Goth prom dress guide

by Francis Ann

Goth clothing: Find punk, retro, indie & gothic prom dresses online with our list of unusual prom dress shops. Plus we give prom dress advice on how to really feel your dress and how to buy it online - tears-free.

Tired of scanning the aisles of a store looking and looking for a dress that isn't there? Prom, in its olden days, was known as the ritualistic event at the end of every school year for the preps and prisses to celebrate their prep and priss-ness. Today is a new day, so bring out your inner mookychick and shock and awe your audience with the ultimate prom dress.

The Mookychick guide to buying alternative / goth prom dresses online

Dresses are never easy to come by, cheap dresses are even harder, but cheap alternative dresses? Forget about it, especially if you live in the middle of nowhere.

The first place for a mookette to look for a suitably indie / gothic / lolita / corset prom dress is obviously online - yet even online it can be hard to find the right dress. Hours of mouse clicking and touch-sensitive pad caressing can result in nothing but confusion, so here are a few guide rules:

Buying prom dresses online - shopping guide

Make absolutely sure your dress is the right size. On most sites there will be a graph detailing the waist, hip, and chest measurements. Measure yourself and get the right size, or get a size larger than you are and have it taken in later.

Look at the price before you look at the dress in detail. There is nothing worse than falling in love with a dress and realizing you'd have to give up food for a month to afford it.

If you are a lover of the corset, you may want to consider getting a dress with a slinky top and simply finding a corset to wear over it. When all else fails, put your mooky powers into play and cut that top right off.

Customize a prom dress with your love of DIY ethics. Make your mother's maddona-wanna-be dress and make it into your own lovely gothic prom dress.

Check out more than two sites before you decide on the prom dress for you because one of the worst things in the world is to shell out $200 and then find a prom dress you love even more for only $100. Or the same one you just bought available for considerably less elsewhere.

It sucks. but no pain no gain: if you're going with a strapless or a halter prom dress and are not magically blessed with the breasts of a Greek goddess, we recommend using duct tape (my mother's suggestion) or an ace bandage to just bust those babies up to full perk.

Don't let anyone tell you your prom dress isn't good. Don't take their suggestions that the colour isn't right for your hair colour, or the dress is a little too loose on the sides... Always stick with your gut because as long as you feel good, you'll look good too. Buy the dress you want, not the dress your mother/friend/date wants. If you're not feeling confident about the whole prom dress thing, watch Pretty in Pink and feel a whole lot better.

Here is a list of good online shops that have come up trumps in the past for helping mookalinas find the perfect prom dress. Look out, Homecoming Queen... here come The Mookychicks.

Goth prom dresses

Gothic Wedding Dresses is worth a look for a unique goth prom gown.

The Gothic Shop stocks gothic prom dresses ranging from the cute to twisted and right back to sophisticated. Like our other fave shops, they stock a lot of Hell Bunny dresses. If only Hell Bunny would pay us to wear their clothes. Hint.

Dracinabox do fantastic gothic long gowns and short goth dresses. Suitable for prom? Of course.

Kate's Clothing delivers what you need for a heart-stopping goth prom entrance, from Necessary Evil karei pink butterfly dresses to Iron Fist Dead Phones platform shoes.

Fairy Gothmother are expensive. But if your heart is set on vintage-inspired or goth prom dresses, they're officially some of the prettiest dresses in the world.

Goth prom dress tips: There's nothing wrong with adding a pair of long gloves to the mix. And you may wish to contrast with pearls, or jet necklace (lots of jet in Whitby, where they filmed Dracula). Also, consider threading pearls into your hair. Also, channel Helena Bonham-Carter.

Retro and vintage prom dresses

La Vintage is lovely.

Pin-up Girl Clothing is my personal favourite for vintage prom dresses

Sohos are eclectic. They do gothic, emo, punk and retro prom dresses! And nicely cheap if you live in Europe.

Mode Merr are based in the US. They're not cheap but they do a great line in brassy vintage-inspired vamp dresses. Wear for prom if you dare...

Dolly Dagger in the UK have a tremedous amount of swing dresses, sailor dresses, sweetheart dress - you name it. They have a section for size 16+ and you can search their site according to your favourite colour or what motif you like bets, eg. cherries or anchors. We love them.

Vintage prom dress tips: A good prom dress lasts forever, but you might decide to spend the money on your hair instead. If you take a pic of any pin-up girl to a salon and ask for that style you'll truly feel the part. Or you can try to make your own victory curls. No-one has to see them up close, but don't forget stockings!

Indie prom dresses

Mod Cloth have a great selection of party dresses - from indie to punk and vintage-inspired.

Blue Banana rocks. If you want a cute indie dress with skeletons or roses or pirate ship prints or bondage strips and plaid, UK's Blue Banana is the shop for you.

Boohoo is a UK site with ridiculously cheap and truly lovely indie prom dresses - it actually has a section specifically for prom dresses, unlike so many other online clothing shops. You're looking at about £25. Cheap! If you're specifically wanting a goth prom dress, do give Boohoo a try when researching your ideal prom frock because they do a lot with black satin, tulle and velvet ribbon.

Indie prom dress tips: You look lovely. Remember to shove a tenner down your shoes for when you lose your money and phone and need a cab ride home.

Punk prom dresses

Too Fast is a US site that specialises in gorgeous Hell Bunny dresses with edgy prints and textures we haven't seen on other sites. Gotta love the black and purple tutu dress. They also do plus sizes.

Infectious Threads stock lots of pretty evening dresses with plaid and bondage detail. Our favourite is 'Step Back in Time - a dress with steampunk brass buckles and victorian lace frills on an industrial black dress suitable for evening and punk prom wear.

Vonlancelot specialises in renaissance style clothing but has a lot of random dresses in stock. You can find the perfect punk prom dress for very cheap if you're willing to sift through a lot of renaissance fare.

Punk prom dress tips: Have you thought about wearing a pretty frock with Converse or glossy black DMs? Of course you have. Pretty prom dresses with sneakers are a droolingly lovely combo.

Elegant prom dresses

Betsey Johnson is a US site for those of you to whom money is no object.

Elegant prom dress tips: If you're looking swelegant, try chewing gum while you talk for a little contrast. Or take a leaf out of Holly Golightly's book and tell any and all eligible bachelors you've lost your cat.

Finally, if you plan for an unusual prom dress, you have at least two options. Go for a statement unique prom dress but nod to convention with pearls or shiny things and a corsage. Or go for a classic formal prom dress or gown with goth or punk accessories with hair, tights, shoes, jewelry and such. There you go. If you're looking for a goth / punk / other prom night, that's at least two out a million ways to play it...

See more Japanese, Vintage/Burlesque & Gothic DIY Style