Prom dresses are one of the most important traditions surrounding senior year. Students visit boutiques in-person, order online or do a mix of the two during their hunt for the perfect prom dress. At DePaul College Prep, students take their dresses seriously, with an entire Instagram account, @DCP_prom_2025, dedicated to posting students’ potential dresses.
In order to post, students need to direct message, or DM, the account four things: a picture of the dress, the style of the dress, the company they bought it from and the color the student is buying it in. Once a dress is posted, “Most people respect it and choose a different dress” according to senior Kate Erickson who runs the account. However, students may choose to buy the same dress style but in different colors.
The perfect prom dress can’t just be found at one store. Many students go to many stores before finding the dress they’ll end up wearing to prom. The list includes Macy’s, Nordstrom, Windsor and Peaches. Peaches Boutique on 5915 S Archer Ave is one of the most popular places to shop for a prom dress for most students in Chicago. It’s a destination. However, some eniors choose to shop at other stores, like Cecilia Sekowski, who bought hers from Giselle’s Bridal, senior Caitlin Torio who purchased her dress from the online retailer SHEIN or senior Theresa Cunningham who bought her dress from Stacees. The most popular brand, Sherri Hill, is evident just by scrolling through the prom dress Instagram. Of the dresses posted so far, 22 of them are Sherri Hill. Additionally, DePaul Prep students tend to favor longer dresses, with every dress posted being knee length or lower.
The perfect prom dress looks different to different people. Erickson had one criteria in mind for hers, “I wanted a dress that could only be worn to prom. I didn’t want a slip dress or an Easter brunch dress.” Traditional Prom dresses are unique in that they don’t fall easily into the category of evening dress, bodycon dress or even quinceanera dress. Most prom dresses come in bright colors, have a tight bodice but a-line or mermaid skirt. These dresses can also include decorations like sequins, lace or applique. It’s a dress only suitable for one occasion: prom. “I thought I would prefer a mermaid or flowy style more than a Cinderella gown,” says senior Sophia Lee about her envisioned dress. Although people’s personal taste on decorations might differ, altogether silhouettes aren’t too different.
Often, students’ personal visions about what their prom dress should look like can change after they try on dresses in-store. According to senior Elsa Gaeth, “I wanted it to have ruffles but still be simple.”
However, after trying on five outfits she ended up with a dress that had white flower applique instead. It can be a long process as students go from retailer to retailer, unsure about their gut decision. “I could just buy the first dress I liked, so I drove fifty minutes to the Peaches,” says Sekowski. However, after trying on dresses at three different boutiques she returned to her first dress.
