With homecoming being less than a month away, many Patriots are turning to the web to find the perfect dress. But is this online shopping trend a fashion forward choice or a risky gamble? Finding a dress can be stressful for many people but the worst problem is not knowing where to shop for dresses.
A growing trend among high school students is shifting the dress search from the crowded malls to the comfort of home, offering a more efficient and successful way to shop.
“Shopping at malls and stores stresses me out and I never find the dress I have in my head. I prefer online shopping so that I can see all options with styles and different colors,” Natalie Mathis, a junior, said.
With just a few clicks, students can access endless styles, compare prices effortlessly, and read through customer reviews for real life thoughts and feedback. Students can do all of this while avoiding the stress of long lines, few options, and limited store hours.
“When I went shopping in person I liked the experience but there were a lot of colors that they were a lot of colors that were out of stock at the store,” Emery Hudson, a sophomore, said.
Hello Molly, an Australian clothing company that gained attention last year on TikTok, has been a popular place to order dresses from. They have a wide variety of styles, colors, and prices resulting in happy customers that can rely on their websites year by year.
“They had great pictures that showed exactly what the dress would look like in person online which helped making a decision,” Leah Reynolds, a sophomore, says about her Hello Molly dress she ordered in hopes to wear to last year’s homecoming dance.
Especially when ordering online, the return policy becomes a key component of ordering dresses. If the dress doesn’t fit right or you find a better option, returning a dress becomes very important.
“Even though I didn’t end up keeping the dress, the return policy was super easy and it was very easy to see the size charts online,” Reynolds said.
Windsor, a store that first opened in 1937 and has been growing online and in malls ever since, provides a long list of homecoming dresses for this season.
“I’ve been going to Winsdor since I was little. Going into the location in Polaris just to look at the sparkly dress was always my favorite,” Brooklyn Greer, a junior, said.
Many Patriots can order their dresses online or visit their location at Polaris Fashion Place. Windsor carries a wide variety of dresses in store while also showing endless options online for customers to choose from.
When asked if she enjoyed her experience with Winsdor, Greer answered, “Yes, I really liked Windsor because they had a lot on online and in store selection for me to choose from.”
Windsor also has begun selling merchandise on TikTok shops allowing more people to view their products. TikTok shop has been a great platform for vendors recently and Windsor has jumped at the opportunity for more advertisement.
“I’ve always known what Windsor was but when I was shopping for homecoming dresses this year I totally forgot to check their website before it came up on my for you page,” Lizzy Harding, a sophomore, said.
Beginning Boutique has gained the eye of the public this year through TikTok influencers worldwide.
“This year I didn’t know where to shop because it’s my first homecoming but when I saw influencers reviewing Beginning Boutique I started looking online,” Annie Perry, a freshman, said.
Beginning Boutique has a wide range of options with over 600 dresses for customers to choose from.
“There were so many styles and colors I ended up having almost 15 dresses in my cart,” Perry said.
Their dresses also have a wide price range. They offer dresses anywhere between $15-$160 to meet everyone’s price points.
“A lot of places have really expensive dresses but Beginning Boutique seemed to have the same quality in all their dresses with a reasonable price,” Perry said.
Lucy in the Sky is a dress company that specializes in formal dresses for occasions such as prom, homecoming, and other events.
“I always shop at Lucy in the Sky when I need dresses for weddings and formal things so I always look there first for homecoming dresses,” Mathis said.
When ordering homecoming dresses online a recurring theme is the fear of late delivery, but Lucy in the Sky has proved that they can deliver in an efficient time frame.
“Overall the quality of the dress was really good and the shipping was really fast,” Mathis said.
Lucy in the Sky also provides many reviews on every dress with pictures clients have provided to show what their dress looked like once it was delivered. These reviews can help with sizing, style, and reality of the dress on a customer compared to a model in the cover photo.
“When I ordered my dresses I used the reviews as a resource to see what the dress looks like, when it actually delivers and how it fits,” Mathis said.
The less stress there is behind the dress the more Patriots can focus on the fun they will have at homecoming on September 28.
“Homecoming is so fun but it’s even better when I find the perfect dress I feel confident,” Hudson said.
