Last week was a nightmare, staying up late and waking up early, all in the hopes of getting a coveted Founder’s Day Ball ticket. We cried, we panicked, we coerced our friends into helping us click the Register button .01 seconds faster than everyone else. Now that the dust has cleared off of the battlefield that was the Eventbrite page, a select 2,000 lucky American University students have emerged as the champions. Now we’re plagued with a whole new dilemma, what are we going to wear?!
While it’s tempting to go out and splurge on a brand new sparkly dress to ensure we shine brighter than any of the stars the Apollo 13 spacecraft has flown past, here are a few tips to help you look your absolute best on a realistic college student budget.
Prom Dress Swap
Whether your prom was a few months ago or a few years ago, I’m willing to bet everyone spent a pretty penny to look snazzy while dancing the night away under a balloon arch and papier-mâché stars. Why not dust off those beautiful gowns and host a prom dress swap with your gal pals? Make it a fun night in with friends trying on dresses, swapping make-up and hair ideas. You’ll save money and still get to debut an entirely new look on instagram!
Rent The Runway
If you want to feel like a true belle of the ball, try checking out Rent the Runway. They have hundreds of beautiful designer dresses for up to 90% off the retail price! With sizes ranging from 0 to 22 and designs from Badgley Mischka, Vera Wang, Carolina Herrera and Calvin Klein, there’s something for everyone. The company offers pre-paid return shipping and charges a 5 dollar insurance fee so even if you spill a little bit of your drink while you’re breaking it down on the dance floor, you’re covered.
Chains Stores
With so many cute, trendy (and expensive) boutiques scattered all around the city it can be tempting to clean out your wallet there instead of checking out what the major chain stores might be carrying. Forever 21, H&M, Zara, and Nordstrom Rack all carry affordable evening dresses that won’t make you cringe when you check your bank account. If you’re worried that someone else might show up in the same dress and upstage you, use the money you saved on buying the dress to splurge on killer heels and accessories to set yourself apart.
Lulu*s
Lulus.com is the one stop online shop to getting not only a dress, but everything you might need for Founder’s Day. Prices rang from 40 dollars to upwards of 100 dollars with sizes XS through L. There are endless styles to browse through and there are even accessories and shoes pages so you can purchase your whole look off the site. The site offers free shipping on all orders over 50 dollars, which is always an added bonus. Lulu sure knows the way to a bargain hunter’s heart.