formal attire, corsages, and other prom traditions create a sense of ceremony and ritual that elevates the event.
Five young ladies at Geneseo High School were asked to share how they chose their dresses or outfits for the GHS 2025 Prom, which is May 10 at the Quad City Botanical Center in Rock Island. Theme of the event is “City of Stars,” and they all said they are looking forward to Prom.
Questions asked of the five seniors:
-Do you set a budget before shopping?
-Do you decide in advance whether you want a long or short dress, or is that decision made while browsing?
-How far in advance of the date do you start looking for the perfect dress, etc.?
-How was your decision made about the purchase of this year’s Prom dress and what was included in your decision?
-Was there a certain color you wanted?
THEIR ANSWERS: (Names are in alphabetical order)
MARLEY CHERRY
“I don’t usually set a budget when I start shopping for a prom dress. However, some online stores tend to overprice dresses that aren’t always worth the markup. Instead of setting a number, I focus on finding a dress that feels special without breaking the bank.
Marley Cherry - Submitted Photo
It’s kind of a tradition to wear longer dresses for prom, so I usually go into dress shopping with that in mind. I tend to look for maxi or full-length dresses that fit the formality of the night. I don’t really even consider short dresses for prom – it just doesn’t feel like part of the look for this particular occasion.”
She began casually browsing for a dress in early January, she said, explaining that she scrolled online sties to get a sense of what styles attracted her… “I don’t usually commit to a dress until around mid-March, when I’ve seen enough options and have a clear idea of what I really want.”
This year Marley chose to do most of her shopping online and said, “There are just so many more options out there, and I find it easier to explore different styles and colors that way. That said, shopping online comes with its own challenges. There are so many ‘scam’ websites when it comes to prom dresses, so I had to be careful. I knew I wanted something inspired by 90’s or early 2000’s fashion, so I started there and narrowed it down by color and silhouette. I ended up searching a lot on Etsy and few other trusted online stores.”
“I didn’t really do much in-person shopping because the selection is just so much more limited. Online you can find something unique, but the downside is that it’s harder to narrow down your choices with so many amazing styles out there.”
She knew immediately she wanted a blue dress …” It’s my favorite color and I hadn’t worn that color to prom before. Last year I wore pink, so I wanted something different this time around. I also took this year’s prom trends into account while shopping, I love being fashionable, but I also wanted to avoid picking something that everyone else might be wearing.
“I ordered my dress from a shop on Etsy, and they let me submit my measurements, so It was custom-sized for me. That way, I could avoid needing major alterations, which saved money and stress,” she added.
GWENIVERE ERICKSON
Gwenivere Erickson did set a budget before she began her search for a prom dress, and she said, “I initially set a budget of $400, which I felt was a bit of a splurge for just one night, but it’s my senior prom, after all! However, I was lucky to find my dream dress while thrifting for just $30, which allowed me to allocate more funds for accessories like jewelry and shoes.”
Gwenivere Erickson - Submitted Photo
“I tend to factor in alteration costs after purchasing the dress itself,” she added.
When asked about choosing a long or short dress,’ Gwenivere said, “Long dresses are traditionally the norm for prom, so I knew from the start that I wanted a full-length gown to match the event’s formal vibe.”
She began looking for the perfect dress in August of last year and said, “It might seem like a head start, but prom has been on my mind ever since, and I wanted to make sure I found something special.
“I browsed through popular online stores and even checked out TikTok to see what dresses were trending form last year. I also kept my eyes open while shopping in-person, and that’s when I stumbled upon my dress.”
She knew she wanted a pink dress because it’s her favorite color.
“I bought a vintage Gunne Sax dress, which suits my personal style perfectly,” she explained. “In fact, I wore a vintage look for my first school dance as well!”
“Comfort is important, of course, but as my Mom always says, ‘Beauty is pain,’ so I’m willing to sacrifice a little comfort for the sake of looking good. Dancing is definitely an important consideration in a prom dress, and a strapless dress can limit movement, but a little body tape can work wonders.”
SYDNEY NELSON
When shopping for a prom dress, Sydney Nelson admits she doesn’t set a budget, “but I make sure I am not spending too much on a dress.”
Sydney Nelson - Submitted Photo
“I like to have a general idea of what I want before I go looking,” she said. “Last year I got my prom dress at a local store in February, which I would consider early. This year, I ordered mine online in mid-March around the same time everyone was looking for their prom dress.”
When choosing her prom dress Sydney shared that she knew she wanted a purple strapless dress, “which made the search harder because it was more specific. I looked at a lot of places online before I found the dress I wanted. I was able to put in my specific measurements to make sure the dress would fit me so I would have to get alterations, which was perfect.
“I also made sure my dress wasn’t really heavy with too much material so I would be able to be more comfortable when dancing,” she added. “I’m excited to see everyone’s dress this year and I also am very excited to be able to have a fun night with all of my friends for my senior year prom!”
JESLEN RINK
Jeslen Rink said she considers “many factors when deciding what I want to wear to prom.”
Jeslen Rink - Submitted Photo
“I usually have a color in mind, but I also try to keep an open mind while shopping,” she added. “I try to follow recent trends for my prom dress, like last year I had a long dress with lots of details and sparkles because that’s what my friends were wearing. This year however, I have decided to go with a more lightweight satin dress that I know I’ll be more comfortable in because I will be able to move easier.”
She said she know that many of her friends also are following the trend of doing a simpler dress, “but I also think it’s important that everyone knows they can choose whatever they want to wear to prom.”
“Picking out a prom dress is a way to represent yourself in whatever way you’d like,” she added.
“Last year I went shopping in a store near Chicago with my Mom and a friend, and there were so many options to choose from.,” Jeslen recalled.
“There are so many different price ranges so anyone can find a dress that works for them,” she said. ‘I don’t necessarily have a specific budget for my prom dress from my parents, but I definitely try to keep it below $400. My dress last year was just about $400, but this year I went with a simple option that was around $100.”
The dress she is wearing this year is one that she saw a girl wearing on social media and she was able to find the same dress online and said, ‘I ordered it and it fits great! I chose a light-yellow color in my dress this year because I wanted to do something different that will also look good with my dark hair.”
“This year’s prom is at the Botanical Center, and I’m very excited to go with my friends and date,” she added.
KARA SANCKEN
Kara Sancken is stepping away from tradition and is not wearing a dress to prom, but instead has chosen to wear a suit.
Kara Sancken - Submitted Photo
Even though she doesn’t set a budget for her prom purchase, Kara said her Mom gave her a set amount that she would pay, and the rest would be Kara’s responsibility, “and I took that into consideration when looking for an outfit.”
“Since I’m not wearing a dress, length doesn’t exactly apply, but I did choose to wear a suit before I started looking,” she said. “I started looking in January, but this is earlier than I probably would have looked if I were wearing a dress.”
“It’s really hard to find a suit that fits well, especially in stores, so I focused mostly on online options, which meant I needed to allow extra time for shipping,”: she explained. “For the top I’m wearing underneath (the jacket), I tried looking in person at several stores, but couldn’t find anything, so I ended up ordering that online as well.”
Even before she officially decided on a suit, Kara said she knew she wanted to wear purple…” At one point, I almost chose a dress just because it seemed like it would be easier to find something in that color, but ultimately, shopping online gave me access to way more suit options in the color I wanted.”
Cost was a huge factor to consider, she added, “especially since there were multiple parts to my outfit, not even including shoes or jewelry.”
“My personal style and comfort are what ultimately made me decide not to wear a dress,” she said. “I’ve never really liked how I look in dresses, more specifically formal dresses like Prom dresses, and I felt like a suit fit my style better, and I would feel more comfortable in it. I also didn’t have to worry about how it would work for dancing because suits are way easier to move in than dresses.”
“As for the color, I chose purple simply because it’s my favorite color, and it’s my Senior Prom,” she said.