Goth prom dresses – style advice, DIY tutorials and buying tips
Goth prom dresses: See also our 2016 guide to buying gothic prom dresses under £100!
Discover how to choose a prom dress that matches the event but also your gothic style. We’ll also list some nice DIY tutorials and online stores to help you on your quest for the perfect gothic prom dress.
Hell Bunny goth dress $66.00 from Too Fast
Tired of scanning the aisles of a store for a dress that isn’t there? Prom, in its olden days, was known as a mainstream ritualistic event at the end of every school year. These days everyone is a bit more flexible and it’s time to let your dark light shine with the ultimate goth prom dress.
DIY tutorial: Make your own gothic lolita headdress
Buying goth prom dresses online
This Victorian / Elegant Gothic Lolita goth prom dress from Fairy Gothmother is £250 (gasp) but it’s not strictly prom so if you like the style you’ll wear this dress for the rest of your life. Each wearing will make it cheaper wear-for-wear.
Dresses are never easy to come by, cheap dresses are even harder, but cheap goth prom dresses? Forget about it, especially if you live in the middle of nowhere.
The first place to look for a suitable indie / gothic lolita / corset-based / goth prom dress is obviously online – yet it can be hard to find the right one. H
ere are a few guide rules:
Top tip: How to avoid corset itch on your big night
Ultimate hopping guide
This goth prom dress is from Gothic Wedding Gowns. It would look lovely with some Alchemy Gothic jewellery.
Make absolutely sure your goth prom 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 realising you’d have to give up essentials 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.
Customise your goth prom dress with your love of DIY ethics!
DIY tutorial: La Carmina’s guide on how to make and customise your own 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, try using duct tape or an ace bandage to 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’s a list of good online shops to try. Look out, Homecoming Queen… here comes the Shadow Queen.
Where to buy goth prom dresses online
Vintage inspired prom dress £199 from Fairy Gothmother. Buy it, wear it, get bored of it then give it to us. Please. We’ll make you tiny Alice in Wonderland cups of tea for the rest of your life.
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.
Gothic 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 (there’s lots of jet in Whitby, where they filmed Dracula. Ever heart of Whitby Goth Weekend?). Also, consider threading pearls into your hair. Also, channel Helena Bonham-Carter.
Steampunk buckled punk prom dress $79.99 from Infectious Threads
Retro and vintage prom dresses
If you’re not averse to a style crossover, vintage style can blend beautifully with the gothic ethic. Here are a few places to browse and compare…
La Vintage is lovely.
Pin-up Girl Clothing is my personal favourite for vintage prom dresses
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 restriction 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 (see our alternative plus-size fashion guides for more inspiration).
Infectious Threads stock lots of pretty evening dresses with plaid and restriction 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
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 goth prom dresses (or otherwise otherly ones) that’s at least two out a million ways to play it…
Ruche indie prom dress £25.00 from Boohoo