I know what you might be thinking — “It’s only February, why do I need to start looking for my prom dress now?” Well, you don’t, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to do it earlier than later. The recent TikTok trend of “Prom dresses I tried on but didn’t try” has influenced me to start my search, and has probably influenced you as well. After countless videos of “research,” I’m here to tell you the top five best places to buy your prom dress, in no particular order.

1. Peaches Boutique 

Located at 5915 S Archer Ave in Chicago, Peaches is definitely the store you’ve heard numerous teenage girls talk about. Housing designers like Sherri Hill, Primavera, Le Femme and many more, the dresses there won’t disappoint. Whether you want a glitzy, beaded dress or a simple, sleek look, you’ll get the best of both worlds there. Peaches also won’t let anyone from your school buy the same dress as you so you’ll never have to worry about accidentally twinning with someone else. The only downside is that some of the dresses are expensive — like, $500 expensive. So, if $500 is in your budget, this is the place for you!

2. Revolve

Switching it up from a boutique to an online store, Revolve has options that could go on forever. Any color, cut, style and price range you want, Revolve has it. Don’t worry, unlike Peaches, you aren’t bound to a specific dress; you can return and exchange to whatever pleases you best. Similar to Peaches, Revolve houses numerous designers that you can choose from, but there’s always a chance that you’ll show up to before-prom pictures wearing the same dress as someone else.

3. Lady Black Tie

I’m not going to lie, I didn’t know about this place until my friend told me about it, but let me tell you, their options don’t disappoint. A decently-priced website with dresses that don’t exceed a massive budget, you are sure to be able to find something. A plethora of simple and elegant dresses can be found on the site, but you’ll still see the glittery, beaded ones on there too. I loved the varieties of cuts, colors, and styles they offered — you’ll never see the same thing twice on there. Prepare to be wowed when you check this place out.

4. Reformation

I didn’t think Reformation would have a lot of options for prom dresses, but I was proved wrong. There are lots — and when I say lots, I mean lots — of simple options. If you’re looking for a timeless, elegant look, you’ll definitely find something at Reformation. The simplicity of their dresses is beautiful and will make you shock your peers at prom. Of course, they have all the glitzy, beaded options as well, they just aren’t as common on the website.

5. Gipper Prom

Located at 7109 Pingree Rd, Crystal Lake, IL, Gipper Prom is another Prom dress boutique. Luckily, this one is in the suburbs for those who don’t want to drive all the way down in the city. With different designers than Peaches like Amarra, Scala, JVN and more, it generally has the same vibe as Peaches. The prices are also not too pretty with lots of $400+ price tags but again, if that’s in your budget, you’ll have a field day there!

Now with these five options, you’ll be able to film your own “Prom dresses I tried on but didn’t get.” I hope that with these recommendations you’ll be able to find the dress of your dreams!