Prom dresses for your school's last big dance

A prom dress gets photographed on the front steps at six, sits through a long dinner and then dances until the DJ packs up. We cut ours in velvet, satin, lurex and knit, from short fitted minis to gowns that sweep the floor.

Down to the floor in velvet, with a slit or one bare shoulder

If your school calls it a ball, go long. Most of our floor-length styles are velvet, and the ways they’re cut are pretty different from one another. The navy mermaid stays close all the way to your knees, then opens out toward the hem. Round neck, long sleeves. The champagne gold one has a single long sleeve, an open shoulder and a slit at the leg, and it glows under warm lights. Powder pink comes in that same one-shoulder shape.

Want something darker? Black velvet maxi, long sleeves, a slit that only shows when you walk.

Here’s the part nobody wants to hear. Try the hem with the heels you’ll actually dance in, not the ones in the box from last year. A long prom dress that’s a bit too long gets stepped on by the end of the first slow song, and the stairs at the venue won’t be kind to it either.

Short hems for the after-party crowd

A fitted prom dress in a mini length is easier to dance in, easier to sit in at the limo and honestly easier to love in photos. Our velvet one-shoulder minis come in red, emerald, black, burgundy and navy. Each one has a long sleeve on one arm, which balances the short skirt. Silver earrings and a silver clutch with the navy. Gold with the emerald.

Bare shoulders more your thing? Go for the red satin slip mini, held up by two thin straps over a plunging V. It’s for a packed, warm hall in the cold months. Under any one-shoulder style you’ll need a strapless bra, so sort that out a few weeks before, not the afternoon of.

When the theme is sparkle

Lurex is knit with metallic thread running through it, and it catches every camera flash on its own. It doesn’t need sequins. The emerald lurex wrap mini ties at the waist and covers your arms, and there’s also a black-and-silver lurex mini with a sharp triangle neckline. For a longer look, the black lurex midi sits off the shoulder and opens at the leg with a slit. Skip the necklace. Small earrings are enough.

After the night, wash lurex by hand in cool water and let it dry flat in the shade.

Measure in winter, rehearse at home

Prom in the US usually lands in April or May, and the UK school prom in June, so the smart move is choosing your style while it’s still cold out. Our summer fabrics are hidden from the catalog until March, which is worth remembering if you’re set on satin. We make every style in XS to XL, and a medium is roughly a UK 10–12.

When it arrives, put on the shoes, sit on the edge of your bed, raise both arms and walk down the stairs once. Ten minutes. It’s the only way to know the neckline stays put. If you’re still deciding on a shade, look through our black styles for the dance and the red ones.

Frequently asked questions

Short or long, what’s the rule?

There isn’t one, unless your school writes a dress code that asks for floor-length. Check the ticket or the email first.

Is velvet too much for a spring venue?

Most of our velvet is dense and on the warm side. If the hall gets hot, choose an off-shoulder cut or the satin slip.

Can my friends and I match?

Sure. Pick one color as a group and let everyone choose her own length and neckline. Black, red, white, blue and emerald are the shades we sew most for this night.