Of course there is the option of going to all the malls looking for a sale. That option is likely to waste a lot of your time. It is in this context that the on-line shopping option comes into the picture.

There are websites that specialize in selling ball gowns and formal wear on-line. Because selling on-line involves less overhead (your shop can be a garage instead of a posh outlet in the prime business district, for example) and has the potential of achieving larger volumes (with higher volumes, you can accumulate a substantial profit even with lower per unit margins), you are likely to find lower prices at the on-line shops.

Then there is eBay and other auction sites where you can place bids for the dresses that you fancy. Because prom dresses are used so rarely, it is likely that many persons will be trying to sell theirs on such auction sites.

You should have a clear idea of the kind of dress you are looking for, its style, color, size, length and so on. Otherwise, you might spend money and find you have got something that is not quite what you want. Returning the dress might not be all that easy if you bought it on-line (where there are more options and affordable prices).

So take a tour of fashion magazines, catalogues and other such venues. Decide on the kind of dress that you want, on the type of dress that will flatter your body. Go to a few malls and try on a few expensive dresses just to see how they look on you. With the clear idea that you form as a result of this research, you can quickly narrow down to those dresses displayed on-line that meet your expectations.

When you buy on-line, there is a higher risk of being cheated. You might be fobbed off with a dress that uses obviously cheap material, or one that is different from what was shown. So deal only with on-line stores that are trustworthy, provide you a guarantee and accept returns. Stores like eBay seek to protect buyers through various means.

There is a possibility that you will not find exactly what you want on-line. The dress might be a little too large or a little too long for you. Yet it might be perfect otherwise, just what you are looking for. You don't have to forget about that affordable dress and go for an expensive one in such a case. Making alterations are likely to cost significantly less money than the difference between the dress available on-line and the expensive dress in the mall.

An affordable prom dress that also looks great on you is a real possibility if you adopt the kind of strategy outlined above. Do some research to decide exactly what kind of dress you want. Then look for that kind of dress on-line at specialty Web stores and auction sites like eBay. You will most likely find just what you had hoped for.