With spring semester comes Greek formals, which also means it’s out with the old and in with the new – new dresses that is. But let’s be honest, Gainesville’s Oaks Mall isn’t exactly jam-packed with high-end boutiques or dress stores. You could get lucky at one of its department stores but chances aren’t always the greatest, especially when you waited until the last minute to start your search! So unless you want to drive to the nearest big city, I suggest you head to your laptop and start online shopping.
Here are the four best places to shop online for those sassy and sweet dresses you’ve have been searching for.
1. RenttheRunway.com
Rent the Runway allows you to wear extremely expensive dresses for a few days. The company buys dresses and rents them out for a fraction of the cost, such as this strapless sequin mini.
Its retail price is $1,380, but for a few days you can wear it and only pay $200. This system is perfect because we usually wear formal style dresses once and refuse to wear it a second time. This site is very helpful when narrowing down which size and style is for you. For a lot of girls, finding a dress can be frustrating.
I hated dress shopping because it was near impossible to find something that fit my form. Instead of looking forward to a day of shopping, I’d dread it. Rent the Runway categorizes their dresses by body type; for example, pear, athletic, and full bust. They have hundreds of reviews on each dress where people also post pictures of themselves in the dresses. This is helpful when determining your size and seeing how it actually looks – not just how it looks on the model.
Worried about spilling you’re wine and having to pay full price for a ruined dress? The company offers dress insurance for five dollars so you don’t need to fret about any accidents occurring. There is also a specific section of the website called “Sorority Party Dresses,” which is extremely helpful.
2. Lulus.com
Lulu*s has anything you could possibly want from shoes and shirts, to jewelry and purses. But let’s not forget, of course, the dresses. Under the “Party Dresses” section of its website, Lulu*s features endless pages of dresses. Most of them have a sweet and sophisticated look with a lot of pastels, and others are sheer mesh and have cutout sides. Prices range around $40 to $70. However, take a look at this cute blue strapless dress. It’s only $35!
If you’re a bargain hunter, this site may be for you. There’s free shipping on orders totaling more than $50, and orders arrive in four to ten business days.
Nastygal.com
Nasty Gal is perfect for girls that consider themselves trendsetters. You can find anything from all-leather dresses, plunging necklines, and bold black and white stripes to pastels and peplum dresses. Prices do vary a lot; they can be priced anywhere from $40 to more than $100. A great little addition to the website is a “Model Stats” tab that tells you the height, weight, and measurements of the model wearing each dress. They are extremely well made dresses and will last even when the night begins to get a little rowdy. This gold leaf dress is $78 and a little edgier making any girl who wears it stand out in the crowd.
If you are smart when shopping for dresses online, you’re sure to make jaws drop when you step into the room with whichever dress you choose.