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Holy Cross | Style > Fashion

Who Knew Finding A Formal Dress Was Mission Impossible

Kate McCarthy Student Contributor, College of the Holy Cross
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Holy Cross chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

I’ve been shopping for a dress for the sophomore formal for like three weeks and I STILL haven’t found anything to wear. Every dress I’ve ordered either doesn’t fit, looks way too cheap, or both. My problem is that I expect my cheap dresses to not look cheap. I refuse to spend more than 50 dollars on a dress, but then I’m mad when the dress looks like I spent less than 50 dollars on it.

The other problem I find myself running into is the fact that all the dresses that I’ve looked through either have wayyyyyy too much skin showing, or they look like something a nun would wear. WHAT HAPPENED TO NORMAL DRESSES? I don’t want to look trashy, but I also don’t want to look like an Amish grandma (no hate to the Amish community I love you guys). It should not be this hard to find a cute, and appropriate dress. 

Yesterday one of the dresses I ordered from Amazon came in the mail, and it’s the closest thing to a success. It FEELS cheap but it doesn’t LOOK cheap, and that’s all I care about. It fits me really well except for the fact that the straps are just way too long. I’m hoping that my angel of a grandmother will be able to use her sewing skills to fix up the straps in time for Saturday. If she can make that work, then I think that this will be my dress. 

Finding this dress feels like coming out on the other side of a war. It was so difficult for no reason. Please God let’s bring back normal, cute, and affordable dresses. #BringBackNormalDresses2025.

Kate McCarthy

Holy Cross '27

Kate is an English major from Worcester MA who is the biggest Swiftie you will ever meet!